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Gingival hyperplasia can affect a single tooth or all the teeth and although not inflammatory at first, can be affected by food debris and bacteria concentrating in the deep pockets or folds of the growing gum. This leads to inflammation and periodontal disease. Often, this condition causes the gum to overgrow so severely that your dog may end up chewing on its own tissue. The gums can be smooth or they may appear bumpy and rough. In itself, this condition is not malignant but it can develop into increased plaque and tartar accumulation which leads to tooth and gum disease.
This condition is relatively common amongst dogs and affects the gums in that they appear to grow up and over the teeth, expanding in size.
Types
There are three main types of gingival hyperplasia.
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Gingival hyperplasia in your dog usually begins around middle age. It can begin in one area of the gum, and grow to completely cover all your dog’s teeth. Your veterinarian will inspect the mouth and gums of your pet, often during an awake exam. He will be checking the color of the gums (healthy is pink) and looking to assess if there is any redness, inflammation or overgrowth within the gum tissue. The confirmation of this condition is confirmed by an anesthetised examination.
GH is noninflammatory, but inflammation caused by bacteria can lead to inflammation and periodontal disease as a secondary process. If this has happened with your dog, he will need x-rays to determine the extent of the periodontal disease. A small sample of the gum (a biopsy) is taken to be examined under a microscope to determine whether it is hyperplastic (as in GH) or whether it is hypertrophic or neoplastic (cancer related). This enables the veterinarian to positively rule out any other diseases and allows the discussion for treatment to begin.
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There are two main ways of treating this condition. The first is by medical means, while the second method relies on surgery. If your pet’s condition has been brought on by a specific medication, then changing the medications may prove beneficial. Because you cannot just stop your dog’s medication, he is obviously on the drugs for a reason and to just halt that is not an option. What the veterinarian may do is to try changing the medication to see if that produces any sort of relief. He may recommend giving your dog a thorough dental cleaning with oral antibiotics. This procedure will help reduce any inflammation caused by periodontal disease but it will not reduce or remove the hyperplasia of the gums.
To remove the build-up of the gum tissue around the teeth and remove those deep pockets of flesh where disease can hide and flourish, it will take surgery to achieve that. The surgery will give your pet a nice gum line, removes those pockets of tissue, and reshape the gum tissue around the teeth providing a healthier mouth. Gingivoplasty is a gum surgery where the technician reshapes the gum tissue, removing the excess. Usually, laser, electro or traditional surgery methods are used to achieve this goal. Although the procedure is simple, it can be time consuming and therefore, costly. There is no guarantee that the condition may not reoccur, especially in those types of dogs who are more prone to this condition.
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With any illness that involves surgery, supportive care at home continues the good work of the veterinarian dentist’s work. After your dog recovers at the clinic, the specialist will be able to tell you what care is needed when you take your dog home, and what signs to look for as your dog recovers. Check-ups after the operation will be necessary to ensure the gums are recovering. Your dog will need a warm bed and peace and quiet to recover, and may not have much of an appetite. To start, simple soft food is probably best. With plenty of fresh clean water and depending on what your specialist recommends, there may be medication for the pain and to fight any inflammation at first. Depending on the age of your dog and the extent of the treatment, recovery is usually optimistic.
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Ask a Vet
Sophie
Bichon F
14 Years
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
My 14 year old Bichon may have Gingival Hyperplasia. Her gums on her front teeth are almost completely covering those teeth. She has a little bleeding but seems to be eating ok. However I am afraid of putting her thru surgery because of her age & prior health issues. She had Liver Cancer a couple of years ago but has completely recovered from that. Her liver enzymes still elevate but the Vet/Surgeon said because of the cancer she will also show higher than normal liver enzymes the rest of her life even though she has fully recovered. My concern now is her teeth/gums. Is there anything that can be done without surgery? I currently brush her teeth/gums 2-3 times per week with an extra soft toothbrush and with Organic Coconut Oil. Any advice you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
June 19, 2018
Sophie's Owner
Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
There aren't any treatments for Gingival hyperplasia other than to surgically remove that gum tissue Given her health history, age and condition, it may be best to just monitor her eating and make sure that she is comfortable. She may need to eat a soft diet at this point. Since I cannot examine her, this is best to discuss with your veterinarian, as they know her health history, but the risks of surgery may outweigh any benefits.
June 19, 2018
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Henry
Cocker Spaniel
9 Years
Moderate severity
1 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
My dog is experiencing what I to believe to be tell-tale sign of this disease. He has now grown a lump that is mobile and non-tender but was decreasing in size with antibiotics. Wondering what the next step would be to get our dog back to perfect health!
May 9, 2018
Henry's Owner
Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Gingival hyperplasia doesn't typically change with antibiotic therapy, so Henry may have another reason for his lump. Since I cannot see him, it would be best to follow up with your veterinarian to discuss whether the antibiotics should be extended, or if there is any other therapy that he may need.
