VitalPaw
How to use

Gum Colour

Learn how to accurately check your dog's gum colour.

What you're checking

Gum colour can provide important clues about your dog's circulation and oxygenation.

Before you start

  • Find good, natural lighting
  • Lift the lip gently
  • Look above the upper teeth

Three simple steps

  1. A person lifting a dog's upper lip with a finger to expose the pink gum.

    Step 1

    Lift the lip

    Expose the upper gum above the teeth.

  2. A close-up of a dog's healthy pink gum above the upper teeth.

    Step 2

    Look at the colour

    Choose the colour that most closely matches your dog's gums.

  3. A finger tapping a pink gum colour swatch in the VitalPaw app on a phone.

    Step 3

    Save your observation

    VitalPaw explains what that colour may indicate.

Record Gum Colour

VitalPaw does the math

You only need to count, tap and observe.

  • Times the reading
  • Calculates the result
  • Compares it with your dog's normal range
  • Explains what it means
  • Saves it to your history

If your dog shows emergency signs, don’t wait — find an emergency clinic.