BillyMalc Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 A couple of days ago, just before Mal was about to go for his annual 'MOT', my flatmate's boyfriend noticed what we thought was a small injury on Mal's lower lip. I thought it was because he's forever picking up things in the park and might have scraped his lip on it. When we got to the vet, she examined it briefly and seemed a bit concerned about it, but seeing as Mal was going to be booked in for a dental on Monday (he will need a GA for that, so I'm obviously worried about that already), she suggested leaving it for now and taking a biopsy while he's under anyway. Meanwhile Malcolm is doing just fine, bumbling about, trying to get away with doing his own thing and scoffing his food, including biscuits. I've just had another look at it and I couldn't believe how big it actually is: most of the left half of his lower lip seems to be red and swollen! The thing is, his upper lip covers it and it just isn't noticeable then. He's also let me touch it, and usually when he is in pain he will yelp - which he didn't do, so all in all it once again seems to be bothering me more than him! Of course now my imagination is running wild and I'd want to take him back to the vet's tomorrow, even though I know that there'd be no point: they won't do a biopsy and a dental (which he needs) tomorrow and they won't tell me anything else than to leave it till Monday if he is alright in himself - which he is. So now I've got all weekend to fret and panick and wind myself up I'm really worried, so if anyone has got any stories about dogs with nasty looking red swollen lower lips that turned out to be a silly infection or something, please tell me! Any stories with bad endings, please don't tell me as I'm sick enough with worries as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 I can't comment, not had any experience with lumps on gums or lips. I do hope whatever it is clears up quickly. Kazz xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 has he maybe bitten himself by mistake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 no experience of anything like that but will be thinking of you. It's really hard to have to wait over the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted August 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 has he maybe bitten himself by mistake? I tell you what, never thought of that! But it seems to be getting bigger I just hope that it's got infected so that a course of antibiotics might do the trick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 i only ask cos one of the beagles bit his tongue and it really swelled x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufus the wonderdog Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Could he have been stung? A sting anywhere on the face will swell quite a lot. to you and try not to panic - easier said than done with our woofers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Aww, poor Malc Sending lots of good thoughts for the gorgeous man and hoping its nothing serious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 If it is getting bigger since you noticed it, I'd say it looks like an infection/abscess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby1Nic Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Oh I hope everything will be ok The only lip scenario we've had with Ruby was when she was a puppy. We'd come back from a walk and I noticed her top lip and side of her face was all swollen (so it wasn't the bottom one as in your case). However, I could find no reason for it - no puncture wounds etc. We took her to the Vet who prodded and poked about it, and just asked us to monitor it. It went away of it's own accord though. I can't recall how long it lasted - maybe just a day or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophie Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Does he suffer from any sort of allergy? Not a dog, but our cat Zooey has flea and food alergies. His lip regularly swells up, and looks quite horrible, when he is having an allergic reaction. We are currently battling a major flare up, with sores covering his chin, one leg, his belly and his ears, despite a trip to the vets for antibiotics and steroids His lip swelling is one of the first signs of flea/harvest mite allergy - this is the beginning of the time that harvest mites are active. I hope it turns out to be nothing to worry about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpuppy Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 I went through something very similar about three months ago with my Sadie. She had a sore looking patch on her lower lip that at first I thought was caused by her love of picking up sticks on walks. However it didn't heal and seemed to get bigger over the space of two weeks or so. I took her in and the vet said it was an epulis, which is a growth that is nearly always benign. This is a hard lump attached to the gum/bone inside the mouth and the sore patch had been caused by the epulis rubbing on her lip. They did a biopsy of her lip, reassuring me that it was bound to be ok, and it turned out to be a very malignant cancer. I was told that because it had been caught early there was an excellent chance of removing it all and a very good prognosis. She had the operation, where they removed a section of her lip, and fingers crossed, she is absolutely fine. She looks a bit weird, a bit goofy, but she's still beautiful to me, and I don't care what she looks like as long as she's well. Her eating has not been affected at all. I don't want to freak you out, there's every chance that Malcolm's case is completely different to Sadie's, but my point is that, if it does turn out to be the worst thing then you have caught it in time and something can be done. My vet told me that so many people put these things off, don't get their dogs checked out until it is too late to do anything to help them but you're on the case. I wish you the very best of luck for Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greys mum Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Couldn't read this and not send you both a big . Got no ideas, but wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you. Hope all goes well at the vets on Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purrpuss Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Loads and loads of good thoughts for the man, and just a little . You know where I am if needed, just ring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 hope all goes well at the vets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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