How to Check a Dog's Gums

Is my dog sick? How do I check my dog's gums? What Does it mean if my dog has pale gums? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions!

If you're asking "Is my dog sick?" you'll want to check your dog's vital signs, and this includes checking the gums. Keep reading to learn how to check a dog's gums, what to look for, including pale gums and gum discoloration. You'll also learn what it means if a dog's gums are pale, discolored or otherwise abnormal.

Things You'll Need

• Good lighting
• A sick dog!

Instructions

1. CHECK THE DOG'S GUMS WHEN HE'S HEALTHY: There is some natural variation in gum color between individual dogs. Some dogs have light pink gums, while others have darker salmon colored gums. It will be easier to detect if your dog has abnormal gums if you're familiar with what the dog's gums look like when he's healthy.

2. CHECK THE DOG'S GUMS FOR PALENESS: Are the dog's gums pale? A dog may have pale gums that are not white in color, but paler than usual (which is why it's important to know what the dog's gums look like regularly - what's pale for one dog may be normal for another dog). If your dog's gums are white or greyish in color, this is even more serious. Pale gum color or white gums indicate low blood pressure, anemia, internal bleeding, shock and other serious illness. An immediate visit to the veterinarian is in order.

3. CHECK THE DOG'S GUMS FOR DISCOLORATION: If your dog's gums are not pale, are they discolored? Some brown pigmentation to patches of skin on the dog's gums and tongue are normal. But if your dog has brick red gums (which indicate heat stroke), yellow gums (which indicate jaundice) or blue gums (which indicate cyanosis, a lack of oxygen in the blood) then this is cause for serious concern and an immediate visit to the veterinary clinic.

4. ARE YOUR DOG'S GUMS WET? In a healthy dog, the gums will be slick and wet to the touch. In a sick dog, the gums will often be dry and sticky. Dry, sticky gums are a sign of dehydration, which is common in sick dogs since many ill dogs refuse to eat or drink.

Tips & Warnings

• Never check your dog's gums right after he wakes up from sleep. The body's systems slow during sleep, which means the gums will be paler than normal for about 5-10 minutes after the dog first wakes up.

• Never check your dog's gums right after exercise. The dog's gums will be pinker in color right after exertion.

• If your dog's gums are pale, discolored or dry and sticky, this is cause for serious concern. Don't delay treatment; get your dog to the emergency veterinary clinic as soon as possible - if you put it off, your dog may not be alive by morning or by the end of the weekend.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Is My Dog Sick?
• How to Check a Dog's Vital Signs
• Is My Dog Dehydrated?
• How Do I Help a Dehydrated Dog?
• Why Won't My Dog Eat?
• How to Help a Dog Who Won't Eat
• The Pet Health Blog