My puppy's teeth scrape when he yawns. Is it normal? Vet needed?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor guy! He could have oral pain for have an ear infection as well. An ear infection can look like mouth pain. If this growling/yelping is new then I would have him seen. If he is always like that it could be his personality. At 8 months of age all his adult teeth should be in. If they aren't he should have full mouth X-rays to see if the adults just aren't present and to be sure he doesn't have dentigerous cysts (cysts that form around the teeth in the bone). Usually this doesn't cause oral pain. I recommend having him examined by a Vet this week. They can look at his mouth and ears. If he is so painful they can sedate him so they can thoroughly examine him. I wish you the best!

I'd tell your parents you spoke to a vet for free, and you were advised that he does need to see a vet. It's not normal at all for Koda to scream when yawning, and the fact he's not biting down to eat his kibble. He may stop eating from the pain, which will lead to weight loss. This has to be checked out by a vet, he won't grow out of this. Please have your parents take him into a vet today. Best of luck.

I'm so sorry that Smokey's teeth seem to be causing him some discomfort. Based on his age, however, this may be completely normal. It is common for dogs to loose their baby canine teeth around 5-6 months, so it sounds like he is right on schedule for having that tooth fall out. You can let him chew on a cold washcloth to see if that helps give him some comfort. You can also soften his food with warm water if he seems reluctant to eat because of his baby teeth. That being said, if it is his adult tooth that is loose, he needs to be seen by your vet as soon as possible. Also, if the baby tooth that is loose is at all discolored or broken, I would take him to your vet as well as it could be infected and could cause damage to the adult tooth. Best of luck to you and Smokey!

This could be a neurological problem you are describing, or some kind of arthritis in his jaw/temporomandibular joint area. Or, sometimes dogs when they smell a strange smell, like urine for example, will exhibit something similar to what you are describing that almost looks like a very fast teeth-chattering kind of behavior. This is normal. I do recommend a full exam by your vet to make sure that this is not a partial focal seizure or severe dental disease or jaw arthritis/jaw dislocation that is causing the behavior, as these things are much more serious and a possibility as well. Try to video tape this behavior-- we'd be happy to view this on a Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach consultation, or you can take it to your vet during the examination. Best of luck and hope that helps!

I wouldn't be concerned about this unless it is happening repeatedly. If it happens again then I would have your vet look at his jaw to see if it painful or malformed and potentially take X-rays. as of right now he sounds like he is doing well so just keep a close eye on him. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You are likely describing teething which is basically a normal type of behavior when puppies are growing up and it is secondary to mouth discomfort as teeth are growing. I recommend that you get Ollie teething type toys which you can get at your local pet store or online. Anytime that he tries to nibble at you or something he should nibble on, you say no and give him the toy. This is likely going to resolve the issue. Good luck and have a great day!

Congratulations on your new puppy Sully! At his age, he should be starting to lose his puppy teeth so that may be where the grinding sound is coming from. Open his mouth and look very thoroughly just to make sure you don't see anything stuck in between his teeth, in his cheeks or the roof of his mouth. The coughing I would be a little more concerned about. Pets do get minor viruses and allergies. If he is completely normal otherwise, you may watch the coughing to see if it clears up on its own. If it is getting worse, take him in to see the vet. He's a cutie!