My dog has bumps on her gums. Could they be cysts or blocked ducts?

Thanks for attaching a picture. If it feels like normal gum tissue (soft, moveable) it is possibly due to contact from the k9 tooth above it (overgrowth of tissue from irritation). Do you see the same thing on the other side? If it is more firm, painful, red, or grew rapidly that would be more concerning and then it should be evaluated by your family vet. If you elect to monitor certainly have your vet take a look at his next annual visit. If the lesion changes (growth, etc.) certainly have your vet take a look at it sooner. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for your post! While it is difficult to say what is wrong without pictures and seeing these bumps in person, there are several possibilities. I see that we do not have an age on Oscar. If he is young, it is possible that he has developed these small bumps due to exposure to the Papilloma virus causing benign growths. These will typically self resolve. The other possibility is that they are sores from chewing on something chronically. If Oscar drools quite a bit, then this could potentially cause irritation to the lower lip and lead to the development of these bumps...similar to acne. If Oscar is a young dog, I would suggest seeing your veterinarian in regards to these bumps to figure out what they are and receive the most appropriate course of treatment. I hope this helps and please do contact me if you have any other questions / concerns

Hello, thank you for your question about Reagan. Based on the photos that you've attached I suspect that Reagan has papillomas, secondary to the papilloma virus. This is not uncommon in younger dogs. This is a generally a benign viral infection that leads to raised wart like lesions on the muzzle and lips. These lesions resolve without any further treatment and are unlikely to recur. Hope this helps!

Although a pic would help to determine the underlying nature of the lump, This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

It's still a little hard to see these things well, but I did not say they look normal. They could be thickening from chronic inflammation, something like a wart or something more worrisome. A vet should take a look at those and check then further.

Hello, that looks like gingival hyperplasia. This a common disease in dogs with dental disease. It is typically benign, but may cause some discomfort and bleeding if it ever gets too large. It can also be removed by your veterinarian during's Piper's next dental cleaning. Contact your veterinarian and have them evaluate her for an oral exam and determine if she needs to have her teeth cleaned. This will also serve as a way to check her gums and determine of the overgrowth of her gingiva needs to be trimmed or removed. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. These could even represent infection sites or lymph nodes. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!