DOG GUMS

Question
Hi Jana
this is the only dog I have ever owned,I got it as a puppy from my local pet shelter in Newfoundland, Canada. it's no particular breed ,, but vets and other people say that she is a cross between and golden retriever and a border collie, she is mostly golden in color with white chest and tips of the paws,, anyway she is like a child to me now ,, it was suppose to be my sons pet ,,but i take it with me everywhere i go and it sleeps in my bed ,, sorry ,, to the point lol ,, yesterday I noticed something on her gums,,, when i checked its like a growth ,, its on the outside of her gums ,, its like a little sack ,, its hard, i can move it about easy and it doesn't bother her when i touch it or squeeze it gently,its pink like the rest of her gums and its about the size of an almond,  she is 7 yrs old , she eats some dog food, her dish is down and full for her at all times, usually Purina or some healthy brand name stuff,  but mostly she eats what the rest of the family eats, she is a house pet , about 75lbs, it just seem to have came there pretty fast ,, im always checking her ,, well every couple months or so ,, ill be looking at her teeth or play with her more often and see her teeth , but didn't notice this before, so does it sound like a bad DISEASE, should I take her to the vet ,, she was to the vet little over a year ago for her needles ,, what do you think ?
                                     Dwight
                                     613 A NEWFIE
                                        (263 9343)

Answer
Dwight,
I think it's wonderful that you love this dog so much and that you adopted her.

Dogs get many things on their gums. If it isn't black it likely to be a gingival hyperplasia, which is an overgrowth of gum tissue. They in themselves, are harmless.

But you really need to have a vet look at it to be sure, as gum tumors are common and can be very invasive. The faster you catch them and remove them, the better. Her teeth might need a good cleaning too, if she has never had it done.

However you need to get her on a better diet than people food and Purina. People food is for people,not dogs and she is not getting a balanced diet as a result of that. Going back and forth between foods doesn't help her digestive system either.

I have recommended and fed Science Diet for over 29 yrs so I would suggest you get her on it and leave her on it. You might want to try the light as 75 lbs is way to big for her breeding. That is from eating people food. A full grown female golden will weigh no more than 45-55 lbs and a border collie weighs in at a mere 20-35 lbs. So your dog is about 20lbs overweight.

You need to cut back on the amount of food she is eating now then get the Science Diet light to start adding into her food when the current bag is almost gone.
People food must stop immediately and completely. You love this dog, give her a longer life by reducing her weight.

Science Diet is 50% lower in fat than the lowest so called diet food out there and has more nutrition so she will require much less per feeding to meet her energy needs.
You will save money and she will lose weight if you follow the bags instructions. ONLY use an 8 oz measuring cup when you feed her.
That is how you save money and keep her weight down and that is how the bags tell you to feed.

Science Diet is fed for what your dog should weigh now, not what she does weigh, so you would feed her as if she weighs 60lbs for now. Once she loses you can cut back again and get her down more.

But one thing at a time. Get her in to have her gum looked at and get her revaccinated at the same time- she is overdue.
Get her heartworm tested and hopefully her gum is nothing to worry about.

Let me know how she does and write back once she is on the Science Diet if you need help.
take care!