My 6-month-old puppy squeals when I open his mouth. Is he in pain?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor guy! He could have oral pain for have an ear infection as well. An ear infection can look like mouth pain. If this growling/yelping is new then I would have him seen. If he is always like that it could be his personality. At 8 months of age all his adult teeth should be in. If they aren't he should have full mouth X-rays to see if the adults just aren't present and to be sure he doesn't have dentigerous cysts (cysts that form around the teeth in the bone). Usually this doesn't cause oral pain. I recommend having him examined by a Vet this week. They can look at his mouth and ears. If he is so painful they can sedate him so they can thoroughly examine him. I wish you the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to mouth pain. This may be due to bone discomfort or perhaps any sort of fracture or trauma. It could also be due to muscle pain. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thanks for posting! Sounds like Reese may have a dental issue- or perhaps just pain from his baby teeth coming out as his adult teeth start coming in. This is not uncommon in puppies this age, however, I would suggest Reese see a veterinarian for an oral exam just to make sure there is nothing more concerning happening. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to pain or discomfort. This may be related to periodontal disease or even a tumor or an infection such as a tooth root abscess. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to recommend further based on findings. Good luck!

I’m sorry Oscar is dealing with this. He is quite a handsome guy! Pain opening the mouth can be caused by a few thing including infections or an autoimmune disease called masticatory muscle myositis (MMM). I would have Oscar evaluated by his veterinarian. They may be able to get an idea based on their exam, and they can also do special blood testing for MMM. They can start Oscar on medication as indicated to help him be much more comfortable. In the meantime continue feeding him very soft foods. Hope he is feeling much better soon!

There is a condition in older dogs called masticatory myositis. It is an auto immune disease where, for some reason, the immune system attacks the muscles of the cheek. In the early stages, it hurts when the muscles of the cheeks move, and it is pain that stops the mouth from opening. Over time, ongoing damage causes scar tissue to from that stops the muscle from stretching. It could be that Brody has this condition, and it is treatable with high doses of steroids. I can't say for certain this is what is causing him pain when he opens his mouth, but you could speak to your vet to see if this could be a cause.

If you have been doing this to her for a long time and just recently she acts like it is hurting her then it should be investigated. There may be something going on inside her mouth or possibly the lymph nodes under the jaw are inflamed. Her TMJ joints may be sore. It could be an underlying ear problem. It is very hard to say. Anything that is a new behavior should be checked out by your vet.