The age of a dog can be determined by its teeth. As in humans, canine teeth undergo a number of transformations as they develop. When they are newborns they do not have teeth, but the puppies already have teeth, which are characterized by being thinner and more square. By following this evolution as your fur grows, you may have even lost count of how many teeth you had. And then it’s normal for the question to arise: does a dog have a baby tooth? We have prepared this article of Animal Expert 100% dedicated to clarifying this type of doubt and the most common problems related to dog teething.
Yes, a dog has a baby tooth, just like humans. Most puppies are born toothless (some are born with two semi-finished teeth) and it is at this stage that they feed exclusively on their parents’ breast milk. There is no predetermined date for the appearance of the dog’s baby teeth, in general, they can begin to be born from 15 to 21 days of life, when they begin to open the eyes, ears and explore the environment.
- With the passage of weeks.
- Canines (2 upper and 2 lower).
- 12 molars (6 lower and 6 upper) and 12 premolars (6 lower and 6 higher) appear.
- The first to notice are the canines and upper incisors of milk.
- Followed by the molar and lower incisors.
It is no coincidence that this development of the dog’s baby teeth will accompany its food transition during weater and physiological adaptations. At the end of this cycle, puppies can now eat alone and start eating solid foods.
Note that this teeth differs from the final tooth in its thinner, square appearance. Guardians can and should monitor this growth to avoid any problems in advance, as well as provide veterinary consultations for general detection, deworming and monitoring of the vaccination schedule.
Yes, at the cyclical level, a dog changes teeth very similarly to humans. After the fall of the baby teeth, the teeth that will accompany them for the rest of their lives were born. At this point, the dog’s tooth is reborn, giving way to the definitive prosthesis.
This final exchange usually begins around 4 months of life. If you follow this trend closely, you may notice that after 3 months, baby teeth begin to wear out when the upper and lower central incisors are probably not yet born (usually visible after 4 months). This total exchange of baby teeth by permanent parts can last up to 9 months of life and up to 1 year in some breeds.
As we have seen, the exchange of baby teeth in dogs is a natural process and requires little external intervention apart from observation to ensure that everything goes well. Changing teeth can cause discomfort to the puppy with pain and inflammation of the gums. In this case, you should opt for stuffed animals and, if possible, cool them to relieve swelling. Avoid bones and hard foods.
The most common dental complication at this stage is when the baby’s tooth does not fall out on its own and this makes it difficult to develop the permanent tooth, the symptom is usually severe pain and difficulty chewing. In the long run, this can compromise the bite and its fit, leaving the dog with a tooth.
If you notice that after the expected time, the dog has not developed these teeth correctly, it is very important to consult a veterinarian as a small surgery may be necessary.
A puppy with all developed baby teeth has 28 teeth. After replacement, from 1 year on, there are expected to be 42 teeth in permanent teeth.
Older dogs may lose their teeth permanently, in which case the dog’s tooth is not reborn. You will need a veterinary consultation for proper evaluation and care.
Tartar should also be treated as it can cause bad breath and other serious dental problems, including tooth loss. In the following video we explain how to combat canine bad breath and therefore tartar and plaque:
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
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