Broken tooth

:cry: :cry: :cry:
I had a look in my puppy's mouth thismorning and have discovered a broken tooth. It's one of the big pointy ones near the front at the top of her jaw. She's only 4 months old. I am feeling really bad right now, like it's my fault for giving her bones to chew on. (I'm assuming that's how it happened but I don't know.) What happens now? Do I do anything about it? Will it fall out and she'll be missing this tooth forever?? She is probaby in pain because you can see the nerve, it's just like the tip of the tooth has broken right off.
Poor little thing, I know bones are good for them, but now I am going to be stressing out feeding them to her now.

 

poor guy - I would call the vet and see what they say. Jake has one one his back teeth that broke off at one point years ago and it looks like you can see a nerve but is has never bothered him It may be one of his baby teetch that will fall out and come back

honeybear

 

Check out this link Honeybear: http://www.dogbeachdentistry.com/brokentth.html
I didn't do a great deal of searching around, but this site says your dog will hide the pain and suffer in silence. May be worth checking out.
I just rang my vet (they weren't open when I discovered it) and they said she should be starting to loose her puppy teeth soon anyway. I feel a bit silly as I didn't know they had puppy teeth just like kids do, I thought she would have a broken tooth for ever. I am relieved now.

 

I have seen that happen before

when my old dog(part Lab,Pit bull and Chow) played with a pit bull puppy one day. They were swining each other around with a rope and the puppy wouldn'T let go but bc she had babay teeth, some (1 or 2) fell out and one broke, It should be no problem, because hopefully your pup is young enough to stll have its baby teeth. But none the less get it checked out by the vet

 

I wanted to take her to the vet because the tooth is actually broken, and you can see a dot in the middle of it which must be the nerve, I guess. When I rang the vet they assured me they didn't need to see her, but I'll keep an eye on it anyway. Do they loose those big fang teeth aswell? It's one of those ones.

 

Yes, they loose ALL of their teeth, usually between 4-6 months of age. Nala also broke one of her canines as a puppy (the big, pointy tooth). I think they are more easily broken than the adult teeth, especially when it is getting close to time for them to come out.

Think about it this way. When a permanent tooth moves up underneath a baby tooth, the baby tooth gets loose, right? Why? Because as the permanent tooth is moving upwards, the root of the baby tooth is being absorbed back into the body. When a tooth falls out (do you have any children who have lost teeth?) there is no huge root - it is all gone.

Now, where do teeth get their nourishment from? Through the root. So, as the root goes away in preparation for loosing the tooth, I would image the tooth becomes less healthy and more brittle, and thus more easily broken. I can't verify that with a citation or anything, but that is my own logic.

I wouldn't worry about it. Your pup will probably loose that tooth soon anyway. If it seems to be causing him pain then perhaps a vet should look at it and remove it. But if he is still chewing on that side, it's probably fine.


Jamiya

 

Thanks jamiya. She is not showing any signs of pain at all- still crazily chewing everything she can get her mouth on!!

 

Speaking of teeth falling out, is it true the dogs usually swallow their own teeth? I have never seen any of my dogs baby teeth so always assumed this was true. If not they have found a really good hiding spot with alot of teeth somewhere in my house.

 

That's why I didn't know that they have baby teeth- cause I've never seen any!!! I guess they might eat them- I'll let you know if I find out. Maybe the tooth fairy comes...

 

I think it's pretty common for them to swallow them. I know a lot of people never see the teeth. We actually saw quite a few of Nala's. She would be chewing on something like a rope bone or a plush toy, and I would notice it was a little bloody. Then shortly after I would see a tooth on the floor. If Nala noticed it, she did immediately try to snap it up and eat it, so it must just be the doggie thing to do.

It never seemed to bother her. But she left little blood spots on everything for a month or so, during the heaviest teething time.


Jamiya

 

Ok cool I am not crazy and hopefully will not find a pile of teeth somewhere in my house!! My dogs are very clean dogs so it does not suprise me that I never saw any of them.

 

I saw this post a little to late to help you...But ya they loose all of their teeth... I saved everyone that I found.... Just like I did with our son. LOL :mrgreen: