Gum Problems?

L

Lahree

Forums Enthusiast
Can a dog have gum disease without tartar on their teeth and no bad breath? Ellie's muzzle felt hot the other day when I kissed her and I looked at her gums and teeth. Her teeth are pearly white and her breath is just fine. No odor at all, but her gums look inflamed to me. I have tried looking on the internet for bad looking dog gums, but all the photos I saw show these nasty looking teeth as well. Ellie's got the worst allingment on her teeth (she had to have one pulled that grew tilted inward), but would that cause bulging at the gum line?

Her gums look healthy pink but then there is a slight line of redder gums just above the gum line. Her gums also bulge out where her top canines are. I don't know if they do that normally or not.
 
I don't have an answer for you, but have the same question, so will be looking for information from those who know.
 
The answer is yes. Our Ivy, who was a puppy mill rescue, never had teeth that looked bad but before she was 8, she began losing them. When the vet looked in her mouth, he found that most of them were loose or coming out. He pulled 5, and by the time she was 9, she'd lost all her teeth.

She looked like a little dolphin, but she was able to eat just fine -- the only thing she really missed in the last years of her life was chewing rawhide. Each night I would give her a frozen kong filled with baby food when the other dogs got their bones.

It is important if you think Ellie might have some gum problems to have her checked.
 
Noah had bright red gums, even when I had his teeth cleaned. The vet could never figure out what it was. Noah stumped him on it. He was able to eat just fine, breath was fine, etc. The redness was a red line running along the gums just at the crease of the gums where it starts to slant back down to the teeth. I never really worried about it as the vet seems to think it was ok, as Noah never did exhibit any problems with his teeth.
 
The weird thing is that her muzzle feels so warm to me. Much warmer than the rest of her face or her ears. 99% of her gums are a perfect pink, but they seem to bulge at the front canines and the back molar? I don't know what they are called on a dog. There is a very thin dark red line that is not next to the teeth, but up above it. Her teeth are white-white, breath is perfect (for a dog, LOL) and she has never had a problem eating and she seems healthy and perky. Her teeth aren't loose. It's weird.

She is getting groomed on Wednesday at our vet's office and she will see her doctor afterwards. I want reassurance it's nothing bad.
 
Yes they can have gum disease or gingivitis without alot of tartar. It can be the early part of peridontal disease or stomatitis. There are different types of the stomatitis each with a different prognosis. Another possiblity is gingival hyperplasia.

Justice has ulcerative stomatits. The only sign he is having now is redness about 1/2 cm above the gum line. Diet has helped control it about 99%. His type generally has very bad breathe though and can get quite ugly without strict management.

Gingival hyperplasia barely producing any odor and the gums look puffy and red. It is common in Boxers.
 
Justicemom said:
Yes they can have gum disease or gingivitis without alot of tartar. It can be the early part of peridontal disease or stomatitis. There are different types of the stomatitis each with a different prognosis. Another possiblity is gingival hyperplasia.

Justice has ulcerative stomatits. The only sign he is having now is redness about 1/2 cm above the gum line. Diet has helped control it about 99%. His type generally has very bad breathe though and can get quite ugly without strict management.

Gingival hyperplasia barely producing any odor and the gums look puffy and red. It is common in Boxers.
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The vet is going to see her after the grooming tomorrow, so I will let you know what the dx is. Man, I pray it is nothing serious. Ellie's vet bills have practically paid for the new wing on the vet's building. :razz:
 
Ellis is just fine. It's just time to get her teeth cleaned. The vet is running a special on teeth cleaning next month, so she'll go in then. I have to have her go through anesthessia, but it's the only way for that nice, deep clean.
 
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