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Why is my senior dog's lip so swollen and what should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 12 years and 2 months old | 12 lbs

My 12 year old little Claire has an awful looking swollen looking lip. About 2 years ago her black lips and nose started to turn pinkish with no symptoms at all. About 4 months ago she got a sore under her chin and I took her to the vet. She was given antibiotic and steroids for what they thought was an autoimmune disease. Since she has developed this very swollen looking lip. I was told her teeth and gums look good (for her age) and they offered to do some blood work but no definitive answers!

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Kristin DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 6th, 2018

That is sure an impressively swollen lip! Poor Claire! This type of swelling could be a few things. Even though your vet thought the teeth look okay, we can't tell what is going on under the gumline, and an abscess from an infected tooth could be a possibility. Autoimmune disease is also a possibility. She could have a ruptured salivary gland. Or it could be something as simple as an insect bite. It is hard to get a full idea of the extent of the swelling from just the pictures alone. A fine needle aspirate, or using a needle to collect some cells from the swollen tissue, could give a better idea of the cause. I hope it is something that goes away quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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