Epulis
Epulis can be fairly common in boxers and has a wide range of severity. The mildest form of epulis is just where the gums can grow over the tooth, causing pain on eating etc. This growth is normally shaved back to allow the dog to eat more comfortably.
A classic sign of epulis is bleeding gums and bad breath, so as with anything, if you are concerned that your dog may have epulis, we recommend a visit to your vet to get its mouth checked out.
In the more extreme cases, a lump or a "peduncle" may appear causing a lot of discomfort to the dog and even, in some cases, breathing difficulties. These lumps need to be removed immediately and biopsies done to ascertain what kind of tumour it is. Here is an example of a fibrous epulis.
It is fairly common for a boxer to have recurring epulis and require repeated removal throughout its life. Surgery for basic epulis is fairly straight forward and the dog merely requires a soft diet for a couple of weeks to allow the gums to heal.
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