# Pale gums



## Maraccz (Sep 3, 2005)

So my troubled girl, Chaya has pale gums again, I am talking WHITE (third time this has happened - last two I brought her straight in, benefits of working at a vet I guess). Blood work is good, EKG looks good, heart sounds good. She is acting normal (relative for a neurotic 9 1/2 year old), good appitite. Vet is not sure what is going on.
In August-September she had bad bout of hepititis (lost over 10 lbs., she was in bad shape) She has EPI but for some reason the since the hepititis she has not been on enzymes and is doing great in that aspect.
Anything else anyone can think of that I can check for? Anyone ever heard of anything like this?


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

Pale white gums - you need to go to the vet ASAP.

White gums can be a sign of bloat stage 3. There are other symptoms as well...but go to the vet now. Don't wait.

My first Cotton was rushed to the vet when his gums went white and he got weak.....it wasn't bloat - but he was highly dehydrated....come to find out cancer...they could have fixed the bloat they said.

Please go to the vet.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

Not saying it is bloat - so don't get scared.....but here is some symptoms of bloat:

http://www.showdog-magazine.com/medical/bloatbook.htm

It could be something completely different as well...but the doc is best to go see straight away.


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

I guess I would look at being anemic, bleeding some where, check for diseases that deplete blood cells.


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## DogGone (Nov 28, 2009)

Pale gums can be a symptom of anemia. Could be diet, dehydration, could be worms, could be some sort of internal bleeding, could be a lot of things..

If she's acting normal and having a good appetite those are good signs. It may be an emergency, it may not be. 

Pale gums would be a symptom that I would recommend that the dog see a vet. Hopefully it's nothing serious. EPI and a history of hepatitis might make this more complex to diagnose. If any other symptoms develop I would see a vet immediately.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

Not to be a sour puss but it could also be cancer. Ari had a small tumor the had ruptured and her symptoms were pale gums and lethargy.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

DogGone lists a variety of things that could be wrong with your dog. But especially with the holidays coming up (and more experienced staff tend to be the ones that take time off, leaving the rookies to hold down the fort), I would get my girl in ASAP.

Most of the scenarios that cause pale/white gums are indeed emergencies. But even if your girl doesn't have an emergency right this minute, it can become one because she isn't circulating blood correctly, or the blood she's circulating isn't of much good to her. 

I would have my girl at the vet this evening. Not tomorrow morning. This evening. If my regular vet isn't available, I'd take her to the e-vet. Now. 

ETA: and as Ruq subtly points out, we need to look for a wide variety of things that might be wrong. Not just the "obvious" things. I'd run whatever diagnostic tests that seem reasonable. Blood work, xrays, ultrasound, etc.


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

I second going to the vet. Has your vet ruled out hemangiosarcoma?That can cause significant internal bleeds. Hard to detect--your vet may want to do an ultrasound and check for fluid in the abdomen or any masses. Again--not to scare you, it's just one possibility. I am hyper sensitive about pale gums due to dealing with hemangio. 

Please let us know what the vet says, may she be feeling better and having pinky pink gums soon!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Do you have a copy of the bloodwork that was just done?

Looking at the absolute WBC and RBC, are they near the high or low end of the regions? What about the platalets?


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## jake (Sep 11, 2004)

intermittent white gums can also be a sign of heart failure.Mostly not there ALL the time does not seems to last long enough to be an emergency.Usually indicates a heart prob that may be able to be helped by medication.
commonly occurs after eating-after exercise -when dog is stressed.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

I have seen pale gums in two situations. One was intermittent, the dog was in congestive heart failure and from time to time his gums were very pale at that time. The other situation was hemangiosarcoma, the gums were pale during a major bleed.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Pale gums can occur with tick diseaes too.


