My old dog's tongue sticks out after dental surgery. Is it normal?

He has a very short snout, so this may be because his tongue is too long and there is not enough space for his tongue inside the mouth. This is very likely, especially if he can freely move his tongue. If his tongue appears paralysed you need to take him to your veterinarian for an exam to find out why. There could be various reasons for this.

Hello. This is all VERY normal after a significant extraction of infected teeth. A little blood mixed in with saliva is causing the pink slime, & Maxi will hopefully learn to reposition her tongue, but many dogs without any more teeth will keep some of their tongue exposed. She will be fine. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Some cats and dogs post-operatively will have a sore throat from the endo-tracheal tube placement. It is not uncommon to see animals cough, wretch, or even vomit for the days after a procedure. The tongue hanging from the mouth is not usual, however, and is a little concerning. The the tongue and gums appear to be a normal color, there is probably no dire emergency. However, if you feel Finn looks at all pale or the gumlines themselves are drying out, I would have him examined as soon as possible to assess hydration status. Hope this makes sense.

Sometimes after dental extractions they can develop a connection between the nasal and oral cavities called a fistula. This can allow oral cavity food, bacteria, saliva, etc. to enter the nose which can sometimes lead to these signs. Often times there may be nasal discharge as well. As well there are other post anesthesia problems that can occur less frequently. Since this sounds like a notable change post dental i would have it evaluated by your family vet. They can look at the extraction sites and do a thorough oral exam (sedation likely required) as well as check for normal airflow via the nose and normal airway function. If you think the sleeping a lot is new as well then this could be related or some other issue. Rechecking some bloodwork will likely be recommended as he is an older pet that underwent anesthesia. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Snickers is a cutie! I would ask if he has been checked since he had all the teeth removed? The doctor needs to make sure all the extraction sites are healed and there is no inflammation present indicating there could be a problem. If he has not been examined recently, I would recommend to have him checked. Some dogs will like excessively once the teeth are removed. Being that he is a long haired little dog, it could also be that the hair is now sticking in his mouth. Keep the hair trimmed short around his mouth. Also check his lips to make sure you don't see any infection or redness. I hope this helps!

This may be an indication of oral pain from the extraction. I would recommend speaking with the veterinarian about pain management and add on additional pain medications. The suture used to close the extraction site may be causing some irritation as well. I would maybe have the veterinarian take a look at the mouth to be on the safe side. I hope this helps!

Very cute puppy. It is possible that she is sticking out her tongue due to positioning of her teeth. IF she were to have malocclusion (teeth abnormally positioned) it could allow her tongue to slip out. It could also just be a puppy things she grows out of. Good luck with the puppy