Bleeding Gums in Dogs

The symptoms of bleeding gums in dogs will likely begin in a quite subtle manner that could go unnoticed as you go about your daily living activities with your family (both human and canine) and the tremendous responsibilities that go with them.  Here are some of the symptoms of bleeding gums for which you should be watching:

• Halitosis (bad breath) - This may be the most noticeable and earliest symptom you might note 

• Swollen gums which are red or very pink in color
• Yellow or brown teeth (may be loose or some may be missing)
• Appetite changes
• Weight loss
• Difficulty chewing on bones

Types

There are several types of bleeding gums in dogs:

• Trauma or injury - This includes injury/trauma from chewing various objects and toys

• Foreign body penetration - Includes pieces and parts of all things being curiously chewed by canines
• Ingestion/consumption of toxic foods and substances like chocolate, antifreeze and other poisonous substances
• Infection and inflammation resulting largely from poor oral hygiene 
• Inflammation resulting from systemic diseases

Diagnosing bleeding gums in dogs can be as simple as checking them visually or as involved as x-rays, CT scan, MRI studies and surgical biopsies. Here are some of the steps which may be involved:

• Your veterinary professional will need a complete history from you in regard to your pet’s dietary regimen, any oral hygiene measures that are being done, health history and vaccinations along with the bleeding gum symptoms you’ve noticed, complete with the severity, frequency and duration
• He will do a physical examination and will likely order a series of blood tests to ascertain normal blood component values, possibility of infection (either bacterial or fungal), and to assess certain vitamin and mineral components for proper balance
• He may take various tissue samples as well as do urine fecal testing
• Based upon the findings from his examination, your history and the blood testing results, he may need to order radiographic testing (x-rays), CT scanning or MRI studies to define any potential masses or other abnormalities found in his examination 

These extra tests will likely be needed if your veterinary professional suspects that there is an underlying systemic cause for the inflammation noted in the oral cavity.  His treatment plan will be dependent upon the results of this testing and will be focused on the primary cause, whether it is periodontal disease or other systemic issue.

Treatment for bleeding gums in dogs will be dependent upon the cause found for the condition.  If the cause is determined to be purely oral in nature, then your veterinary professional will recommend appropriate veterinary dental care by a veterinary professional who is trained to do it.  

• The dental care that is required may range from that which is necessary to treat mild gingivitis (the earliest and mildest form of gum disease) to that which is necessary to  more intensively treat for periodontitis (the more severe stage of gum disease) in whatever stage of development it is found
• If the cause is found to be systemic in nature, then the treatment plan could involve a variety of medical interventions for the variety of medical problems for which inflammation is a factor
• Those medical interventions could range from dietary changes to ensure or improve nutrition, digestion and nutritional absorption to administration of medications to treat a systemic disease (thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome) to full fledged surgical removal of a malignant tumor with subsequent radiographic postoperative treatments

Of course, it goes without saying that the prognosis of bleeding gums in your family pet is contingent upon the reason for the bleeding gums.  Many canines, like a large percentage of adults in the United States, suffer from undiagnosed and untreated gum disease in various stages of development.  And, just like in humans, the inflammation that causes gum disease and bleeding gums in dogs can also cause a variety of systemic diseases, some of which are serious and life-threatening for the host, whether human or canine.  

The most frequently found cause for bleeding gums in dogs lies in undiagnosed and untreated periodontal disease.  But, be encouraged, this can be treated.  If you are not already involved in some degree of routine oral hygiene, it would be wise to consult with your veterinary professional for recommendations and training on what you should be doing, the way you should be doing it and the frequency with which it must be done.