# Dental Extraction



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

So... I went to the vet yesterday. I was excited because this was Kobi's last puppy visit, meaning my bank account would see some relief!

However the vet pointed out a problem.

His adult teeth on the bottom, I believe the canines, are growing in on the inside of his puppy canines. She says this could cause them to grow in on the inside of his upper teeth, and they would poke the roof of his mouth. She suggested possibly removing those teeth in order to make sure the adult teeth would grow correctly. She also mentioned possibly doing the same with the upper jaw.

Everything she said makes sense, but I guess I am looking for some reassurance. For one, it's expensive. Two, I know that dogs have lived for thousands of years without orthodontic treatment, so is this really something that should be done? Her explanation of the problem and solution seemed to make sense. What would you guys do? This is my first dog so I'm trying not to be the pet owner who buys everything, but at the same time, if it should be done...

For what it's worth, the estimate for 4 dental extractions was $230. This included blood work that she says would have to be done when he is neutered anyways. She originally suggested the teeth could be pulled when he is neutered, but I see no reason to neuter him when he's not even six months old.

I should also mention that there is a chance that nothing may be done. She said she wanted to see him again in 3 weeks (possibly for the surgery?). I did not schedule an appointment yet though. Hopefully his baby teeth pop out and his adult teeth grow fine!


----------



## DixiesMom (Feb 5, 2009)

I suggest buying a beef knuckle and under supervision allow him to chew to his little heart's content. It may take a few sessions of intense chewing, but this is how dogs have been doing it for milleniums. This was recommended to me buy a friend who has been in the breed for years.


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

I have thought about trying something along those lines. Only problem is he is not a huge chewer. He likes to carry things in his mouth. I got him a new bully stick yesterday, hoping he would chew that, but he hasn't shown much interest in it. The best way to get him to chew is for me to sit there and hold it the whole time, which I may have to do.


----------



## DixiesMom (Feb 5, 2009)

The reason for the knuckle is that it is larger and pups will chew on it more with their front teeth.


----------



## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

We just had one of Holley's puppy teeth extracted when she got spayed last week. Her adult tooth up top grew in next to her puppy tooth. We told the vet about it prior to surgery and she said she would take a look during surgery to see if it was necessary. She did end up removing it while Holley was already under. She is a very strong chewer and had lost most it not all of her puppy teeth but this one seemed to be in her mouth for good so we felt it was best for our situation. 
Good luck with your decision.


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

DixiesMom said:


> The reason for the knuckle is that it is larger and pups will chew on it more with their front teeth.


Gotcha. That's good reasoning, thanks for the suggestion. I will take a look and see if I can find one somewhere. Hopefully Kobi takes a liking to it. I'll slather it in peanut butter if I have to!


----------



## Kailua (Feb 12, 2009)

I hear you on the vet bills...Peanut had two of his upper canines that didn't come out when we saw the vet for his last puppy check up. The vet suggested that they come out as well. I wasn't planning on neutering him until he was at least 18 months, but to save money the vet suggested we do both at the same time. I scheduled his extraction and neutering at 8 months of age. Luckily one tooth fell out so we had to just extract one and that was ONE LONG tooth! Good luck and hopefully it'll fall out naturally....


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Well from what everyone has said, it sounds like you would all pay to have the surgery done if you were in my shoes. I'll just cross my fingers that the teeth start coming out in the next few weeks and plan on having surgery done!

EDIT: DixiesMom, are you referring to a beef knuckle bone? Just double checking. Never bought one. Probably going to head to the pet shop soon though.

EDIT x 2: Found exactly what I needed! Went to the pet bakery and they had one filled with peanut butter! $9 is much cheaper than surgery!


----------



## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Kobi

All of My V's (5 over the years) have had those baby canines for a long time. Boone had them until he was 15 months old. He did his first NAVDHA Trial with baby canines. 

I "personally" wouldn't/don't put my dog's under unless it's absolutely necessary. I'd monitor the teeth and watch for them to fall out in their own time. If not, then surgery is always an option.

Six months is still pretty young. I would be inclined to let nature have it's way for a little bit longer.


----------



## DixiesMom (Feb 5, 2009)

Kobi-just as a reminder--only allow chewing the beef knuckle while supervised and when you have the desired result toss it out.


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Alright, so far it seems to be working. I don't think he has hurt himself chewing it, as he usually yelps when that happens, but there was a bit of blood on it so I think he may have lost another tooth. I'm pretty sure he lost one yesterday because there was blood on his new stuffed squirrel too. He does not let me see these things though lol


----------



## Ro-Ro (Aug 30, 2009)

Our 9 1/2 month old lost her last baby tooth about a week ago chewing on her new elk antler. We had planned on having it removed when she was spayed. Super happy when it came out because I had bee trying to floss between it and her permanent one everyfewdays. Fun.


