Worried about Oral or Nasal Tumors? You Should Be!

Cancer of the mouth is on the increase. One big reason we don’t find early signs is that we never look in the mouth.  Oral Malignant Melanomas are as scary as they sound, but we can stack the deck in our favor with early detection.

I was recently discussing this subject with a vet friend of mine, and she said “the one, most valuable thing people could do to help us vets is to get their dogs used to having their mouths examined. Please spread the word.”  So, my friend, consider it done.

Respect the Mouth

The mouth and nose are truly the command center of the dog. Remember that as much as our dogs love us, their DNA is programmed from centuries of survival in the wild.  Their senses are many millions of times more acute than ours.

Naturally, they instinctively guard these tools.

Your dog’s mouth is a powerful place; a source of great joy as they eat, drink and play. My boy’s mouth is one of his most closely guarded areas, and it took time to gain his trust with it.

We all know that our dogs need to have good, clean teeth but we must also ensure the gums, tongue, jaw and throat are healthy.

If you or I developed a problem in our mouth, we would make a dental appointment.

But dogs will only let us know that there is a problem in the mouth if it interferes with their eating, drinking, or becomes very painful. By that stage things could be very well established.  We don’t want to get to that point.

How to Check Your Dog’s Mouth for Bumps

Put yourself in your dog’s paws again for a moment, and think how you’d feel if a family member walked up to you, put their arm around your neck and tried to open your mouth with their hands! Our dogs feel the same way.

Add to that the fact that if a dog doesn’t want you to open their mouth, it ain’t going to happen. Those powerful jaws will keep the sacred space shut, and no, you can’t stop up his nose to get him to open up.

So, when I approach my boy, I use the same respect and calm approach mentioned above.  I’ve taught him the word ‘mouth’ to mean that I want to open and see inside.

I stroke him and put an arm around him, or use my hands gently while he’s laying on his back. While he’s relaxed I lift his upper lip and run my fingers along his gum line, admiring the teeth and the lovely pink color of his gums.

I gently view everything on the outside from top to bottom.  Then I keep saying ‘mouth’ as I gently put my fingers in the space between his upper and lower molars at the back, and wait till he relaxes to let me open his jaws.  It may take several seconds or up to a minute, but it’s his time and I wait.

This is a very special time, because I know I have his complete trust.

I don’t stick my hands in there, but just a few seconds of his cooperation lets me get a view of his tongue, inside area of the teeth and gums and the very back of his mouth.

And that’s enough. I see strong, clean teeth, healthy, pink gums and no uneven areas or growths. I let him close his mouth and give him a thank you and a cuddle (and a healthy treat of course).

What To Watch For In the Mouth

If I see any swelling, lumps, color differences, signs of blood, etc. I immediately book a vet appointment.

I don’t wait a single day!

I also don’t try to take a picture while holding his mouth open. It’s pretty impossible.

You don’t wait and see on this one, the opportunity to catch something early here is critical!

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A Must Read whether your dog has cancer or not. It’s the number one killer of dogs!

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That Wonderful Nose

I’ve never discovered a comfortable way to look up my dog’s nose. We discussed it, and neither of us thought it was a very good idea.  But I want to be on guard against Nasal Tumors.

So, as I cuddle my boy, I look at his gorgeous snout, and gently feel the lovely line along his face.

If I were ever to notice that he was sensitive to this touch, or if I felt anything out of the ordinary around his nostrils or see a swelling along the snout or up near the eyes, I’d make an appointment with my vet.

I also watch for any discharge from his nose. Has he started to sneeze a lot? Is there ever any blood around a nostril?

Any of these signs could signal a problem, and they definitely signal the need for our vet.

What to Do If You Find a Bump or Lump on Your Dog

Oral and nasal tumors need to be examined as soon as possible.  Get to your vet, and know that you are protecting your doggie friend by taking immediate action.

Dr. Dressler’s book, The Dog Cancer Survival Guide has information on every type of cancer, every treatment protocol, and the best nutrition and supplementation. It’s a must-read.

Happy Tails!

Susan

 

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