190 VETERINARY DENTAL SURGERT. 



tive, being the source of extreme pain and discom- 

 fiture to the animal. 



They vary in color from a light gray, almost 

 white to deep purple hue. This is due to the degree 

 of vascularity which they possess, while a good many 

 of them retain the natural color of the gums. Their 

 serious character will depend upon their location, 

 nature and progress, some producing scarcely if any 

 inconvenience, while others produce grave results, in 

 some instances endangering the life of the animal. 

 Some are of sporadic origin others of parasitical. 

 CAUSES. 



Tumors of the gums occasionally arise spon- 

 taneously, but most of them can be traced to a 

 definite cause. 



They are sometimes due to existing tartar, frac- 

 tured, loose, dead or decayed teeth or roots of teeth. 



Fracture of the alveolar process may follow an 

 operation on the teeth or gums, or by external vio- 

 lence, and set up an irritation sufficient to produce 

 tumors or excrescences of various kinds. Those cases 

 which seem to rise spontaneously, if thoroughly ex- 

 amined would probably reveal the fact that they are 

 of a parasitic or cancerous nature, or could their 

 history be traced, as in the human subject, their 

 causes might in most instances be traced to some 

 form of irritation of the gums or alveolar processes or 

 membrane at some earlier period. It is not neces- 



