Bright red gums

QuestionEdit

I noticed about two hours ago that my pit bull was not as energtic as usual and his gums are a bright red color. My vet is closed and I was wondering if this might be a reaction to his food(Purina Healthy Morsels Lamb and Rice) or a poison. Since it will be in the morning before I can take him, would if be okay to give some Pepto and milk? Thanks for your time, Christie

AnswerEdit

My question would be this: Why would you think he was exposed to any kind of poison? Dogs that are in a yard or house are not normally exposed to those kinds of poisons. How long has he been eating this food? Has he had a reaction to it before? A dog's gums can be bright red for many reasons. A food intolerance isn't normally one of them but anything is possible. Itching, vomiting, diarrhea and other skin related problems would be a guess for the food. A poison could certainly do this but usually they make the gums pale unless the dog has gotten cyanide and if that was the case he would already be dead. You can certainly give him some pepto bismol but no milk. If he is having a reaction to things such as Tylenol, or Ibuprofen etc, his gums might be more of a muddy color or pale. I would call the on-call vet and ask about it. Take his temp first via rectal thermometer and see if he has a fever. He could have gotten over heated today from playing or running- and that can make the gums red. He could also have gum disease and you just now noticed it. Check his teeth for tartar (calculus)and stains. If he has a bright red line around his gums or they are very red and his teeth are bad, then he probably has periodontal disease which can make them very sick. Since I don't know his age I cannot tell you if that is the case. Good luck and call the on-call vet just to ask to be sure.