Found it! Hope this posts!! If not, I'll just copy and paste the article.

2001



Lip fold pyoderma in Golden


Question: Dr. Richards:

I have a 10 year old golden retriever. From time to time over the past 5
years or so, she's developed a bad, rotten fish type of smell on the outside
of her mouth, under one of her bottom lips, in the fur area. Her fur in
that area becomes a little sticky and a little red and seems to bother her a
little. I usually clean it up with the chlorhexaderm oral solution and put
some anti-biotic ointment on it and it usually clears up within a few days.

Any ideas what this could be from? Her teeth are in good shape and she gets
them brushed every other day or so, so I don't think it's from dental
disease.

Thanks. Vanessa


Answer: Vanessa-

It sounds like you are describing a problem that is referred to as "lip
fold pyoderma". This is infection in folds of the lip that usually occurs
on the lower lips, often right at the point that the upper canine tooth
touches the skin of the lower lip when the mouth is closed.

There is no problem with using chlorhexidine gel or benzoyl peroxide
shampoo to control these infections, if topical treatment will work.
Sometimes oral antibiotics are necessary to get control of these
infections. If you find that this problem gets worse over time, or if you
get tired of treating it intermittently, reconstructive surgery of the
lower lip (cheiloplasty) will usually resolve the problem and may even be
less expensive than repeatedly using medications, over time. This is not a
technically difficult surgery and most general veterinary practices can do
this. This problem is rarely related to the teeth, other than occurring
where the upper canines touch the lips in many cases.

Hope this helps some.

Mike Richards, DVM
1/3/2001

[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: tatsxxx11 ]