www.MalteseOnly.com
Click here to visit the most complete Maltese site on the WWW
Please bear in mind when reading topics pertaining to health issues, that most of these questions were answered by helpful Maltese owners with no formal education in veterinary medicine. When in doubt seek a professionals advise.
Archived Message

Darby losing teeth
by Connie
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Darby losing teethMy Darby is almost 5 mos old and has lost 3 baby teeth (lower). Is this early? His upper teeth are all loose and there a few on the lower that are loose too. The teeth came out when I rubbed my finger over them. I think I can see the new teeth underneath, but wonder if the really loose teeth should be removed or left alone. He really looks funny, like a kid with lost teeth, but I didn't think it happened this early. No other problems...still eating and chewing on stuff like normal. Thanks for you help.

DISCUSSION:

My youngest Carissa is 5 mo.'s two weeks old and just lost a lower tooth Monday. Her tooth was the size of a crumb. It doesn't even look like a dog tooth. She is very small-just 2 pounds-so maybe that's why her teeth are merely specks. She went in for her rabies shot yesterday and the vet said that losing a tooth or teeth at 5 months is normal. It just means our babies are growing up!
Angel


Connie,It is quite normal that Darby is loosing his baby teeth. They start this process around when they are 4-5 months old. So do not worry about it. Sometimes they will get their adult teeth before the baby teeth falls out. Watch for that if happens your vet needs to pull the baby ones out. Good Luck!
Z.P.
Connie, my Buster started losing his teeth at the same age. His permanent teeth all came in fine. If you are worried have the vet check his teeth to make sure everything is ok.
Libby & Buster
Connie, When Taffy lost her front teeth, it happened so fast, I don't remember her even being toothless on top!! Then one day, as she had a small tree branch in her mouth, I swipped it from her so fast that she gave me a funny look, I wonder why! So a few seconds after that, I saw that I must have pulled one or 2 bottom teeth out with the branch, I felt terrible as I didn't want to hurt her. I couldn't believe how fast she got her new teeth in. It was funny when she had some teeth missing, I called her toothless Taffy!
Margaret
Oh, Connie, Taffy's eye teeth were removed when she got fixed, because as her new ones came in, the baby eye teeth did not fall out,so that was about the age of 6 months.
Margaret
Connie, Tasha started losing baby teeth at about 5mos. But her adult teeth started comming in also, so when she was spayed this past Mon. the Vet pulled 3 baby teeth as her adult teeth had come in right next to a few of the baby teeth. Sounds perfectly normal to me. Tasha will be 7mos. tomorrow.
Dottie
Thanks everyone, Darby has a beautiful set of lowers all coming in together. He also has a set of uppers and has the double row (baby teeth still there) you mentioned here and in other posts. Tomorrow he goes in for the last of his shots and I will have the vet look at them.

I had written earlier that he had a lump on his hind leg. We had it set to a lab, and good news it was not anything bad. Probably just from the shot reaction.

Darby is the most loving dog I have ever had. I have an old lhasa who is usually very grumpy. I find it so hard not to play with Darby and not also play with her. HE climbs all over me on the couch and she is too heavy to even get on it...and doesn't like it anyway. I feel so guilty!!!!
Connie


Copyright 1998 © Jay Bianco All rights reserved.