Information About Puppies Losing Baby Teeth

Teething puppies need to chew.

Baby teeth--also called deciduous or milk teeth--appear in newborn puppies when they are 2 or 3 weeks old, according to "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook." They should be replaced by adult teeth when the puppy is 6 months old.

Amount

Puppies have 28 milk teeth but will completely grow about 42 teeth by the time they are 6 to 8 months old. Twenty adult teeth are in the upper jaw and 22 in the lower.

Sequence

The incisors are usually the first puppy teeth to be shed. This happens when the puppy is about 3 months old.

Symptoms

Some puppies will not show any symptoms of teething. But the usual symptoms are blood around the mouth, an unwillingness to be touched around the mouth and an increased need to chew.

Fun Fact

Puppies reabsorb the roots of their milk teeth in their bodies.

Warnings

Some puppy teeth will not fall off naturally and must be removed by a veterinarian. If they aren't removed, the teeth can cause problems--for example, bacteria trapped between the teeth can cause decay, according to veterinarian Dr. Debra Primovic, who writes a column for PetPlace.com.

References

• "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook"; Debra M. Eldredge, DVM, et al.; 2007
• PetEducation.com: Baby Teeth (Deciduous Teeth) in Dogs and Cats
• PetPlace.com: Dealing with Retained Deciduous or Baby Teeth; Dr. Debra Primovic

Resources

• VetInfo.com: Puppy Teething -- How to Ease the Pain
• Martha Stewart.com: Puppy Teething
• American Dog Trainers Network: Prevent Your Puppy's Desctructive Chewing