Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there,

I was inspecting my German Shorthairs mouth the other night and found a strange growth or swelling (not sure which to call it yet) on the upper side of his jaw (along his last premolar). It is pink and fleshy, just like his gums, and about 1" long by a little less then 1/2" wide. He is still eating fine at the moment and shows no signs of pain, but do they ever !

I have also noticed that his breath has smelled bad the last couple days...and his breath never smells like anything at all.

I should also say that I have already had him into the vet's and they didn't tell me anything! But I really don't want to get into that experience lets just end it by saying it was a total waste of $50 and 6min of both my dog's and my time.

I have had this dog about 6mths, but when I got him his teeth were not very pretty. His breath was bad and he had pretty bad plaque (and he wouldn't let me get in to look at his back teeth so I don't know what they looked like then). Since then he was switched to raw food and his teeth are white again and his breath not stinking at all, thats why I think the breath is a warning flag.

Anyway I would really appreciate any suggestions and theories you may have about it. Anything at all would be more than I got at the vets office! Thankyou

-My Diamond

It is hard to know what this is exactly without examining it, but some possibilities are:
a tooth abscess
an epuli, a growth of the gum that extends over a tooth.
a cut in the gum, leaving a flap of gum hanging
a growth or tumor.

Since there is a bad smell, I would more likely suspect an abscess. It doesn't hurt because it is draining into the swelling. If you press on the swelling, does anything come out from around the base of the tooth?

Okay I just got in there again just now and checked it out (and took pictures so I can keep looking back to it for reference) I pressed on it but nothing came out, it's just feels like hard tissue.

It is also not covering the tooth as I first thought, but is running parallel to the teeth..his very back teeth don't look to clean that might be the cause of the smell but I don't know why I wouldn't notice until now.

I am glad I have pictures now though...since a Vet wouldn't be able to get a really good look at it any other way. The only way actually see it is by rolling him over on his back and opening his mouth, I can do this but I don't think he would like someone else doing it...

I wish I could show you a picture...do you have an email that I would be able to send one to? It may be easier that way. Thanks again

After even more poking around...I have noticed that the growth is not attached completely to the roof of his mouth it is only about 1/3 attached...also I think the smell is due to the fact that opposite to the side with the growth it looks like he has a rotten spot (on the inside of his last tooth it is pitted at the base and really dark brown, almost black, and he doesn't like me to touch it) any suggestions for that? Things I should or shouldn't feed him?

So that's the update so far...and right now I don't know where to go from here...I don't have a vet that I trust so I have to start from square one on that and hope that I will find one that is knowledgeable.

Thanks again

It sounds even more like an abscess.

So if it is an abscess where should I go from here?

It will need to be drained correct?

Do you have any idea how much dollar wise that the procedure will cost (just roughly, it would be nice to have an idea and be prepare a head of time )

Is there anything I should or shouldn't be doing in the mean time while we are waiting for a vet?

Thankyou again for taking the time to help me figure this out

Oh he is eating a raw diet...so would chewing raw bones be a bad thing or is it okay.