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## spartshep (Feb 20, 2008)

I agree...I would see a vet, for sure. As stated above...a CBCP is in order and based on those results, perhaps chemistries and coags. But, the things you can do are monitor the stool for blood, check skin turgor for dehydration, check amount, color and consistency of urine, check vital signs, at least a temp., HR will be high, in hypovolemia. As you check a pulse, also check that it is regular. Assess for pain and for any changes in behavior or anything out of the normal for your dog. There are so many things this could be...pallor is definitely a symptom of lack of oxygen to the end organs, including gums. I wish you well.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

Hemangiosarcoma is the cancer we think my first Cotton had.....large tumor size of basketball next to the liver. I had thought he had bloat the way he just got lethargic, belly was swollen and gums were pure white. It took me about 45 minutes to get to the vet hospital. It is generally slow growing ...but once he collapsed it was pretty fast acting...he started bleeding internally the day his gums went white. Had 3 more hours with him before he was gone. He was a white GSD/Malamute mix. We aren't sure how long he had it....we just had no clue.

I hope and pray this isn't what is going on. I hope there is good news and something that is treatable. Keeping our paws and fingers crossed here.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

The concensus seems to be that this could be serious and needs a vet visit tonight.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

OP seems to be offline for sometime so I'm hoping getting a check at the vet.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: AngelesVonLobosHemangiosarcoma is the cancer we think my first Cotton had.....large tumor size of basketball next to the liver.
> ...


I posted a thread about a month ago asking people to share experiences/symptoms of hemangiosarcoma. You might want to check it out if you suspect your dog has this terrible form of cancer.
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubb...rue#Post1273330


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: JenniferDI second going to the vet. Has your vet ruled out hemangiosarcoma?That can cause significant internal bleeds. Hard to detect--your vet may want to do an ultrasound and check for fluid in the abdomen or any masses. Again--not to scare you, it's just one possibility. I am hyper sensitive about pale gums due to dealing with hemangio.
> 
> Please let us know what the vet says, may she be feeling better and having pinky pink gums soon!


That is what Ari was diagnosed with, but I can never remember how to spell it.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

Any news about Chaya?


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

I hope all is okay...still keeping fingers crossed.


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## Maraccz (Sep 3, 2005)

Chaya is doing okay. I actually am writing from the Vet, I work for one.
Her EKG was normal, and bloods were too. We could not palpate abdomin, she was tense.
her colour has improved and she is acting normal.
Her HCT is 49% 
TSP 6.4gldl
Another Doc here thinks it is a heart arythmia. And the paliness is the bodies way of compensating for irregular blood flow. Her perifery (sp) arteries are constricting and consentrating the blood at her core (hence pale gums and ears). So I am going to get a Blood pressure at home (when she is relaxed) and bring her in next time she is pale for a blood pressure.
She is due for a bloodwork in a week and we will see how that looks.


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## Dinahmyte (Sep 26, 2004)

Were any xrays done?


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

What are treatments for heart arythmia?


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## Maraccz (Sep 3, 2005)

No we didn't do x-rays. She is 9 1/2 and a genetic train wreck. X-rays are next but I am not going to do anything extreme for her (I can not afford a cardic specialist). So we will treat what we can here and go from there.
There are some med for arythmias but no cures (obviously) but until we know that is what it is I am afraid to treat for it, med are not 100% effective.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

I'm sorry to hear. Is she feeling better this morning?

Hugs to you both and hope you have a good day.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Indy had very pale gums most her life, sometimes scary pale. Nowadays they are better, but often some purple, she has mitral valve degenerative disease. She has always had a very slow heart rate, but no arrythmias. Occassionally her CPK (CK?, can't remember the right initials) would spike, but never out of range. 

I don't know if the pale gums were from the heart, or because she has a chronic immune system disease. But that lasted most of her life. She did always have low WBCs, high RBCs, mid-range platelets. She gets better on certain abx. 


I worry about something like tick disease. If you get her bloodwork done, would be interested in blood counts and platelets.


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## spartshep (Feb 20, 2008)

CPK is an enzyme, many times associated with trauma. The MB % is what you would look for to be specific to the cardiac muscle. Troponin levels are specific indicators for heart attack.


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

I"m sorry you have this worry, but I'm relieved that it does not look like hemangiosarcoma, evil, horrible disease.

Healing thoughts going out, thank you for taking such good care of her.


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