My 5-month puppy lost a permanent incisor. What does this mean?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is certainly possible, especially if he was chewing on something hard for example. If it is one of his incisors (small front teeth), he should be just fine. Have a good evening!

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!

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.

Hello. Yes, this is a deciduous (baby tooth). More specifically, it is a cap that was pushed off when the adult premolar erupted. No need to worry about this. It was just a little late coming off. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I do see a baby tooth there (the really pointy sharp tooth) and that is likely the tooth you are saying is really loose. Usually pets lose their baby teeth by the age of 6 months, so Vader is a bit of a late bloomer. I would recommend having your vet take a look at the tooth in person to see if it can be manipulated to come out. It may just come out on its own, but again, usually by this age the baby teeth are already gone. No need to worry too much however. If it does not come out on its own, then it can always be extracted at a later date. It is best to extract them to avoid overcrowding of the teeth and advanced dental disease. I would recommend brushing Vaders teeth often (3 times a week) to help remove foodstuffs that might get stuck there. Otherwise, plan on seeing your vet soon for further care if it doesn't happen to fall out soon. Best wishes with Vader and good luck with his stubborn baby tooth. Take care.

I'm sorry to hear that, what an ordeal for both of you! He is listed as 2 months and 25 days old. If that is accurate, or even if he's less than 6 months old, the "baby" tooth was likely loose, and the adult canine tooth will come in around 5-7 months of age. If he seems painful in his mouth, offer him canned or other soft food for a few days. You can also give him a cold teething toy such as a Kong that you keep in the freezer, Or let him chew on a frozen waffle or even on some ice. The cool will help soothe his mouth if it is sore. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If it was the puppy tooth (thin, sharp pointed), then yes the adult tooth (larger, more blunt) will come in behind it and replace this space. But if it was his permanent adult tooth (highly unlikely) it won't grow back. You can always have us look at it to help you determine if it was a juvenile or adult tooth if you need help.