How to Check the Gums of Your Dog or Cat

Video Transcript

"Let's discuss how to check the gums on your dog or cat. The first thing to know about checking gums is to keep out of harm's way. A lot of cats, especially, don't appreciate looking at their gums. And so, just be careful. You don't want to get bit. The next thing you're looking for, really, is gum color. You can lift the gums up - the lips up top over the gums - and you can see the nice, pink color and that is normal. You can also press into a pink portion and see how it whites out and refills its color. The next thing you're really looking for are what the teeth look like. Zoe's looks really good. No tartar build up, really. Also, we're looking for gingivitis, which is swollen and red gums. Very common on older pets that are eating canned foods and things like that. But just stay out of harm's way is the most important thing."