Why is my senior dog's lip so swollen and what should I do?

She could have an infection in her mouth, a tooth or gum disease that is causing this. I recommend getting her in to see your vet right away as she sounds very uncomfortable. Your vet will do an exam, possibly labwork and/or x-rays and, based on these results, should be able to tell you what the problem is and how best to treat it.

Hello and thank you for taking such good care of Rosie. I really appreciate you taking the time to submit pictures of her lips and mouth. Cats can sometimes get the same kinds of mouth and lip diseases that people get. Perhaps she bumped it against something or scraped it on rough surface as she was being curious. Another reason for swollen lips are possible allergic reactions to insect bites or noxious substances. In addition, dental disease or improper teeth occlusion can can cause lip abrasions. My best advice is this: As long as she is eating, drinking, and playing normally, give the lip 3 days to improve and get smaller. If there is no improvement in that time, or if the lip gets bigger in the meantime, please have her seen by your veterinarian for a thorough oral examination. I hope this helps. Thanks for your question.

He’s a handsome boy! I recommend a vet visit for Oliver. The swelling could be due to a dental abscess or infection, cancer, infected salivary gland or even a foreign body in his mouth. Though that last maybe less likely if he doesn’t appear bothered by it. But the vet can do a thorough physical and oral exam to try to characterize the lump a little better. Depending on what they see they may Recommend a fine needle aspirate, a dental cleaning and assessment, or biopsy if it appears to be a mass. But given Olive’s age I would recommend you get it checked out sooner rather than later I hope it all works out well. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Causes include infection, inflammation, periodontal disease and possibly autoimmune disease. Keep an eye on her and if she is rubbing, place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further rubbing or trauma. Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose the underlying cause. Infection can be treated with a course of antibiotics. PeriodontaI disease will need to be addressed with a complete dental cleaning. If necessary, your vet can biopsy the area to collect samples for pathology.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cosmo. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today. I worry that he has an abscess. A tooth root abscess is common in that area of a dog's face. This can occur when there is damage to a large tooth in the back of the mouth. The root can become infected causing a swelling below the eye. Of course, there could be another cause. The veterinarian will examine him and may recommend anesthesia to determine if thisbis the case. The teeth can be cleaned and x-rays taken to look for an abscess. If present, the tooth will likely be extracted. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Teddy evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good day!

Toby is a very handsome man! If the area continues to bother him (if it stays swollen and he doesn't want you touching it) I recommend making an appointment to have him seen by a vet for diagnosis and treatment of the issue. If the swelling spreads elsewhere, he develops hives, or he begins to have any difficulty breathing, have him seen by a vet right away, as this could be a sign of a serious allergic reaction. If you are using plastic food or water bowls I recommend switching to stainless steel or glass and washing them thoroughly every day, as sometimes plastic bowls and the bacteria that can live on them can lead to irritation of the lips/ chin. If you think Toby may have chewed on an electrical wire and that may have caused the lesion on his lip, let your vet know right away, as this can be very painful.