My puppy is grinding her teeth at night

Question
I have a little Shih Tzu. She will be 3 months tomorrow. She is grinding her teeth at night and its loud and noticeable. what is the deal with that. Should we be concerned

Answer
Hi Erin,

Something might be tightly stuck between your dog's teeth, or she may be having some oral pain. Beginning around three months of age, some puppies start to lose their first set of teeth, so it's possible that your dog is having a little oral pain.

A really good teething toy for a puppy is to take a clean old sock, tie a few tight knots in it, dip it in water (wring it out a little) and put the wet sock in your freezer to firm up. Incise your puppy to chew on the knotted frozen sock, the coldness will help her sore gums feel better.

You can keep a couple of these frozen knotted socks in your freezer so you'll always have one on hand.

You should have your puppy examined by your vet if the tooth grinding continues.

Best of luck,
Patti