Big gums???

[jbfshn33]

Hello!

Just brought Ella home from the vet for her first teeth cleaning. She's 4 years old now and not much of a chewer, so of my 3 pups, she was first on the list for dental care. The vet said her teeth looked pretty healthy and they got her all cleaned up, but he mentioned that they had to cut parts of her gums away in certain areas. He mentioned that this is common in boxers and they just cut the gums back so her teeth aren't 'burried' in them. I had never heard of this before. Just wondering if anyone else has had this done to their boxers, or heard of this as a boxer trait?

Thanks!

 

[Gatorblu]

Yep! Been there, done that. My first boxer, Star, had to have her gums cut back. They practically coverd her bottom front teeth. Thor had a little done too, when we did his mct surgery. The surgery didn't seem to slow them down much either.

 

[RoccoBoxr]

Yup, me too

Yup - Rocco had to have that done too, apparently it's pretty common in boxers. They lasered his gums away a bit a couple times, and it's really good to have them check it every time you're in. Rocco had to have one tooth pulled from the gums growing over it and it got abscessed before his next check-up.

Rocco's first vet used a scalpel to cut his gums back a little, and Rocco was in SOOOO much pain - had to go to the eVet for pain meds in the middle of the night. I felt terrible. The next vet (who is wonderful) did laser surgery to trim it back, and Rocco was never even phased by it. He ate food the same night (soft, of course). Just a tidbit of info that might help!

 

[whiskers]

Gingival hyperplasia. Had never heard of it until we talked about it in school, and we were told that it's common in boxers, although the boxers in my family have never had a problem with it - yet, I suppose. I think I recall too that it's likely to grow back.

 

[mtnjnky]

Yes, Hoss had to have it done on his back top teeth. The gums were really growing over - kinda gross. They can do it with a laser, or cut them. Hoss seemed much happier when we had it done for him.

 

[hurleygirl]

My 8 y/o boxer had his gums lasered--but then came back within a year. Vet said they would continue to grow back and didn't recommend doing it again. He also has a really funky growth on his nose that makes it look like it turns up on the end. This growth has been benign--but now he has lymphoma. Seems like he's always had some kind of growth or overgrowth, but he's the best dog we've ever had as far as companionship/personality.

 

[hurleygirl]

My 8 y/o boxer had his gums lasered--but then came back within a year. Vet said they would continue to grow back and didn't recommend doing it again. He also has a really funky growth on his nose that makes it look like it turns up on the end. This growth has been benign--but now he has lymphoma. Seems like he's always had some kind of growth or overgrowth, but he's the best dog we've ever had as far as companionship/personality.

 

[EAO76]

Yes and we also had the laser surgery and within 5 months it grew right back. It doesnt seem to bother him so we have opted to leave it alone for now.

 

[djheitz]

Harley has it, too. The vet said don't worry about it until it starts to bother him. His front teeth are just about covered, but the canines and molars are OK so far.

 

[MIboxermom]

We just noticed that our Bosley's front teeth are almost completely covered by his gums. (He's 6). From what I've read surgery isn't always a good option since the gums can grow back. Has anyone found something else that might help? A friend recommended raw knuckle bones, but since he chews on things more with his back teeth than his front, I don't see how that would help.

His breath is awful, and I'm worried that it might be bacteria getting down around the covered teeth. We see the vet next week, but I want to have my research done before we go!