# Retained Baby Teeth - Wait How long to remove?



## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

Hello Everyone,

Apologies in advance if I am asking dumb questions. When I brought my boys home in May they were five and a half months old. I took them to the vet that I have used for 20 years for their puppy checks. I have always trusted her and like her very much. She loved both pups - and they received a thorough examination and stool test. Both boys had been fully vaccinated and neutered when I received them. At Icy's visit she noted that he had a few baby teeth that were loose and ready to come out. We have found them all over the house - maybe he has one left - I'm not sure. When she saw Yogi a few weeks later, she noted that he had some retained baby teeth, they didn't seem loose and this was something to be watched. Since both of my boys came to me neutered, I was hoping that their teeth would come out on their own. 

Today, I received a call from the Vets office reminding me that Yogi's teeth needed to be checked. I was sort of shocked - Yogi turned 6 months old last week. I told the receptionist that I would like to wait because at this time, I wouldn't do anything about the teeth anyway (not for a few months?), being that he had anesthesia recently for his neuter. I am wiping them with dental wipes - and everything seems fine - no bad breath and they both eat dry kibble and chew on flossies. Does it make sense to bring him in now to have his teeth checked? How long can retained baby teeth stay in without causing an issue? 

If they don't come out, my thought was that I could wait until he was 8 or 9 months old before I put him through anesthesia again. Is that a mistake? Should I do it sooner? Do they need to be looked at every month until they are removed? I want my boys to have excellent care - but this seems a bit much. Has anyone had to have dental done separately from a neuter? How much time should separate non-emergency procedures that require anesthesia?

I don't know what I would do without you all. Thank you!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I waited until Bailey was eight months old before he had his two retained canine baby teeth removed. I think that is a standard time frame.

Bailey was neutered right at five months.


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## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

Thanks Marj. I just wanted to be sure that I wasn't doing something wrong by waiting - and frankly, I don't know that it's necessary for me to bring Yogi in monthly so that she can confirm that they haven't fallen out yet. Just seems like a wasted visit........I don't mind spending when I should but, well, 'nuff said.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Deb, I got Tyler at 8 months and got him checked out at the vet. A few weeks later I took him back for another shot and she looked at his teeth and was alarmed. I was waiting to do his neuter until he bonded better with us and got used to living with us. She showed us how he had so many retained teeth (they were never loose and we found none)and that one of them was going to mal-form his bite.It was making it not line up at all. So we rushed to surgery-- (the neuter and teeth removal) a couple of days later. He needed 8 teeth pulled (told you they weren't moving on their own). In addition we did something several times a day with a knotted leather lace to keep pulling the tooth in place and after about a month, his teeth were in perfect alignment. So I think you have to be aware if all the extra teeth are causing a problem or not. If the vet thinks so then have her show you exactly how. I don't think another anesthesia will be that much of a problem if Yogi's bloodwork shows he's fine. I know some dogs have to go under anesthesia for a diagnostic test and then again for surgery.


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## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

Boy, you guys are FAST! Thanks Sue. So maybe I should let her look at it - and then make a decision. I don't think Icy has any baby teeth left, but Yogi has a bunch. I hope they don't need to come out right now. I'm not ready, even if he is.

By the way, you might find me (with the whole clan, of course) at your doorstep in the morning. Teasing, of course :HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley:50 tonight? I was just outside and it is still somewhere between miserable and suffocate.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Mom2James said:


> Boy, you guys are FAST! Thanks Sue. So maybe I should let her look at it - and then make a decision. I don't think Icy has any baby teeth left, but Yogi has a bunch. I hope they don't need to come out right now. I'm not ready, even if he is.
> 
> By the way, you might find me (with the whole clan, of course) at your doorstep in the morning. Teasing, of course :HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley:50 tonight? I was just outside and it is still somewhere between miserable and suffocate.


Come on up.:w00t::HistericalSmiley: It's 59 right now and as dry as a bone. Jim and I went out on the deck this evening before grilling and we suddenly realized all the humidity seemed to be gone. I think a front came through since there were some clouds and then a blue sky. Lovin' sleeping with no a/c on tonight


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

I got Pipper neutered at 5 months because I wanted him done early before he started getting any "male habits". After I dropped him off they called me and said that he still had quite a few baby teeth and thought I might want to postpone the neutering for awhile so we could see if he needed any baby teeth pulled. I wanted him neutered then so said I would chance it and hope they fell out on their own. They all came out except for the 2 bottom incisors (I think thats what they're called) and his adult teeth came in right behind them so he had a double row of teeth on 2 sides. I figured I was going to have to get them pulled real soon and lo and behold, they fell out on their own last week when he was playing with his toys. :chili: He's 9 1/2 months old.


