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This is just curiosity on my part. My dog is one I got from the shelter more than a year ago. They told me she was about one year old and that she'd been an outdoor dog. They also said she was most likely hit by a car (or some similar event) because she had a healed broken leg, but it effected her walk and run (she kind of hops like a rabbit). She also has a few missing teeth.
I was playing with her just now and looking at her teeth while doing so and I wondered what could have possibly happened to make her lose teeth? She doesn't seem to have dental problems like plaque. I can't imagine she had cavities. The car accident couldn't have caused it, could it?
If it helps, it's a few of the little teeth between the canines and the big crushing teeth in the back. She's a medium sized dog, 21 pounds.
I know a few of you do rescue and see a lot of dogs, any ideas?
One of the dogs with me now is only 6 yrs old and came into rescue last year missing all but one of his teeth. I wish I knew why they are missing but I have no idea. This little guy was dumped in a park with another dog who had a broken pelvis, iirc, so he probably had poor if any vetting.
Just like humans, their first set of teeth, called deciduous teeth, need to fall out to make room for their larger, permanent teeth. Between 4 and 6 months old, your pup will have frequent loose teeth. You may even find some cast-off ones in his bedding or around the house. By the time he's about 7 or 8 months old, he should well on his way to sporting a new set of 42 adult teeth.
Problem could be genetic or periodontal disease or something else a vet should check out.
Thanks! To answer some of the questions, I really don't know if she ever had teeth there. I didn't know they might not come in. It's just noted in her shelter record that she has missing teeth (and they are still missing so I don't think it was a case of losing puppy teeth. She is kind of old for that I'd think).
Thanks! To answer some of the questions, I really don't know if she ever had teeth there. I didn't know they might not come in...
I was a dog trainer for 25+ years and saw many adult dogs who had missing teeth because the adult teeth just never came in. I also showed my own dogs in obedience and knew many owners whose dogs were missing 1-2-3, even 4, adult teeth.
It's not an infrequent deal with dogs, especially if one of their ancestors had missing teeth. In the wild those dogs might not have been able to catch/eat prey so they'd have died out. But, in civilization, there's no need for those dogs, who are kept as pets, to have all their teeth anymore.
My dog is missing two teeth on each side behind his incisors.
My trainer brought over a dog yesterday (for my own dog's desensitization exercises, because he's not good with other dogs) who was missing several front teeth. I asked if she was old and he said it was because her former owner frequently kept her in a crate and she broke off her teeth trying to get out of it. (As a side note, my dog did beautifully and ignored the other dog. Figures that he'd try to make a liar out of me!)
...My trainer brought over a dog yesterday...who was missing several front teeth. I asked if she was old and he said it was because her former owner frequently kept her in a crate and she broke off her teeth trying to get out of it...
I adopt older dogs and my current dog has all her front teeth broken off at the gum line for the same reason. But, in those cases, you can see the tops of the broken teeth so it's not the same as missing teeth.
The car accident could totally have done it. My kelpie broke off one of his front teeth (not a canine) chewing on something. Dogs lose teeth all the time.
Fun fact: tennis balls can cause grind down their teeth if they're obsessive chewers.
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(As a side note, my dog did beautifully and ignored the other dog. Figures that he'd try to make a liar out of me!)
