Good point, Kitkat. Look back at Marian's first picture, here (
de-worming ???). This is an early case, but notice how the "lips" don't come together and make a nice, closed seal. The gums are slightly swollen and are pushing the "lips" out sideways. When Marian said there was a thick discharge, it was practically an open and shut case.
As the condition progresses, the discharge becomes more sticky and thick, like a puss that hardens into a scab. More advanced cases also show small, red dots along the gums where blood vessels are becoming exposed. They start openly bleeding in advanced cases, and the discharge can become so thick that it actually seals the mouth shut.
Rick