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## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

pippersmom said:


> I figured I was going to have to get them pulled real soon and lo and behold, they fell out on their own last week when he was playing with his toys. :chili: He's 9 1/2 months old.


Wow. I hope we are that lucky too. My instincts told me to wait a bit - to see what happens - and while I think that it's great our vet wanted to "follow -up" - honestly, I don't see a reason to go rushing for "tooth checks" - unless of course there was a cause for real concern. At 6 months old, I think I have some time left.

Thank you Kathy.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

While you don't want to wait too long as they can start to decay and infect the permanent teeth, it's customary to wait until they are a little older. Those with little girls usually postpone the spay until they are about 8-9 months so they can remove the baby teeth at that time.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

Bella was spayed at 5 months - just a week ago today - and the vet said we will keep an eye on her teeth, and if necessary, remove any retained baby teeth at the appropriate time.


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## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

Ladysmom said:


> While you don't want to wait too long as they can start to decay and infect the permanent teeth, it's customary to wait until they are a little older. Those with little girls usually postpone the spay until they are about 8-9 months so they can remove the baby teeth at that time.


Marj, that makes sense to me. I have always loved our vet, At Yogi's visit, she said we would watch it - but I didn't expect a call in a month. The staff member who called could not tell me why I should come back so soon- only that it was in the chart as a follow up. But - it's hard, in my area, because the costs of running a business are high (as it is in many others too). Its not always clear what the motivation is for multiple visits. Very sad, but true. If I told you what two "well" puppy checks cost here, you would laugh. My first car cost less. Back in the dark ages, of course.:blush:



babycake7 said:


> Bella was spayed at 5 months - just a week ago today - and the vet said we will keep an eye on her teeth, and if necessary, remove any retained baby teeth at the appropriate time.


Yes, I think I am going to wait a bit to have them re-checked. Thank you for sharing your experience.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Like others here... waiting is probably best.

I waited with Gus until he was a year.... Like yours, Gus was neutered long before all his teeth were out. He had issues with is neuter surgery so I wasn't looking forward to him going under again. He had his canines retained and so we just watched.

At his 1 year check up we set up a date to pull them... You could tell the teeth were dying - they were no longer white. I was so worried they were getting infected - but the vet said they were just dying - blood supply cut off. The night before his surgery was scheduled he lost both of them on his own :HistericalSmiley:


Grace had her top canines retained, as well.... they both popped out on their own while she was playing with Gus.


Give him some good bones to chew, play tug (gently) with him... but bones bones bones  ..... and I'd just watch and wait.


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## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

Grace'sMom said:


> Like others here... waiting is probably best.
> 
> 
> 
> Give him some good bones to chew, play tug (gently) with him... but bones bones bones  ..... and I'd just watch and wait.


2nd. My guy kept his baby canines after 8 or 9 months old and stuff kept getting caught inbtwn the tight space so i kept having to floss there, i did what grace mentions above and it finally came out.


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## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

Grace'sMom said:


> Give him some good bones to chew, play tug (gently) with him... but bones bones bones  ..... and I'd just watch and wait.


Thanks Tori. I always get good advice here. This is such a good community to be a part of. Its hard for me to contribute sometimes - two puppies and a human "puppy" don't make for too much extra time. I had read posts for over a year before introducing myself - but I joined just about the time that you had issues with Grace and your old vet's office. That experience was eye-opening for me - and has shaped my opinions about how I want to choose who cares for our puppies. Still, I have learned to question more than I might have in the past.


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## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

tobysmom said:


> 2nd. My guy kept his baby canines after 8 or 9 months old and stuff kept getting caught inbtwn the tight space so i kept having to floss there, i did what grace mentions above and it finally came out.


That's what we'll try. He is still very young, so we have some time. Thank you.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

It depends on the teeth. If the retained baby teeth are at all changing the position of the adult teeth, they should come out immediately before they do permanent damage. If the adult teeth are remaining in proper position, waiting a couple of months should not hurt anything.


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## Mom2James (Mar 13, 2012)

jmm said:


> It depends on the teeth. If the retained baby teeth are at all changing the position of the adult teeth, they should come out immediately before they do permanent damage. If the adult teeth are remaining in proper position, waiting a couple of months should not hurt anything.


Thanks. I thought about that too - but they look fine to me at the moment. To me (disclaimer: clearly not an expert) all his teeth look straight, not crowded and his bite looks like I would expect it to. I think I am going to watch it for a little while longer and then take him in to be checked. He turned 6 months last week - so I was thinking its early yet - but I guess it's sort of "new baby syndrome" here. I was second guessing my thought process.

On another note, I have found your posts really helpful. Especially the ones pertaining to behavior shaping. My puppies are really doing beautifully with that. If only I had that much success with some humans........


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