My young puppy has a chipped and rotten tooth. Should I be worried?

I would not be too concerned about the tooth at this time. It is difficult to tell from the picture, but the tooth in question looks as if it is a baby tooth that has broken off. If this is the case, the tooth will fall out sometime between 12-16 weeks of age. If this is an adult tooth, then I would recommend you continue to monitor it for now. If the tooth is still looking abnormal at the time of your dog’s spay (around 6 months of age) then your vet can remove it while she is already under anesthesia. This way it will not cause any future problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the baby tooth that was knocked out came out intact, meaning the entire root is present then he should be fine. If the tooth was broken then it could abscess or affect the adult tooth. The loose one will fall out on its own as that is the normal progression. If you are planning to neuter him you can do it sooner and have the vet X-ray the broken tooth and remove it while he’s under. I hope this helps!

Hello! If the baby canine tooth came all the way out and the piece of tooth coming out is his new adult tooth- then no worries! If the baby tooth is broken and partially inside the gums, then I would recommend a vet check. Unfortunately, broken baby teeth are a known risk factor for puppies getting tetanus because of all the crazy things they put in their mouths. In this case, we recommend extracting the remaining piece of tooth to prevent this. If you were planning on having him neutered, you may be able to schedule the tooth removal and neutering during the same anesthetic event. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Tyson. Most likely this a puppy tooth based on the age you gave for him. I don't think this will cause problems as many of the adult teeth have yet to erupt and fully develop. The cracked or broken tooth will most likely be pushed out as the adult tooth forms. If you have any doubts, I would let your veterinarian take a look at Tyson. The tooth may become discolored also over time which as long as it falls out and is replaced, shouldn't be a problem. Good luck with Tyson. I would monitor it closely and seek help if you need to.

The picture is a little blurry but it does appear to look like a tooth. Makivali should have lost all his puppy teeth by ten months old but some small breed dogs can be late in development. If you don’t know what adult teeth look like vs puppy teeth, I would recommend to have him seen by his veterinarian to know if this is a normal tooth shedding or if this is a broken tooth, tooth root abscess or other pathological process. Many times pets don’t exhibit many signs of dental pain so you can’t base a decision off how he is acting. If it’s a normal puppy tooth, no reason to change his food. If it’s related to disease, you need to address that and may temporarily change him to a soft diet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It is a bit difficult to tell from the picture but the tooth to which you are referring appears to be a baby tooth. If this is the case, it should fall out and an adult tooth should take its place. Also difficult to tell without an in person oral examination, but it appears that based on the picture and the age you have provided for Dexter, that there are retained baby teeth that should already have fallen out. If Dexter is truly unneutered and this is a procedure you plan on having done at some point, having those baby teeth manually pulled while under anesthesia will likely be in his best interest to avoid any significant dental problems while continuing to grow. Hope this makes sense.