May 10, 2018
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Riley
Sheltie
4 Years
Moderate severity
1 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
I have a 4 year old male Sheltie who is on phenobarbital to control seizures. His dosage was upped in November, and now I have noticed rapid overgrowth of his gums so that one of his teeth is completely covered. I think it is the phenobarbital that is causing this, but my vet says he has never heard of this. Can this be the cause of this gum overgrowth? And what kind of treatment is there? If he is able to get off the drug or take less of a dose again, will the gums recede?
April 8, 2018
Riley's Owner
1 Recommendations
Some medications like phenobarbital may cause gingival hyperplasia in dogs (and is very well documented in humans); however whilst I am aware of treatment for other medicine induced gingival hyperplasia, I am not familiar with cases of phenobarbital due to the uncommon nature and lack of information on treatment. I would recommend discussing this page with your Veterinarian (phenobarbital is mentioned on the page) and to speak about possible management options, I cannot recommend reducing dosage or anything else as I haven’t examined Riley. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 8, 2018
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Eunice
American Bulldog
Nine Years
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
My American Bulldog and Boxer mix (not sure she is boxer but most likely is) has hyperplasia of her gums. What is the 1st course of treatment? If it is surgical, do I need to find a Vet Dentist? And how do I do that? Lastly how well do they recover from dental surgery?
Feb. 22, 2018
Eunice's Owner
Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your email. If Eunice does have hyperplasia of her gums, and not a tumor of some kind, dental surgery is the typical course of treatment for that condition. Most veterinarians are able to perform this surgery, and you should not need to see a specialist. The recovery tends to be fairly smooth, and may require antibiotics in addition to pain medications while she heals. Many dogs enjoy soft food for a few days, depending on the extent of the surgery that occurs.
Feb. 22, 2018
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Finnigan
Boxer Dog
7 Years
Mild severity
6 found helpful
Mild severity
Has Symptoms
Hello my name is Zander and I have a 7 year old Boxer dog named Finnigan and he has Gingival Hyperplasia. Now they told us that they can give him the treatment he needs but we haven't done it yet due to it being, way to expensive at the moment, and we simply cannot afford it. I haven't noticed a growth in the gums in quite a long time but that doesn't stop me from being scared and worried for him, so I guess my question is can my dog die from Gingival Hyperplasia, if not treated right away?.
Nov. 16, 2017
Finnigan's Owner
6 Recommendations
A dog will not die directly from gingival hyperplasia but it may become infected, may cause pain whilst eating, bleed among other issues which if not managed or treated may cause grave consequences. The surgery is relatively simple and if cost is an issue try to find a charity clinic or a nonprofit in your area which may be able to do the surgery at a lower cost or price of donation especially if you can show low income or benefit. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Nov. 16, 2017
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Pebbles
Yorkshire Terrier
10 Years
Serious severity
0 found helpful
Serious severity
Has Symptoms
I have a 10 year old Yorkie, she has renal disease. The beta blocker (Amlodipine)has made her top front teeth become over taken with her thick gums. I know that she is probably not a candidate for surgery due to her renal disease, but is there anything that can reduce the swelling of her gums without harming her kidneys further. I have her currently on at soft diet that I make at home. Thank you
Delilah
Boxer
9 Years
Moderate severity
1 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
We had our boxer's GD surgically removed. Less than a year later, it grew back. It is frustrating that the vet didn't let us know that the result wasn't permanent. We won't be having the surgery again but, instead, have adjusted our dog's diet and will focus on anti-inflammatory foods in homemade meals.
Kato
Shiba Inu
12 Years
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
My 12 year old Shiba Inu has been on cyclosporine for almost a year now for treatment of immune mediated neutropenia. Four months ago the vet noticed gum overgrowth which was surgically removed. He was not taken off the cyclosporine in hopes that the overgrowth would not recur. Unfortunately, it has recurred and the vet will be switching his medication tomorrow. I was wondering how long does it take for the overgrowth to return to normal once the cyclosporine is stopped. I’m hoping he does not have to undergo surgical treatment again but will find out soon.
Roxie
Boxer
12 Years
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
My boxer Roxie is 12 years old. She was diagnosed w/ an enlarged heart & murmur years ago but it hasn’t effected her to my knowledge. Still very active, playful, energetic & just a ball of joy. I recently noticed growths in her mouth. Some seem almost connected to her gums but others are dangling from her gumline. I brought her to the vet & was told it was most likely Gingival Hyperplasia & we decided on having the hanging growths removed via surgery & sent off for biopsy. The more I think about it, the more nervous I’m becoming. She is still eating & acting as normal as ever but I’m worried about complications under anesthesia b/c of her age & underlying conditions. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
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