My puppy's baby teeth aren't falling out. Do they need to be pulled?

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!

It appears that Keke may have a retained deciduous (baby) tooth. This is common in smaller breeds. If the tooth does not fall out by 6 months of age, have her evaluated by your veterinarian. The baby tooth should be removed so that it doesn't push the adult tooth out of alignment. Since she is spayed already, she may to be anesthetized again.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From your picture it appears to be a baby canine tooth. In small breed dogs sometimes the baby teeth can become retained and the puppy doesn’t lose them at all. I recommend removing the baby teeth that haven’t shed on their own when the puppy is spayed or neutered. My thoughts are that at least one Chacha’s baby canine teeth didn’t shed when it was supposed to. It was likely delayed. And it’s a GOOD thing it’s out now. If you are worried have your Vet take a look to see if any more baby teeth are present and discuss removing them at her spay. I hope this helps and have a great day!

At six months of age, there is a chance that the baby canine teeth might still fall out on their own. I usually tell my clients that if they're still there by the time the dog is a year old, they definitely need to be removed.

It is not uncommon for smaller breeds to have retained deciduous (baby) teeth. Have Peanut examined by your veterinarian. If the teeth are not loose, they will need to be manually extracted. This can be done when she is under anesthesia for her spay. Left in, the baby teeth can cause adult teeth to become misaligned causing bite issues. As you're seeing, the space between can collect food which will promote bacterial growth, infection and bad breath.

Hi there. The "extra" lower canine teeth are her baby teeth, which haven't fallen out yet. If she's only six months old, they may still come out on their own sometime over the next few months. If they're still there by the time she's a year old, then I would recommend having them removed by your veterinarian, since they can cause problems with the adult teeth if they stay in longer than that.

If you are planning on having Samuel neutered your vet may recommend having any remaining baby teeth extracted at that time. If not, your vet will likely want to remove them at the time of Samuel’s first yearly dental cleaning, as retained baby teeth can lead to increased gum and dental disease. It is a good idea to start brushing his teeth daily with an enzymatic pet toothpaste to help prevent /reduce gum disease. Small breed or toy dogs are prone to retained teeth and dental disease and should be treated with daily tooth brushing at home and at least yearly dental cleanings at the vet to help prevent pain from dental disease.