I have a condition known as chronic lip fold dermatitis. Many dogs suffer from occasional lip fold issues, and for some of us, it becomes a chronic problem. The horrid, foul odor coming from your dog’s mouth area will let you know your dog has a problem! Many pet parents are at a loss as to what to do for their dog, and many have asked me for advice. I’m going to talk about the causes, why it needs to be treated, and several treatment options. I’m not a veterinarian, and am only sharing my knowledge of this condition and information I have found to be useful. Please consult with your own veterinarian before starting any treatment.
Lip Fold Dermatitis
What is Lip Fold Dermatitis?
The most likely cause is the accumulation of saliva and food debris in the lip fold areas. The damp, dark, warm environment is ideal for the growth of bacteria which starts to cause irritation in the skin, and eventually an infection. In the above photo you can see how my lip fold hangs down, creating a pocket for bacteria to gather in. Symptoms can be redness in the lip fold area, pain, the foul odor coming from the dog’s mouth, and severe cases can cause hair loss and scabbing.
Why is Lip Fold Dermatitis a problem?
There are several reasons this condition needs to be treated as soon as possible and prevented.
- The first and most important reason is all the bacteria and infection in the lip fold area will be spread throughout your dog’s body. This is not healthy, and could eventually cause other health issues.
- I know first paw all about how painful this condition can be. I wouldn’t let anyone near my beard for over a year because my lip folds hurt so bad. You most certainly don’t want your dog to be in pain!
- Once the bacteria has turned into an infection, your dog will need antibiotics to clear it up. We all know, antibiotics shouldn’t be overused. If you have a lip fold infection once, chances are good you will have one again down the road and need even more antibiotics.
- In many cases, the lip fold dermatitis turns chronic. If you can catch it early the first time and work hard on preventative measures, you may be able to keep it from becoming a chronic condition.
What are the treatment options for Lip Fold Dermatitis?
It took us a long time, about two years to find a good veterinarian to diagnose my condition correctly, and by that time, my condition had become chronic. After getting the right diagnosis, surgery, and tips on keeping my lip folds healthy, I’m finally pain free, and even let Mom comb my beard any time she feels like it. Having lived with lip fold problems for years now, we have several tried and true methods for keeping them at bay. Some suggestions are from our veterinarian, some are things we have discovered on our own.
- The first thing I do is to keep my beard hair shaved in the lip fold area. I see my groomer every two to three months and she shaves down my beard hair in that area for me. No one notices as my top beard hairs cover my lips, and not being a show dog, it doesn’t matter. The wet beard adds to the likelihood of bacteria starting to grow, so shave it off!
- For me the time of year makes a difference. In the winter when the air is dry, I have much less trouble. When it is humid and during the summer, I’m more prone to infection. Now whenever my beard is real wet from drinking water, or walking in wet conditions, Mom blow dries it off for me. It took a few times before I let her do it, but now I don’t mind a bit. It dries out my beard and lip area which helps keep the bacteria from growing. Always hold the dryer a good distance away and never use a lot of heat.
- I get my beard shampooed with an anti bacterial shampoo a couple times a month. You wouldn’t believe how much stuff accumulates in that beard hair! Your entire dog doesn’t have to have a bath, just the beard.
- Keep the lip folds clean. After meals and snacks, wipe the area down to get rid of excess food and saliva build up.
Your veterinarian may prescribe a cream or mousse to apply when you notice your lip folds getting irritated. I don’t like it much, but it works. I have DOUXO mousse which is prescription.- Brush your dog’s teeth and make sure they have good dental health. Any extra dental bacteria from teeth ending up in the lip folds can start an infection as well.
In extreme cases like mine, lip fold surgery is also an option. I had lip fold surgery on both lip folds in October 2013. The above photo is one of my lip folds currently, 2 1/2 years after surgery. As a dog ages, the skin loses elasticity which means your lip folds sag more and more. For me surgery was life changing! It’s been almost two and a half years now, and most of the time my lip folds are great. Despite the surgery, we still follow the tips one to six above to prevent the condition from coming back.
Bailie has real thin furs, so she hasn’t had any issues. In this photo, she is posing with our friend Dexter who also battles with lip fold issues. Stop over to his blog today, Fidose of Reality, to see what tips he is offering to help battle lip fold dermatitis.
That’s for all the great advice. Katie has it and I clean with anti-bacterial pads and shampoo a few times a month. It really has helped. Glad you feel better Emma.
So many dogs have it. Mine started before we had found a vet we could trust, so a few vets led us down the wrong path with an incorrect diagnosis a few times.
The mom remembers your surgery. I was still in Duluth in my mommy’s belly at that time. So far I have not had any problems and my breathe and mouth are sweet smelling. Great advice! XOXO Sparkle
Thankfully not every dog gets it. Bailie probably will never have it, but if you ever do, it is not fun.
Thanks for the info Emma. We’ve never had this issue, but its good to know and to share with our friends who may.
Your breeds aren’t as likely to get it, but one never knows.
Aww, my poor sweetie. I’m glad that your mom has it managed and I’m sure you are still a great kisser ♥ XXOO Bentley
Since my surgery, I’m going great. Before that, no one could get near my mouth because it was so sore all the time.
Thanks Emma for such an impawtant post… my momma thinks that maybe her foxterrier had to deal with that too and it maybewas the reason that she went amok as soon as we tried to brush her beard…
There was no beard brushing with me for a few years because of it. Now things are all good.
That sure doesn’t sound like much fun but that was a big bunch of good info!
No, it’s not fun at all, but it is important to take care of it, if you have it.
