Do dogs change teeth? Features, structure, scheme

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

He althy dog teeth are not only a natural gift, but also proper care for them. For animals, the process of changing them is very important, because chewing food affects the he alth of the digestive organs. Whether teeth change in dogs, when this happens and how animals behave during this period, we will consider in this article.

Baby teeth

At birth, puppies have no teeth. In most tetrapods, they begin to appear at the age of 3-4 weeks, and this process is finally completed by seven weeks. And in dogs belonging to small decorative breeds, milk teeth begin to be cut only from a month and a half. During this period, puppies become restless: their he alth worsens, they gnaw on the owner's things, bite. Milk teeth should be 28, on each jaw 14 pieces. They appear on the lower and upper jaws in this order:

• two fangs each;
• six incisors;
• six small indigenous.

In some breeds according to the standardpossible absence of the first premolar. In a normal scissor bite in puppies, the jaws do not touch, the gap between them is no more than 3 mm. For any violations in the number of teeth and bite, you must show the puppy to the veterinarian.

The structure of the oral cavity in puppies

The mouth is located under the nose at the bottom of the head. The bones of the skull, muscles and special organs are involved in its formation. These include:

• Lips - they are inactive and almost do not take part in capturing food.
• Cheeks - limit the oral cavity from the sides.
• Teeth - the animal uses them to capture, bite and tear food, as well as for defense and protection. They consist of hard dentin, which is covered with enamel on the outside. Inside contains a pulp, where blood vessels and nerve tissues pass.
• Gums - often inflamed due to improperly selected food and poor oral hygiene.
• Tongue - consists of muscles, produces a variety of movements, captures water and liquid food, puts it under the teeth and pushes it down the throat. There are taste buds on the back and sides of the tongue. It also performs the functions of a thermoregulatory organ.
• Salivary glands - saliva is secreted by three pairs of glands at once: sublingual, parotid and submandibular. In the oral mucosa there are many more small glands that secrete saliva to keep the oral cavity moist. The main task of saliva is to moisten the food, facilitating digestion. In addition, it has antibacterial and hemostatic effects.
• Tonsils –located near the root of the tongue and often become inflamed, causing tonsillitis.

The most important function of the mouth is the start of digestion.

Change of teeth in puppies

Do baby teeth change in dogs? Yes, they change, and the replacement for permanent ones begins when the puppy is four months old. The process takes about three months. During this period, the pet needs to purchase various toys so that it does not gnaw on furniture and shoes. Under the pressure of growing permanent milk teeth, puppies most often fall out while eating or playing.

In some cases, it turns out that the milk one has not yet fallen out, but the permanent one already appears and grows incorrectly. To prevent this from happening, you must carefully monitor the change of teeth and promptly seek help from a veterinarian. It is allowed to swing the milk teeth with your finger, making room for the permanent ones, or give the puppy solid food during this period.

What is the replacement order?

The pattern of changing teeth in puppies is as follows:

• first - incisors;
• second - small molars or premolars;
• third - molars;
• fourths - fangs.

By the time the last milk teeth appear, the jaws should look like this:

• on the top - six incisors, eight small molars, four molars and two canines;
• on the bottom the same, except that there are six molars instead of four.

Total permanent teeth - 42, of which 22- on the lower and 20 - on the upper jaw. As already mentioned, the correct bite is a scissor bite, the upper fangs are slightly on the lower ones. To form the correct bite during the period of teeth growth, puppies should not pull rags and toys. Large dogs develop faster than small breeds.

How to help a puppy change teeth?

Do dogs change teeth? Each puppy, starting from the age of 4 months, has a change of teeth. In nature, puppies gnaw on sticks and stones to get rid of milk teeth. Pets should also have items to chew on. At the same time, the puppy's mouth is examined daily. Pay special attention to:

• reddening of the gums;
• the appearance of an unpleasant smell from the mouth;
• teeth discoloration;
• bleeding gums.

In addition, a fever may appear and the pet will completely refuse to eat. If you have any problems, you should contact your veterinarian. In other cases, the owner should pay more attention to the puppy during this difficult period for him.

Removal of milk teeth

Do dogs change teeth? Yes, they change, and their owners often face problems that animals have during this period. Top Reasons:

• reduce meal times;
• features of care and maintenance;
• hereditary predisposition;
• reducing the load on the masticatory muscles.

Most often whenChange of teeth affects representatives of small and dwarf breeds. When problems arise, abnormal growth occurs, bite is disturbed, plaque, stones often form, and caries occurs. The main feature of the change of teeth in dogs is polydentia, which is characterized by the simultaneous existence of milk and molars. Dairy teeth must be removed when the crown of a permanent tooth appears. After that, everything will fall into place. The procedure for removing teeth is performed only by a veterinarian. Moreover, milk teeth should not be in the dog's mouth as early as 9 months, otherwise there will be problems with bite.

What can not be done during the period of changing teeth?

This time should not:

• Vaccinate your puppy. Due to the weakening of the immune system, it is advisable to postpone it until the full growth of permanent teeth.
• Remove baby teeth by yourself.
• Refusing a veterinary examination.

During this period, the puppy needs good, attentive care and, if necessary, timely veterinary care.

Permanent teeth

When do puppy teeth change? By about six months, the difficult period passes, and the owner calms down, admiring beautiful and even teeth with the right bite. But the oral cavity needs constant care, you can’t relax. It is not recommended for a pet to chew on very hard objects. The mouth is subject to regular inspection.

The veterinarian will prescribe treatment if necessary. Special crackers and bones with minerals help prevent the appearance ofstones, and also strengthen the enamel. Many experts recommend brushing your teeth with a special paste and brush.

Conclusion

In this article, we looked at whether dogs' teeth change. It turns out that in puppies, as in children, there is a change in milk teeth to permanent ones. This is a natural process, but the puppy sometimes feels uncomfortable. Therefore, during this period, the owner should be more attentive to the pet so that there are no problems with bite later.