dogs loosing teeth

Question
My dog has a loose tooth.  Is it possible that my two year old shitz tzu is still loosing his baby teeth?

Answer
Hi Vanessa,

Your dogs loose tooth probably is not a baby tooth, the overwhelming majority of puppies loose their baby teeth by the time they're 6 months old.

Your dog needs to be examined by your veterinarian, as there may be other teeth that are problematic, or your dog might have periodontal disease. Your vet will tell you if your dog would benefit from having a professional tooth cleaning, and possibly an extraction. Dogs do not get fillings in their teeth, as humans do.

Small breed dogs have notorious bad teeth. After your dog has had his tooth cleaning and or extractions, it would be a very good idea if you were to start brushing his teeth.

Once a dog develops tooth or gum problems, it can also affect his general health. Bacteria from infected teeth and gums is released into the bloodstream, and it can lodge in places like the kidneys and heart valves, causing disease and even organ failure.

You can read about how to brush your dog's teeth here:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/how-to-brush-your-dog-s-teeth/page1.aspx


Best of luck,
Patti