My old shihzu has very red gums and will not stop sticking his tongue out of his mouth. is this serious ?

Question:

he has red gums over his large canines along with some tartar build up. we already tried brushing his teeth but we got no answer to this problem. we checked him for a slight fever and the results were negative. we always make sure he has water, so i dont think its extreme thirst.

Please help us !

Answers:
I have had 2 Shih Tzus for about 9 years now. I don't think I have ever seen the male with its tongue fully in its mouth.

Hi! Cats and older dogs are prone to decay just like humans. In older dogs like yours the teeth decay and the gums become diseased. Often the teeth start to fall out and the animal needs Vet care now. My sisten is a Vet and I am a Dentist and we often take out molar teeth that are rotting because it will cause other organ failure in the animal. Mostly heart just like in people. Brushing will not help this, only a Vet can clean the tartar build-up and clean the gums and the teeth. This is ideally the very best thing to do for your pet. All pets will salivate when their teeth hurt. THIS IS HOW YOU know they have dental issues. They can not telll you. Please get your pet to a Vet now and have the teeth checked, cleaned and decayed ones removed. This could help your pet stay healthy and happy for more years or not. If you have any other questions, please ask, I will help you in any way that I can. Marie

My old shihzu has very red gums and will not stop sticking his tongue out of his mouth. is this serious ?

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