Disorders Of The Mouth In Dogs - Dog Owners - Merck Veterinary Manual

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Lip fold dermatitis is a chronic skin inflammation that occurs in breeds with drooping upper lips and lower lip folds (such as spaniels, English Bulldogs, and Saint Bernards). These lips often accumulate moisture, causing inflammation to develop. The condition may be worsened when poor oral hygiene results in high salivary bacterial counts. The lower lip folds can become very bad-smelling, inflamed, uncomfortable, and swollen.

Treatment of lip fold dermatitis includes clipping the hair, cleaning the folds 1 to 2 times a day with benzoyl peroxide or a mild skin cleanser, and keeping the area dry. Your veterinarian may prescribe a daily application of a topical diaper rash cream. Surgical correction of deep lip folds is a more long-lasting remedy for severe cases.

Lip wounds, resulting from fights or chewing on sharp objects, are common and vary widely in severity. Thorns, grass awns, plant burrs, and fishhooks may embed in the lips and cause severe irritation or wounds. Irritants such as plastic or plant material may produce inflammation of the lips. Lip infections may develop. Wounds of the lips should be cleaned and sutured by your veterinarian, if necessary.

Direct extension of severe gum disease or inflammation inside the mouth can produce inflammation of the lips (cheilitis). Licking areas of bacterial dermatitis or infected wounds may spread the infection to the lips and lip folds. Inflammation of the lips also can be associated with parasitic infections, autoimmune skin diseases, and tumors.

Inflammation of the lips and lip folds can be short- or longterm. Animals may paw, scratch, or rub at their mouth or lip; have a foul odor on the breath; and occasionally salivate excessively or refuse to eat. With chronic infection of the lip margins or folds, the hair in these areas is discolored, moist, and matted with a thick, yellowish or brown, foul-smelling discharge overlying red skin that may have open sores. Sometimes the infection extends from another area of the body; this is easily diagnosed because of the infection that causes it.

Inflammation of the lips that is unrelated to lip folds usually resolves with minimal cleansing, appropriate antibiotics (if a bacterial infection is present), and specific treatment of the cause. Treatment of periodontal disease or mouth inflammation may be necessary to prevent recurrence.

Infectious cheilitis that has spread from a location away from the mouth usually improves with treatment of the primary spot, but treatment of the lip area also is necessary. With severe infection, care includes clipping the hair from the infected area. The area will then be gently cleaned and dried. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the infection is severe or spreads to other locations.

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