My dog's gums change from pink to pale. What could be the real cause?

Question

His gums go from his normal pink to a pale pink and then after a day or so theyd go back to a regular pink color. He's doing all his regular dog things and I called the vet and they told me to bring him in if it gets worse or stays like this for awhile. What could cause this? From the things I've read, can it only be all these awful things? Not by medications he's been put on or anything? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered | 11 months and 29 days old | 55 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

I realize that looking up possible causes of pale gums points you down some scary roads with different cancers, bone marrow conditions or bleeding issues. Some medications can adversely affect the bone marrow, but at 1 year of age, I doubt that Spock has received any of these medications. Typical flea/tick and heartworm preventatives would not be expected to cause any of these issues. If Spock's gums are consistently pink (even with some variation in shade of pink) and he is otherwise eating, drinking and acting normally, these types of issues are far less likely. Try to determine if his gums change color throughout the day. During times of excitement or stress, a dog's blood pressure can rise a bit and cause the gum color to be a darker pink than the normal baseline. Concurrently, during times of rest and extreme relaxation, the blood pressure is a bit lower and can cause the gums to be a slightly lighter pink. If Spock's gums are every very pale and he is lethargic, this is an emergency condition and would need to be addressed immediately. Otherwise, you can continue monitoring his gum color as your vet recommended, or ask if he can be examined now if you need the extra peace of mind. :-)

My dog's gums change from pink to pale. What could be the real cause?

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