Symptoms of disease in your dogs mouth

Symptoms of disease in your dog's mouth

• Decreased appetite and difficulty eating
• Bad breath
• Drooling and smacking
• Swollen and red gums
• Hard to gape
• Chews only on one side
• Difficulty chewing on chewing bones
• Chews and swallows without having anything in the mouth
• Broken or lost teeth

How do you know if your dog ​​has a sore mouth?

If your dog has a poor appetite, bad breath, drools or becomes itchy without any external skin disease or ear involvement, these may be signs of pain in the mouth.

Dogs with bad breath

A common problem in dogs is bad breath. The most common causes of bad breath are plaque, tartar, bad teeth or an inflammation of the gums. Gingivitis and tooth loss are not uncommon in dogs.

Swollen and red gums

Gingivitis (gingivitis) is caused by bacterial deposits adjacent to the gum line. Symptoms are that the gums are irritated, reddened or very red. Brush your dog's teeth regularly to prevent gingivitis.

Swelling and cheek sores

Swelling and sores on the cheek can be signs that your dog has suffered from a root tip abscess. Root tip abscesses are very painful for dogs. Apical abscesses can be caused by a fractured tooth or a disease such as periodontitis.

Dog drooling and smacking

Sometimes the animal chatters its teeth, which is considered to indicate pain from teeth or the mouth caused by dental disease. Heavy saliva flow and the dog drooling also indicate disease in the oral cavity.

Swallowing, chewing and grinding teeth

In case of pain or discomfort from the mouth, the animal may also rub its jaws against the floor or furniture. Sometimes you can observe that the dog chews "empty", grinds its teeth or performs swallowing movements.

Blood-stained saliva

Some dog breeds are prone to a lot of drool. But the saliva should normally be clear and almost water-like in colour. Saliva mixed with blood indicates damage to the oral mucosa and can occur with tooth or jaw damage, severe inflammation, tumours or coagulation defects.

Difficulty opening or closing the mouth

Acute difficulty opening the mouth may be due to injury with jaw joint problems. If your dog can't close its mouth, it may be caused by an injury or a nerve disease. In the case of fractures in the lower jaw, it is more common for the mouth to be kept slightly open or for the lower jaw to be perceived as hanging.

Does pet insurance cover dental treatment?

Find out more about whether your dog insurance covers dental treatment.