# Extra Teeth



## Chi Mommy (Feb 25, 2005)

My chis have extra teeth (their baby teeth did not all fall out and they are almost 10 months old). Would it be bad if i just left them in? They dont seem to be bothering the girls at all and i dont want to put them through unneccessary pain and suffering by having them extracted.....any thoughts on this??


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

Chihuahuas are prone to teeth problems. Even though those baby teeth are not causing them any problems now, they will cause alot of tooth decay later on. 
It is best to get them pulled. Normally the vet will pull any remaining baby teeth when a pup is spayed/neutered.
I probably didn't make you feel better, but getting them pulled is really best for your chis.


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## ksoliz (Mar 15, 2005)

I hope more people respond to your question, I too have the same question. Bago has extra teeth and I already got him neutered and the Vet said they should fall out and now he's almost 10 months and they are still there I'd hate to have to put him under again


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## Alisha (Mar 11, 2005)

Bella had extras and they eventually fell out I'm not sure how old she was though.


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

This question has been asked many times. If you want others opinions, do a search.


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## SunnyFLMum (Apr 21, 2005)

I think most of us had their extra teeth pulled during the neuter/spay

My vet only charged $75 for pulling two teeth...total bill with the neuter was $175

I shopped around as I JUST got a job...

anyway....definately have them pulled...as was said before, they are prone to tooth problems and you don't want to add more problems on top of that...it is very simple...Giz was eating his kibble and a greenie just fine the same day... :wave:


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## Bijou (Aug 6, 2005)

Yes, they definitely need to be pulled. If your vet doesn't agree, just do a Google search on retained baby teeth in dogs and you will see what can happen if you leave them in. Not a good idea.


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## Gadget's Mom (Jan 14, 2005)

Oh I know Gadget is going to make me take him tot he vet for his 2 top fangs for they have not fallen out yet and the adult teeth are nice and big... they are just as tight as ever... I am trying to wait as long as possible because I really rather them fall out on his own.. because I am not having him neutered so he will just have to go under for those 2 teeth... 

I know it is better to have them out and I will only if they don't come out by themselves.... 

I am crossing my fingers


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## Chi Mommy (Feb 25, 2005)

thanks....i will do a search for extra information.......i had my girls spayed at 6 months and all of their adult teeth were not in yet thats why they were no extracted then i guess i will wait a few more months and see if they come out on their own if not i will have no choice but to have it done


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## beetlebug_lady (Sep 8, 2005)

I just found out today during my vet appt. that they mistook Ralphie's top teeth as his adult teeth and just pulled his bottom when he was neutered, so now he has two rows of teeth on top. My vet made it out like it was no big deal and that no damage will result because of it since his adult teeth are already in. I never thought about tooth decay though.


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## luv4mygirls (Feb 20, 2005)

they have to come out. my firends dachshund is roughly 5 years old and he still had his top canine baby teeth along with the adult teeth. she had them removed shortly after noticing it, the baby teeth were starting to turn black by the gumline and his mouth smelled horrid. here's some info i found along with a picture:

Retained Deciduous Teeth


Normally the deciduous tooth's root is resorbed, making room for an adult tooth. Should this fail, the adult tooth may deviate from it's normal position, producing malocclusion. The resulting double set of teeth overcrowds the dental arch, causing food to become trapped between the teeth, leading to early periodontal disease. A double set of roots may also prevent normal development of the socket, and erode periodontal support around the adult tooth, resulting in early tooth loss. A retained deciduous tooth should be extracted as soon as an adult tooth is noted in the same area as the baby tooth. If extraction is performed early, the abnormally positioned adult tooth usually moves to it's normal location.


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## Rachael Polachek (Feb 19, 2005)

You guys don't want to mess around with tooth decay. In an advanced state it can cause an infection that can lead to serious problems throughout the body. That's how Lily ended up with a heart murmur (she was a rescue from a puppy mill where they obviously couldn't have cared less about her teeth or overall health). :evil: 

I'm sure you would catch the problem before it got that serious but why even head in that direction? :wave:


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## Cooper (Jun 15, 2005)

Rachael Polachek said:


> You guys don't want to mess around with tooth decay. In an advanced state it can cause an infection that can lead to serious problems throughout the body. That's how Lily ended up with a heart murmur (she was a rescue from a puppy mill where they obviously couldn't have cared less about her teeth or overall health). :evil:
> 
> I'm sure you would catch the problem before it got that serious but why even head in that direction? :wave:


When I got OmaKitty, I took her to a ... vet that was close to my house. I often asked about the fact she didn't purr at all and the vet told me it was because of the abuse she suffered. I bought into that diagnosis since everything else was "normal" with her and she never looked as if she was in pain. 

