My Labradoodle has missing teeth and isn't eating. Is it dental?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Daria. She is adorable! You are correct in that she is missing two teeth on the top in the first picture you attached. She also appears to have tartar on the teeth and gingivitis (red and inflamed gums). These are indications that she needs to see her veterinarian. She will need to be anesthetized and have her teeth cleaned. X-rays can be taken of the mouth to evaluate the missing teeth. I hope this information helps!

Hello, my name is Dr. Elizabeth and I am happy to help. Thank you for the photo, it is helpful. I agree with you and am also concerned Shilo has dental disease (and potentially periodontal disease). I can't know for sure the full extent until the plaque is removed but it looks like there is some gingival recession affecting both of the smaller teeth behind her upper canine tooth. It also looks like there is a far amount of plaque or potentially infection around the base of those teeth. Depending on severity, there may be a pocket of infection under the gum line. Plus exposure of the tooth roots can be uncomfortable and this could make Shilo not eat well. Here is a link about Periodontal Disease: https://www.petcoach.co/article/periodontal-disease/ Here is a link with general information about pet dental care: https://www.petcoach.co/article/periodontal-disease/ I recommend to make an appointment this week with Shilo's veterinarian for an exam. They can give her a thorough exam and then discuss with you appropriate therapy. If they find that those teeth are in bad shape, they will most likely recommend to remove them. This is the best course of action long term and Shilo will still be able to eat, chew and play normally after they are healed. I hope this helps and that things get figured out quickly!

Hi, I think in general Maltese have a bit of predisposition for dental disease. I would have her checked over to discuss her teeth condition considering her diet. It is difficult for me to say wether she had dental disease without looking at her mouth ! I hope you are feeding also a complete dog food diet along side the ingredients you are mentioning as she may lack some nutrients and vitamins. Hope this helps !

Your dog is missing some of the upper incisor teeth. They probably fell out either due to trauma or infection; infection is most likely. There is nothing you can do for that now. But you can make sure the rest of her teeth stay healthy so she doesn't lose any more teeth. The ones I can see in the photo have a lot of tartar so I suggest you have your vet evaluate the teeth and schedule a dental cleaning. ( https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/dental-disease/ ) ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/your-pets-dental-cleaning-what-to-expect/ ) After the teeth have been cleaned you can start a regimen to prevent further tartar build-up like daily brushing of the teeth, dental pads and/or water additives. Your vet can tell you more.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A lot of smaller breed dogs don't lose their baby teeth. Retained baby teeth can affect the adult teeth coming in behind. Also tartar build up between the baby tooth and the adult tooth leading to periodontal disease. The most common retained baby teeth are the canines. If a decent amount of the adult canine tooth has erupted and the baby tooth is still there then the baby tooth is unlikely to come out on it's own. I usually recommend extracting the retained baby teeth when the dog is spayed or neutered. It appears Luca hasn't been neutered yet. If you are planning to neuter him ask the Vet to extract the baby teeth. If you are not planning to neuter him you can schedule anesthesia to just have the teeth removed. I hope this helps!

The missing teeth may indicate old age or could indicate severe dental disease that is common in smaller breed dogs. I would recommend to take him to your local veterinarians office to have him scanned for a microchip just in case he is lost. It probably would not be a bad idea to have him checked out as well and to get an estimate of his age. Offer a mixture of dry and canned food as well as pick up some dewormer from the veterinarians office. Best of luck with your rescue!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lucky! If he has a visibly loose tooth and he is rubbing that side of his face it is very possible that he is in pain. But he also could have a skin infection or is experiencing an allergic reaction and him attacking that side of his face has nothing to do with the tooth. I think it is best to have him examined by your Vet. Have the raw skin addressed, his mouth evaluated and set up a dental procedure. When he is under anesthesia they can evaluated his gums and all his teeth and remove all that are infected. I hope this helps and I wish Lucky the very best!