A dog’s oral health is often overlooked, despite its overall importance to their comfort and welfare. Even when canine oral health is considered, there’s a tendency to focus on the pearly whites and forget about the important structures around the teeth—the gum, lips, cheeks, and tongue.
Dog mouth sores, which affect the structures surrounding the teeth, can cause your pet pain and impact their ability to eat. It’s important to know what they look like, what causes them, and what you can do about these painful lesions to help your dog feel better.
What Are Dog Mouth Sores?
Mouth sores in dogs may refer to ulcers inside the mouth, an injury within the mouth, or similar lesions on the lips.
When a dog has an ulcer, it will look like a painful sore within the mouth. The outer layer of tissue is lost, and the defect extends into the deeper layers. Depending on the severity of the ulcer and where it is in the healing process, the sore can be a paler color than the gums around it or can appear red. These sores may be present on the gums, inside the cheeks, on or under the tongue, on the roof of the mouth, in the back of the throat, or on the lips.
Dogs can have other lesions within the mouth that aren’t sores or ulcers, such as oral tumors. However, some of these other lesions can develop sores on them.
Common Causes of Dog Mouth Sores
Your dog could develop a mouth sore from a wide variety of causes, with some less worrying than others. The following are several causes of mouth sores in dogs:
Traumatic injury to the gums or other tissues
When a dog chews on a hard item, it may scrape at their gums or the other delicate tissues of their mouth, causing sores. Foreign objects can also injure these tissues. If your dog sustains a blunt force trauma, such as being hit by a car, they may also develop sores in the mouth from the impact or from their teeth biting their cheek.
Burn injuries
Burn-type injuries in the mouth can occur due to electrical shocks or ingestion of certain toxins. For example, a dog who chews on an electric cord may develop a linear sore on the tongue, gums, or lips. Certain caustic toxins, like bleaches, can also cause dog mouth ulcers.
Infectious diseases
Oral ulcers can be a sign of certain infectious diseases, like leptospirosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and sometimes canine distemper virus. Canine papillomavirus, which is more common in puppies, can also cause wart-like growths within the mouth or on the lips, which can ulcerate.
Dental diseases
Dog dental disease can cause sores around the teeth. In some cases, dogs can develop an immune response to the tartar on their teeth, causing sores called kissing lesions to form on the cheeks and gums where they contact the teeth.
Autoimmune conditions
Some autoimmune conditions that affect the skin can also affect the lips and the oral cavity. Examples include pemphigus vulgaris, systemic lupus erythematosus, and erythema multiforme. With these conditions, lesions are often symmetrical and may affect other areas of the body, including the footpads.
Drug reactions
Rarely, a dog may have an extreme immune reaction to a medication they take, called toxic epidermal necrolysis. This can cause ulcers to develop on the skin and within the mouth and may be severe enough to be life-threatening.
Underlying systemic health conditions
Oral ulcers are a sign of some systemic health conditions, most commonly kidney disease. These ulcers develop due to toxins that build up within the bloodstream.
Cancer
Some cancers may cause mouth ulcers in dogs. Certain forms of lymphoma can appear as sores on the skin or within the mouth. Squamous cell carcinoma may appear on the lips and sometimes ulcerates, as well. Melanoma is more commonly a mass within the mouth, but this mass may develop an ulcer as it grows.
Signs & Symptoms to Watch For
Dog mouth sores can cause several signs, including:
- Visible redness, swelling, or injuries inside and around the mouth
- Excessive drooling (i.e., hypersalivation)
- Excessive lip-licking
- Bad breath (i.e., halitosis)
- Reluctance to eat
- Weight loss
- Bleeding or pus from within or around the mouth
- Pawing at the mouth
- Decreased grooming
- Dropping food or difficulty swallowing
Depending on the underlying cause, there may be additional signs and symptoms. For example, a dog with kidney disease may also drink excessive amounts of water and require more frequent bathroom breaks to urinate.
Diagnosing Dog Mouth Sores
If you notice any of the above signs or see a visible change within your dog’s lips or around the mouth, you should contact a veterinarian.
