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2 sets of teeth
Dear Dr. Berg,
I have a Pomeranian that is almost 2 years old and I was
looking in his mouth and it looks like he has two sets of teeth in the
front. It doesn’t seem to bother her but
is something wrong with her?
L. M., Newark
Dear L.M.,
During their lifetime, dogs will actually have two sets of
teeth. The first set usually appears above the gumline at approximately 3-6
weeks of age; this first set of tiny but extremely sharp teeth can make nursing
on Mom quite a painful process and may encourage weaning.
As a puppy grows and matures, his second complete set of
teeth will erupt sometime between 3-6 months of age. Most of the time, the adult teeth will help
loosen and push the baby teeth out of the way (I wonder what happens if you put
a baby puppy tooth under your pillow?).
Occasionally, however, the baby teeth will fail to loosen so that the
erupted adult teeth and baby teeth sit side-by-side in a puppy’s mouth.
Having two sets of teeth usually doesn’t bother a puppy at
all (the better to bite you with!).
Double rows of teeth usually create crowding of the permanent teeth and
can lead to dental disease. Closely
spaced double rows of teeth are much more likely to trap food and other
materials which can, in turn, lead to premature tartar buildup and gum disease.
To help prevent dental problems, many veterinarians
recommend that baby teeth be extracted if still present once the adult teeth
have fully grown in. After giving your
puppy anesthesia or sedation so that it won’t hurt, your veterinarian can
carefully remove any remaining baby teeth, being carefully to remove the entire
tooth. Often, this procedure can be
conveniently done at the same time your puppy is being neutered or spayed, and
operation which is commonly performed at 6-8 months of age.
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