They obviously didn't like treating cats there ... I should have taken the hint when I never saw cats in the waiting room - only dogs.

When I finally had enough and switched vets, upon OmaKitty's first exam, the vet noticed a tooth that had was decayed and infected. She suggested having the tooth removed and I waited for a few weeks, trying to decide whether or not to try antibiotics or just have it removed.

I chose to have it removed and the day after surgery, I was petting OmaKitty on the couch and heard something I'd never heard before - she was purring. I called the vet and inquired about the purring after surgery and was told the tooth probably hurt so badly that purring made it worse so she didn't do it before. I had her for five years previous to that surgery and I kicked myself for a good year for not changing vets and getting her the help she needed.

I would take the teeth out. It may be saving your baby from pain.


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## Rachael Polachek (Feb 19, 2005)

Lily never showed any sign of pain with her decayed teeth either but our original vet should have told me to have them extracted PRONTO! Sometimes vets just don't make an issue of it (why, I have no idea) and you don't know enough to realize your baby could be in pain or that it could lead to much worse things.

That story about OmaKitty and the purring made me tear up (what a shock, huh? :lol: ). I think they get so accustomed to being in pain that they stop reacting to it. It becomes such a part of their reality that they forget they were ever free of pain. And how frigging sad is that.


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## Cooper (Jun 15, 2005)

OmaKitty's tooth tore me up inside, not only when I heard her purring but when the doctor showed me the tooth after the surgery.

I think since it's an animal's instinct to not show pain, you never know unless something obvious happens to let you know that either they are or are no longer in pain. That was the case with my beautiful girl.

Now I listen to the vet, study up on what she has told me and always ask questions relentlessly to ensure I am doing the "right thing" for my pets. Isn't that what we're supposed to do anyway? We certainly wouldn't let a child walk around in pain or in need and they look to us to protect them - the same as our pets.


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## luv4mygirls (Feb 20, 2005)

Cooper said:


> OmaKitty's tooth tore me up inside, not only when I heard her purring but when the doctor showed me the tooth after the surgery.
> 
> I think since it's an animal's instinct to not show pain, you never know unless something obvious happens to let you know that either they are or are no longer in pain. That was the case with my beautiful girl.
> 
> Now I listen to the vet, study up on what she has told me and always ask questions relentlessly to ensure I am doing the "right thing" for my pets. Isn't that what we're supposed to do anyway? We certainly wouldn't let a child walk around in pain or in need and they look to us to protect them - the same as our pets.


couldn't agree with you more :wave:


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## chimom (Apr 1, 2005)

Rachael Polachek said:


> Lily never showed any sign of pain with her decayed teeth either but our original vet should have told me to have them extracted PRONTO! Sometimes vets just don't make an issue of it (why, I have no idea) and you don't know enough to realize your baby could be in pain or that it could lead to much worse things.
> 
> That story about OmaKitty and the purring made me tear up (what a shock, huh? :lol: ). I think they get so accustomed to being in pain that they stop reacting to it. It becomes such a part of their reality that they forget they were ever free of pain. And how frigging sad is that.


Made me tear up too  Since our pets can't speak to tell us what is wrong, as Cooper's mom says, it is up to _us_ to follow through, ask questions, and be a knowledgeable pet owner.

In my opinion, leaving the puppy teeth intact would not be an option due to tooth decay and gum disease which can lead to infections in other parts of the body. You wouldn't dream of leaving a wound untreated nor a broken bone without proper treatment, and leaving those teeth is just inviting future problems and pain. 

Jazzy had two puppy teeth left - upper canine - and I was afraid we would need to have them extracted. My vet advised to wait until around 1 yr and if she still had them, we would remove them. She just turned 1 yr last week and thank goodness she lost one this week and the other one is getting loose. Keeping fingers and paws crossed!!


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