You are here:
Ask the Veterinarian/Teeth
Advertisement
Question
Hello, I have a 6 year old Chihuahua (short coat). Max has all his shots and been looked at by his vet. Over the past few weeks I have noticed is teeth are coming out. The vet has said he has very little plaque. Maxwell's teeth are white and looked great, but yet he has lost almost all his front teeth. What else could it possibly be? I want to make sure he has a great life; all my dogs have been rescued from bad homes. Please help me make sure his life is a good full life. Michelle
There are many reasons that little dogs lose their teeth Michelle. There is a condition where the bone is slowly absorbed into the body and all the dog is left with is a snout full of cartilage. The teeth have nothing left to hold onto and they all fall out. It is something that must be investigated by the vet with xrays and blood work.
Teeth can also be worn down from chewing on their fur, or sticks, or rocks. There are rare conditions where they de-mineralize and fall out.
All of these, except the worn down teeth- require a visit to the vet and some investigation. I wouldn't wait until it gets worse.
Get him in and have the xrays and blood work done soon.
Related Articles
Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.