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My dog, Toby, is 5 years old and has had black gunk on his lower lips since I adopted him in December. They appear to be painful to touch, he certainly doesn't like us touching his mouth. They are attached like a scab and then eventually disconnect and hang on the fur. Is there anything we can do to clean it up?

My dog, Toby, is 5 years old and has had black gunk on his lower lips since I adopted him in December. They appear to be painful to touch, he certainly doesn't like us touching his mouth. They are attached like a scab and then eventually disconnect and hang on the fur. Is there anything we can do to clean it up?

Updated On September 7th, 2020

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 5 years and 8 months old | 25 lbs

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Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

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The scabs and gunk building up indicate that the skin underneath is not healthy, which could be caused by a bacterial or fungal infection, autoimmune disease, among a few other things. i would recommend taking Toby to the vet for examination and possible biopsy or bacterial culture. You can try using a warm wet washcloth to soften the scabs, but I wouldn’t push it if he seems uncomfortable.

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