What gum color means
Gums show how well blood and oxygen are getting around the body. Lift the lip, look in good light, and pick the color you see.
What color are the gums?
What it can point to
Salmon or bubblegum pink, and slippery to the touch, is normal. Press a fingertip on the gum: the pale spot should turn pink again in about two seconds.
What to do
Nothing to do. Look when your pet is well so you know their normal.
What it can point to
Pale gums can mean blood loss, anemia or shock.
What to do
This is an emergency. Go to your vet or an emergency clinic now, especially if your pet is weak, cold or breathing fast.
What it can point to
A blue or grey tinge means not enough oxygen is reaching the tissues: a breathing or heart emergency.
What to do
Go to an emergency clinic now. Keep your pet calm and cool on the way.
What it can point to
Very red gums can point to overheating, a serious infection or a reaction to a toxin. Redness only along the edge of the teeth is more often gum disease.
What to do
Red gums all over, with panting, weakness or collapse, are an emergency. A red line along the teeth needs a dental check, not an emergency visit.
What it can point to
Yellow gums, often with yellow in the whites of the eyes or the skin of the ears, is jaundice. It can come from the liver, the gallbladder or the breakdown of red blood cells.
What to do
Call your vet today.
What it can point to
Chocolate-brown gums can follow some poisonings, including human painkillers, which are especially dangerous to cats.
What to do
This is an emergency. Go now, and take the packaging of anything your pet may have swallowed.
What it can point to
Gums that feel tacky instead of slippery suggest dehydration.
What to do
Offer water and call your vet, the same day if your pet is also vomiting, has diarrhea or is not eating.
What it can point to
Flat dark patches are normal pigment in many dogs and some cats. Check the color on a pink area, or the inside of the lower eyelid.
What to do
No action for flat pigment your pet has always had. A dark spot that is new, raised or growing should be shown to your vet.
This tool organizes what you have noticed. It can't examine your pet, and its result is not a diagnosis or veterinary advice. Take what it shows to your vet; if your pet is in distress, go to an emergency clinic now. Full disclaimer
How to check
Lift the upper lip at the side and look at the gum above the back teeth, in daylight if you can. If your pet's gums are dark with pigment, look for a pink patch or gently pull down the lower eyelid and check the inside.
Color changes in the gums are among the more reliable warning signs a pet owner can see, which is why most rows on this chart say go now. If the gums are not pink and your pet seems unwell in any way, do not wait to see what happens.
Do not put your fingers in the mouth of a pet that is in pain, frightened or having a seizure. If you cannot look safely, go on the other signs: breathing, weakness and whether your pet is responding to you.
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