My dog has a lip growth and bad breath. Could they be connected?

Hello. I would not be too worried, I just would like to have this checked out as soon as possible. Oral lesions have a way of sneaking up on you, so I am glad you were so diligent in finding this. It is quite easy to determine if this is a bad situation by removing a small piece of tissue & having a pathologist examine the cells under a microscope. Some oral lesions can look quite benign but can turn out to be very worrisome, but lets not jump the gun. You are doing the right thing not waiting months to have it looked at. Fingers crossed that all will be fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

There are a couple of different things that could be causing these bumps. This is likely just a local infection of the skin. They tend to get this from having a wet, dirty muzzle. Many times this starts as a yeast infection and then becomes infected with bacteria. These bugs will make it stink. You can try to clear the infection at home by wiping the mouth with pet wipes twice a day for 14 days. Make sure to wipe it clean and dry it. It's also possible that there is a mite (demodex) causing this infection. A veterinarian would need to scrape the area and look under the microscope to find this. It would also require a specific type of medication. If you are not able to clear the infection at home, or it's not getting better in two weeks, then it's best to take him to the vet. He may need more treatment.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kaeli and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Poor girl. It sounds like there are a few things going on with her. These growths could be mammary tumors, and 50% of mammary tumors are malignant. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Her bad breath could be due to dental disease, which is common in senior dogs. This needs to be checked out by a vet as well, and she may need a dental cleaning. Please give her vet a call to make her an appointment. Best of luck.

Lily could have dental disease causing foul breath - bacteria form plaque on the teeth and underneath the gumline and cause bad breath. She could have a mass or wound in her mouth if this is a sudden change, or occasionally dogs with gastrointestinal disease will also have bad breath. I'd recommend having your veterinanrian examin Lily's mouth -she may need a dental exam and cleaning under anesthesia.

I recommend getting her seen by your vet for an oral exam. There may be some hidden oral disease you cannot see, she may have a tumor or polyp somewhere in her mouth or nasal passages, kidney disease can cause bad breath, there are a number of possibilities. You vet will do a thorough exam, possibly bloodwork and based on these results, be better able to tell you what is going on with your dog and how best to treat it.

Thank you for the picture of Jackpot's mouth. That is quite large and if there is slight odor, that suggests infection. This is something that definitely has to be checked out by a vet, it's abnormal looking and it appears to be uncomfortable. He could be uncomfortable without showing an obvious signs. I'd give his vet a call now to get him an appointment asap. I hope this helps!

It appears the lesion on the gum sits right where it would contact the canine. This may suggest a reaction to plaque formation on the tooth. Sparky's immune system may be responding to bacteria present in his mouth that lead to periodontal disease. Your sharp eye may have caught this condition in its early stages. Brushing daily and the use of oral rinses or barrier sealants may resolve the lesion. Your veterinarian or veterinary dentist will need to confirm the diagnosis. Follow this link for more information: http://www.wellpets.com/vet-dentistry-ulcerative-stomatiti/ Your veterinarian may elect to perform a fine needle aspirate of the lesion to collect a sample for pathology. If a malignancy is diagnosed, you can consult with a veterinary oncologist and your vet on the best course of action.