Information About Puppies Losing Baby Teeth

Baby teeth--also called deciduous or milk teeth--appear in newborn puppies when they are 2 or 3 weeks old, according to "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook." They should be replaced by adult teeth when the puppy is 6 months old.

  1. Amount

    • Puppies have 28 milk teeth but will completely grow about 42 teeth by the time they are 6 to 8 months old. Twenty adult teeth are in the upper jaw and 22 in the lower.

    Sequence

    • The incisors are usually the first puppy teeth to be shed. This happens when the puppy is about 3 months old.

    Symptoms

    • Some puppies will not show any symptoms of teething. But the usual symptoms are blood around the mouth, an unwillingness to be touched around the mouth and an increased need to chew.

    Fun Fact

    • Puppies reabsorb the roots of their milk teeth in their bodies.

    Warnings

    • Some puppy teeth will not fall off naturally and must be removed by a veterinarian. If they aren't removed, the teeth can cause problems--for example, bacteria trapped between the teeth can cause decay, according to veterinarian Dr. Debra Primovic, who writes a column for PetPlace.com.