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Well he lost a tooth (maybe two?) chewing his knuckle bone last night, just not the one I was going for! Still, it's helping! I guess I will see in two weeks if his teeth appear to be coming in inside of his puppy teeth still.


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

It's been three weeks to the day the vet suggested pulling his four canine teeth. This was the day she wanted to see him. I'm not sure if it was for a check up or for the actual surgery. He JUST lost his second lower canine while playing this morning. Blood everywhere! Thankfully most of it is on his rope toy. I am not too worried about his upper canines as the adult teeth are growing in behind the puppy teeth instead of to the side. Definitely will NOT be needing to take him in for surgery now!


----------



## Riggins (Oct 1, 2010)

Good to hear that Kobi's last tooth came out without surgery. I'm telling you that my story sounds very similar. Riggs was just neutered yesterday, an hour after I dropped him off the vet called and said that they wanted to extract 2 puppy teeth that were not coming out on their own. They billed me about $55/tooth. They ALSO said that he had TWO ear infections!!!! Poor guy came home later that evening after being poked and prodded to death. He was neutered, microchipped, rabbis shot, two teeth extracted, and two ear infections. 

Sidenote:

Aren't these dogs the cutest when their ears are down? all night long he would look at me with these sad eyes, ears down, and a little whimper. Sad, but very cute.


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Sounds like he had an unfortunate visit. I was lucky that the vet mentioned it during a routine visit. Although she did suggest neutering at the same time I said NO to him being neutered at six months. I don't like to make any decision involving money without thinking about it first. It didn't take me long to wonder what these dogs did a hundred years ago when they did not have people who were in college for 10 years to operate on them. And that is why he got a bone to chew on!

He actually has two canine teeth left that need to come out, but I'm in no rush on those. They appear to be coming in normally. Of course I only went to college for four years, I could be wrong ;D


----------



## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm not a Vet basher. Most people today don't have much street smarts! Let's not forget, they are working to make money and they get that money from you! Like the mechanic who gets a car in for a tune up. Look under the hood, check the brakes, the muffler and see what else can be billed while in the shop. It's no different then working on dog. ;D


----------



## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

All of Pumpkins teeth have not come out either. Her 2 permanent canines are coming in beside the baby teeth! I have given out more chew bones, and each time I come back in the kitchen, there is a bloody bone & another tooth on the floor ;D Now only one more canine to go!


----------



## dghubbard06 (Nov 4, 2010)

At 5 months Stella (now 7 mos.) had two baby canines on the top that seemed to be packed in tightly behind the adult teeth that were coming in. We watched them closely over the last two months, gave her plenty of rawhides, and just last week one of them came out. The other one is loose and should come out soon. We debated having them removed, as the vet warned us that it could make the adult teeth come in crooked. We decided to wait it out and see what happened and we were glad we did.

We did occasionally run some floss or a toothpick between the teeth to clean out whatever gets stuck in there and to move around the plaque. The vet warned us about buildup between the puppy and adult teeth.


----------



## jmmec (Sep 11, 2010)

Last week I had two upper canine teeth removed from Colter, who is now around 31 weeks old. You can see what the left side looked like in the attached picture (right side looked the same). 

In his case, the baby teeth were in solid, and I didn't want to wait for them to come out -- my vet didn't think they were going to come out on their own since the adult teeth had fully erupted.

I live in an expensive part of the country, but the total vet bill was only $68.


----------



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

jmmec, thank you for the information. That is very helpful. That is about what Kobi's teeth look like right now (uppers still in). I doubt I will get out of the vet's for under $100 though. I may go with having them removed though, I think his adult teeth are fully grown in.


----------



## jmmec (Sep 11, 2010)

My vet listed numerous reason why the teeth should come out -- the main one being that the adult teeth had already erupted -- but there were several other serious reasons. I didn't listen to all the other reasons because I was already of the mindset to have them removed.

Once a dog is 6+ months old, I personally wouldn't wait for baby teeth to come out later, unless your vet was aware of the situation and agreed to "wait and see".


----------



## KashagLake (Sep 27, 2010)

I noticed yesterday that Holly has both sets of adult and baby canine teeth in her mouth one on the inside and one on the outside. (on bottom set)

Is this a concern? They weren't like that her last vet visit. Should I wait to make a vet appt to see if they baby ones fall out? 

I'm going to try to get a pic on my lunch when I see her, I'll it post later to see what you guys think...


----------



## ChukarDog (Dec 7, 2010)

Sookie had this on her bottom canines, they fell out, and also on the top and still waiting. That photo looks identical...Vet said normal and just wait. Not causing pain.


----------

