# Missing 9 teeth?



## Dazy Mae (Aug 10, 2008)

Took Lulubelle in for her cleaning and the vet told me she is missing 9 adult teeth? Possibly they never erupted when she was young? It surprised me for sure
She was a rescue and we got her at 5 months old, so I guess they never came through. She has a small jaw area and the teeth she has looked very normal to me where they were placed and I did not notice.
Just curious if any of you have had that happen with your chi's?


----------



## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

No- but it happened to my husband! He actually is missing several teeth but all of his teeth sit in his mouth appropriately so it is always confusing for a new dentist. I think that his problem is that some teeth didn't erupt, his mother knows more about it. It has never cause him any problems but he is short 6 teeth. There are no gaps or anything in his mouth so it is not noticeable at all. He did have to have all of his wisdom teeth out- there was no room for all his regular adult teeth much less those extra ones. He never had braces either.


----------



## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Missing teeth in chi's is really really common Darlene! They have such a small muzzle/jaw and many times the adult teeth never come in. The only way to tell for sure is to have an x-ray done of the mouth and see what is under the gums. Usually a canine dentist specialist is the way to go for advanced dental work.

Dogs are supposed to have 42 teeth. I think if most of us here counted, we would see that our chi's have significantly less teeth than they are supposed to have! Brody is missing premolars and several others. I'll have to count again, but at one time he only had 21 teeth! And he's supposed to have 42!!! 

If you look at his rotating siggy teeth photo, you can see that he is missing the premolars on the top and the bottom!!! :tongue4:

That would be an interesting poll.... how many teeth does your chi have??


----------



## Dazy Mae (Aug 10, 2008)

Well that answers my question You learn something new everyday and in my case forget it the next 
It does makes sense because the jaw is so small and she and Dazy are the first small dogs I have owned....always had large toothy dogs! LOL!


----------



## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

Brodysmom said:


> Missing teeth in chi's is really really common Darlene! They have such a small muzzle/jaw and many times the adult teeth never come in. The only way to tell for sure is to have an x-ray done of the mouth and see what is under the gums. Usually a canine dentist specialist is the way to go for advanced dental work.
> 
> Dogs are supposed to have 42 teeth. I think if most of us here counted, we would see that our chi's have significantly less teeth than they are supposed to have! Brody is missing premolars and several others. I'll have to count again, but at one time he only had 21 teeth! And he's supposed to have 42!!!
> 
> ...


Wow, I went and looked at Pepe's mouth since he's the one sitting on my lap right now, and he has one premolar top and bottom on one side and one premolar on the bottom on the other. I just never noticed, never had a reason to count his teeth before.


----------