I’d never heard of this until you talked about it, Emma. So glad you’re spreading the word to save some pups a lot of pain and discomfort!
More and more dogs have been contacting me about it, so I thought I would post about it once again.
We’re happy we don’t get that dermatitis stuff
Snorts,
Lily & Edward
I prefer this over the allergies and other nasty stuff some dogs have, but it is a real pain in the furs when it flairs up.
It doesn’t sound like a very pleasant condition. I’m glad you found out what it was and what caused it so you can have the necessary precautions! Great tips you have here, thanks for sharing them.
Amazingly, many vets didn’t diagnose it correctly which is why it got so bad with me. Thankfully we finally found a good vet in the midst of the whole thing and since then we have been on the right path.
Your blog was the first time I heard about this, and it seems like this could be important info for a lot of people. Are certain breeds at higher risk? Or it is any long/thick haired pup?
Dogs with beards, and dogs that drool a lot like Newfs, Cocker Spaniels, Mastiffs. It’s much more common than we thought. When mine was so bad, I thought I was the only dog, but not the case.
Great info, I’d never heard of this either, don’t think it’s very common with Shih Tzus. I’m glad you found a good vet, all of ours have been beyond fantastic and can’t imagine the frustration of not getting a proper diagnosis. Are the topical treatments also food safe? I’d imagine being in and around the mouth they’d have to be, or do you just need to watch where you apply it?
Bailie looks a bit embarrassed to be caught schmoozing Dexter! ?
They are topical treatments, but if they get into my mouth, no worries. Finding a good vet when we moved back from Europe took a few years, but we are really happy now and have been for the past four years or so. Some breeds get this more than others.
Hi Emma – so pleased your lip fold problems are much much better now. Thanks to your earlier blog on this topic – we diagnosed Kitty having the same problem (we just couldn’t work out where the stench was coming from before then) Kitty had the same surgery as you last Spring – and paws crossed hasn’t had even the slightest problem since.
We (including Kitty) cannot thank you enough for your wise blogging 🙂 x
Sorry Kitty has the same issue, but so happy you had a bit of an idea about the problem from my own experiences. As she ages, her folds may start to slightly sag more, which is why we keep a close watch on mine and make sure the area is always clean and as dry and fur free as possible! All the best and GBGV hugs to you and Kitty! Thanks for being such great online friends.
We are so happy to read this and that you are on top of this issue. We are also honored to co-blog with you on this im-paw-tent topic. Oh yes, keeping that bearded area short is so crucial. I know that when Dexter’s hair gets a bit long in the jowl area, we start to see the discoloration and that dreaded stink. Keeping on top of it is key!!! Love the pic of Dex and Bailie!
Darn beard hairs always are causing trouble! So happy we both have a paw on the situation and can share our tips with our friends.
WOW… we are SORRY that you HAD all those problems… butt REALLY glad that you are better now..
It happens, and actually a lot of dogs have the issue. Now we know a lot about it and hope to help others.
Although Arty is still fighting his allergies, we haven’t had an experience with Lip Fold Dermatitis. Sounds like you did a great job getting yours under control. Thanks for sharing!!
Smileys!
Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo
With allergies, he has enough to deal with. Glad he doesn’t have lip fold issues too. I’m glad mine are under control.
that is some excellent information
We hope it will help someone who is experiencing the issue and needs some help.
I’ve never heard of this before & fortunately never experienced it. I can’t believe it took so long to diagnose properly! Thanks for sharing this info.
Love & biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
It was amazing we saw two or three vets before we landed at our current clinic and vet and they got it right away. Most vets said it was just allergies.
Great advice Emma! I recognize the Duoxo. My vet used to love prescribing the pads to dogs.
I didn’t know it came in pads too. The mousse is effective if I need it.
Thanks for this great information to hopefully help out others with this problem.
It’s amazing how many dogs have this problem. We are always happy to share out experiences to help out others.
If only you could eat with a fork or a spoon, we bet you would have a lot less issues….lol. But seriously thanks for the information.
If I could learn to drink without getting my beard soaked, that would really help too!
We are so glad that you finally got your condition under control, Emma, and know this is such great information for anyone that might have to deal with it too. Not every vet always has the answers as you know too well, and sometimes we have to turn to others who have experienced it to get down to the bottom of what is going on with our pets, and how best to help them.
Thank dog we found our current vet clinic and vet. They are awesome for so many reasons. If we hadn’t found them, I might still be fighting that condition on a daily basis.
We had never before heard of this – and are so happy your mom takes such good care of you guys!
I think it is pretty much a dog thing. No fun, but my case is much under control and we are happy about that.
Emma thanks so much for helping Taffy with her lip fold dermatitis. My mom has been doing many of the tips you suggested. First, she got some awful ointment from the vet that she had to put in her mouth three times a day while wearing rubber gloves. But the odor finally cleared up. It’s been a few weeks and now the odor is starting to come back. Every day mom tries to clean off Taffy’s chin with a natural odor eliminating spray and she tries to wipe along the gums too. She is also doing more for her dental health, but not brushing. Her gums were infected before so we know how serious this can be so thank you for sharing the information. Love Dolly
It will be a life long condition. The surgery was necessary for me, but if we don’t keep tabs on how my lips look, it can start to return.
Great write up! Many thanks from Malaysia. My GSD has had so many diagnoses its mind boggling. Finally I took it upon myself to take a really really close look at every part of my dog and realised there was this greenish gunk semi-solidifying around his lip folds on both sides. Have started cleaning them out daily and it seems to have done wonders! Thank you so much again!