Deciduous Puppy Teeth

Puppies and kittens are like children in a sense, that they too are born with "baby teeth" that will fall out and then grow in their "adult teeth".  But sometimes when the adult teeth come in the baby teeth will not fall out.  This is called a deciduous tooth.  If your pet has experienced this, you may have been recommended by a veterinarian to have the baby tooth removed. But why? 

If the baby tooth is left alongside the adult tooth, the two teeth are jammed against each other.  This will allow accumulation of debris and increase the likelihood of periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease can then lead to tooth pain, abscesses, and even loss of both the adult and baby tooth.

In order to prevent issues in the future, the best recommendation is to remove the entire "baby tooth".  This is because it is the root of the deciduous tooth that is causing the problem, not the crown (the visible part of the tooth). Typically we like to removal all deciduous teeth during your pets spay or neuter. This way they are asleep and won't feel anything, and they will be going home on pain medications for the surgery anyway so they will be comfortable at home.  For more information on deciduous baby teeth feel free to call our office at any time at (717) 393-8245

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