Cedar (almost 5 years old) has developed a small gum growth on his lower jaw right by one of his teeth. The growth is small (about the size of a small pea), but I have had it looked at by two different vets due to my fear of cancer in my dogs. The first vet said it was fine and just to leave it alone, but this past weekend I had my much trusted vet that has cared for many of my pets look at it (I don't live in that city anymore so that is why I didn't go to him first) and he said it could be either an epulis or gingival hyperplaisa, but he feels we should remove it and send it out to the lab for pathology (just to be safe). Cedar also has a broken tooth that he will remove at the same time, but that has been broken for about 3 years and we have just been watching it. I guess I am a little torn about putting him under anethesia for something that is so small, but I want to be safe. Has anyone had an epulis removed? Did it turn into anything bad down the road? He doesn't need a dental so I guess I am just questioning whether I should put him through this. . . Thanks in advance.
Epulis versus gingival hyperplaisa?
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whiskers
Boxer Insane
An epulis is mostly just a problem as it grows. As they get bigger they can push teeth out of alignment, and of course a big lump on the gums would be uncomfortable and can make it difficult to eat. They are something that I think, yes, at some point need to be removed.
If it's small, I probably wouldn't jump and schedule removal right away, but would monitor it for now. My dog recently had THIS growth on her gums, which I thought would need to be removed, but it completely went away a few weeks later.
If it's small, I probably wouldn't jump and schedule removal right away, but would monitor it for now. My dog recently had THIS growth on her gums, which I thought would need to be removed, but it completely went away a few weeks later.
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