Dogs’ Mouths and What May Be Lurking There

These days it seems like our four-legged friends are just a likely to suffer from scary maladies as we are. We dog owners here in Upstate New York, the Capital District, Albany and Saratoga are inundated about the do’s and don’ts of pet ownership from a myriad of sources. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming.

I always find it reassuring to check out information online from respected sources as well as keep a regular dialogue going with my pet’s veterinarian.

The experts at Pet Health Network.com <http://network.com/> and PetMD.com <http://petmd.com/> recently shared some information about tumors or growths in the mouths of dogs and what to do about them.

If you suspect your pooch has a mass in his mouth, regardless of how small it may be, these docs strongly advise not waiting to have it checked out.

In the online story Epulis Tumors in the Mouths of Dogs found here at http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/epulis-tumors-mouths-dogs they offer some helpful guidelines.

I will share an abbreviated version, but urge you to read the entire article above.

At the early stages, these tumors are rather difficult to detect. They may reside in the gum close to the front teeth or under the lip. Your pet’s veterinarian may discover what he or she would call an epulis during a dental cleaning.

While these masses are often non-cancerous, it is very important to have them examined and removed.

According to PetMD.com <http://petmd.com/> — http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/mouth/c_multi_oral_masses– canine mouth tumors can grow quickly and eventually turn into cancer, which can be deadly for your dog.

Generally, these tumors are found in dogs of all breeds at eight years of age or older.

Ask your pet’s veterinarian more about epulis tumors and the dangers they pose.

On another topic of interest/concern, if your pet could use some obedience training the experts at your local Off Leash K9 Training are just around the corner and ready to help. These professionals have the training to address and successfully resolve you pet’s behavioral challenges, including dog aggression, food aggression, potty-training and much more!