Do Dogs Lose Their Baby Teeth?

Recreational chewing helps puppies shed their temporary puppy teeth.

Dogs, like many mammals, develop two sets of teeth. The first set of teeth consists of sharp temporary teeth, called deciduous teeth. Puppies lose these baby teeth as adult teeth grow into place.

Emergence

The Doctors Foster and Smith Pet Education website explains that a puppy develops 28 temporary teeth, evenly distributed between the upper and lower jaw. According to The Pet Dentist site, a puppy usually has its first set of teeth by the age of 5 to 6 weeks.

Loss

Puppies begin to lose their temporary teeth at approximately 3 to 6 months of age. As permanent teeth begin to replace puppy teeth, chewing helps alleviate the pain of teething. Frozen rope toys and Kong-type toys, filled with peanut butter or other soft food and frozen, help to reduce the pain and provide the puppy with something appropriate for chewing.

Problems

Puppies should lose their baby teeth as their permanent teeth erupt. If they don't, the puppy teeth can crowd permanent teeth or cause them to grow in crookedly. Retained baby teeth should be removed as they can cause jaw and gum disease.

References

• Doctors Foster and Smith Pet Education: Baby Teeth (Deciduous Teeth) in Dogs & Cats
• Pet Dentist at Tampa Bay: "Baby" Teeth
• Vetinfo: Puppy Teething Symptoms