Your puppy’s teeth will be examined by our vets during their routine course of puppy vaccinations. Most puppies start losing their juvenile (deciduous) teeth at approximately 16 weeks of age and should have all their adult teeth by the age of 6 months.
If your dog is desexed at the age of 6 months, this allows a full dental examination at the time of the surgery.
Retained deciduous teeth
Occasionally deciduous teeth do not fall out when they should and cause overcrowding when the adult teeth emerge, leading to malalignment of the teeth, gum disease and inability to chew properly.
Dental x-rays are required in some cases to determine whether these deciduous teeth are likely to fall out on their own or require extraction.
If the tooth root is not showing signs of resorption and the adult tooth has erupted, then extraction will help to prevent subsequent dental health issues. If your vet has recommended delaying desexing or if you are planning to breed from your dog, then your puppy needs a 6 month dental health check by a vet.
This allows most problems to be dealt with before they become permanent.
