Q: How does the colour of my dog’s tongue and gums tell me whether he is ill?
A: A healthy dog’s gums and tongue should be pink, just like yours, from all the tiny blood vessels running close to the surface. Common changes in gum and tongue colour, and what they could mean, include:
- Pale or white Most likely an indication of anaemia (too few red blood cells in the blood) possibly due to tick-borne diseases, like tick-bite fever. It could also be due to excessive bleeding or even shock.
- Yellow Might indicate serious liver disease or damage to red blood cells as seen, for example, in tick-bite fever.
- Blue/purple Just like in humans, this could indicate a lack of oxygen to the body, for example, when choking or with heart or lung diseases.
- Bright red A red line around the teeth indicates gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), while generalised brick-red gums, together with a sick dog, can be an indication of a serious infection or shock.
- Black Black spots and lumps can unfortunately be a sign of cancer in dogs, but can also be part of the natural pigmentation. Some breeds – like the Chow Chow and Shar-Pei – have healthy, naturally blue or black tongues.
Dr Johan Jordaan, veterinarian