Mouth sores are not usually emergencies, but some causes, such as the severe drug reaction previously mentioned (toxic epidermal necrolysis) may require emergency attention. You should also seek urgent attention if your dog is having difficulty eating, is repeatedly pawing at their face, or showing any other concerning signs, like vomiting or difficulty breathing.
Once you are at the clinic, the veterinarian will collect a full history from you. Make sure to let your veterinarian know if there have been any changes to your dog’s eating, drinking, urinating, or defecating habits. You should also tell them if your dog has taken any new medications recently or if there was a known injury.
The veterinarian will perform a full examination, which will include looking within your dog’s mouth. If your dog is extremely painful, it is possible that sedation may be required.
Diagnostics that may be recommended include:
- Bloodwork to check the health of your dog’s organs and look for evidence of infection
- Urine testing, especially if kidney failure or leptospirosis are suspected
- X-rays of the teeth
- Chest x-rays to check for spread if cancer is suspected
- Blood testing for specific infectious diseases, like Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Biopsy of the lesion (performed under anesthesia)
Dog Mouth Sores Treatment Options
There are multiple treatment options for ulcers in a dog’s mouth. You should always consult with a veterinarian before relying on home remedies for dog mouth sores.
Veterinary Treatments
When it comes to how to treat dog mouth ulcers, the specific treatment will depend on the underlying cause. While many causes of mouth sores can be managed at home after a veterinary visit, serious conditions may require hospitalization.
Treatments may include:
- Pain-relieving medications like buprenorphine
- Antibiotics like doxycycline or clindamycin for bacterial infections
- Dental cleaning and extractions are performed under general anesthesia
- Immunosuppressants like cyclosporine or prednisone
- Intravenous fluid therapy if the dog is dehydrated or struggling to consume water
- Placement of a feeding tube if the dog is struggling to eat
- A mouthwash for dogs that includes lidocaine and sucralfate to provide pain relief and coat ulcers
- Dietary changes for conditions like kidney disease
- Surgical removal of masses
Home Remedies for Dog Mouth Sores
Studies regarding home remedies like coconut oil are ongoing, and these treatments are not routinely recommended at this time. However, you can still help your pet by providing a highly palatable diet. Consider using canned food or blending up their dry food with water to help prevent irritation of oral sores.
You can also maintain your pet’s oral hygiene at home by:
- Brushing the teeth with pet-friendly toothpaste, aiming for at least three times per week
- Providing dental chew toys
- Using pet-safe oral rinses
Prevention: How to Keep Your Dog’s Mouth Healthy
Not all causes of oral sores can be prevented, but you can take these steps to help keep your dog’s mouth healthy:
- Get regular wellness exams as recommended by your veterinarian.
- Allow your veterinarian to perform routine lab work to monitor for development of chronic conditions like kidney disease.
- Get your dog vaccinated against leptospirosis and canine distemper virus.
- Keep your pet on year-round parasite preventative to protect them from tickborne illnesses like Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
- Look in your dog’s mouth regularly and get any changes checked out early.
- Brush your dog’s teeth with pet-safe toothpaste at least three times per week and follow other oral healthcare recommendations provided by your veterinarian.
- Provide safe chew toys, which should have some bend or the ability to be indented with a fingernail.
- Provide a diet that meets the recommendations of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
When to Seek Veterinary Care
You should seek veterinary care any time you notice your dog has sores around or inside their mouth. If you’ve received care and aren’t seeing improvement, you should contact your veterinarian. Signs to watch for include:
- Worsening of your pet’s sores or non-resolution of existing sores
- Difficulty eating or drinking
- Pawing at the face
- Lethargy or weight loss
Final Thoughts on Dog Mouth Sores
Your dog’s mouth sores could be caused by something as simple as chewing on a hard item or as serious as an autoimmune disease or cancer. Knowing the signs and symptoms of mouth sores can help you identify these painful ulcers early. Your veterinarian will diagnose the cause and provide treatment recommendations based on their findings.
By monitoring your pet’s oral health at home, you can potentially prevent issues before they arise. If you have concerns about your pet’s oral health or the presence of sores in their mouth, make sure to consult with a veterinarian.
