# Rescued Puppy Mill Dog With Several Teeth Extractions-How To Tell Age?



## AmyMarie (Jun 26, 2013)

I am not new to dog ownership or rescue but this is a first and need some input or ideas please.

I recently rescued a puppy mill dog from a well known puppy mill rescue group . It is a small yorkie/shih tzu mix. When this rescue goes to puppy mills, the dogs that are usually given-up are older female breeders and younger males. The dog we rescued is a male so I am guessing he is young. He was brought into the rescue on April 15th this year and was given all it's shots, wormed, groomed, negative heartworm, lyme, etc. He was fostered for about 5-6 weeks before being brought up for adoption and we adopted him. He sleeps alot during the day but I think that has much to do with him being fostered with 4-5 other dogs They were left alone together for around 8 hrs. a day due to the foster mom working. He has adapted well to our home and is housetrained.

Even though he was just vetted, I decided to take him to get a wellness exam last week to find a vet I liked plus to continue his heartworm meds. The dog did not allow the vet near his mouth so I was curious as to his age. I called the rescue and told them about my experience at the vets and when they pulled up his records, I was startled to find out that they extracted like 18-19 rotten teeth from this poor boys mouth! Now, with this said plus knowing that smaller dog breeds have terrible teeth in the first place AND he was from a puppy mill, puts me in a pickle. I need to know an around about age of the dog for nutritional factors and also to ease my curiosities. If he is an older dog (he acts like a puppy when excited) I need to know to make sure he is getting the correct nutrition and care. The vet I took him to said nothing so I am DEFINITLY not going there again. I am also not financially able to afford another wellness visit to a different vet JUST to get some ideas of how to tell a dogs age in this particualar situation. I have attached some pictures of him (JuneBug).

Any thoughts/comments are greatly appreciated!


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

A lot of the puppy mills actually keep good records, so if you know his source, you may be able to trace a birthdate that way. If he was rabies vaccinated by the mill (which being required by law may be one area they keep up on shots) then you'd have a good guess since that's typically done between 3 and 4 months of age. 

I would just consider him an adult dog. He's obviously not a puppy if they pulled all those teeth (and if he hasn't grown any since April) and small breeds aren't "seniors" for a long time.


----------



## AmyMarie (Jun 26, 2013)

Shell said:


> A lot of the puppy mills actually keep good records, so if you know his source, you may be able to trace a birthdate that way. If he was rabies vaccinated by the mill (which being required by law may be one area they keep up on shots) then you'd have a good guess since that's typically done between 3 and 4 months of age.
> 
> I would just consider him an adult dog. He's obviously not a puppy if they pulled all those teeth (and if he hasn't grown any since April) and small breeds aren't "seniors" for a long time.


Unfortunately, the rescue does not give out the info. as far as where the dogs are picked up from. The rabies shot and all the others were given to him on April 15th by the rescue's vet. This tells me they could not or did not get any previous records on the dog.

Also, I do not know what you mean by "small breeds aren't seniors for a long time".


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I mean that a 6 or 7 year old large breed is much more a "senior" than a 6 or 7 year old small breed. And if he'd been living in a puppy mill for 5+ years, you'd expect to see more health and behavior issues.

Odd that they won't give a source, that'd help a lot of adopters trace age and potential health problems. Can't you match the time frame arriving at rescue with a puppy mill bust in the right location?


----------



## AmyMarie (Jun 26, 2013)

These are not busts. These are puppy mills located in the Amish community of Pennsyvania. Instead of the Amish shooting the females that can no longer produce or the males that are not up to "standards", this rescue goes in with permission to save any dogs that are not wanted anymore. The resuce is just on a mission to save the dogs and the less questions, the better I guess.

Below is the link to the award winning episode on Oprah regarding the resuce I got JuneBug from and John Smith, who I met personally.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNulfMhHX0s


----------



## buttonlady (Mar 2, 2011)

I have a male toy poodle who was a puppy mill rescue; the shelter did have some information on him, including his date of birth, but he appeared older due to the poor conditions he lived in, and the neglect he suffered. However, with time and TLC, his health and outlook have improved tremendously.

Like others have said, little dogs seem to take longer to reach their senior years, and maintain a playful attitude well into their teens. I also have a 12 y/o Pomeranian female, who is a retired breeder, and she is full of life and gives the younger guys a run for their money when she wants to play!

If your little guy seems healthy and happy, I wouldn't worry too much about his exact age. When you develop a relationship with a vet, and take him in for his yearly checks, they will guide you when it appears the senior years have arrived. With a previous puppy mill rescue, I was told she was a senior when she developed cataracts and arthritis, as she had already lost most of her teeth when she came to me (and the rest were pulled after her first vet visit, she had a terribly infected mouth). She lived another six years, so the vet estimated her age at 15 -16 when I finally lost her.

I firmly believe that puppy-mill rescues, although they can be a lot of work, make the most loving, grateful companions once they realize they are safe. My poodle is laying over my arm as I type this, and he was once so terrified of people that I had to keep a leash on him at all times just to be able to handle him!

Enjoy your little man, he is gorgeous!


----------



## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

He looks like what they call a Biewer Yorkie. Cute little guy.


----------



## AmyMarie (Jun 26, 2013)

Crantastic said:


> He looks like what they call a Biewer Yorkie. Cute little guy.


Never heard of that before. He is definitly yorkie but his coat is more like a poodle or shih tzu.


----------



## AmyMarie (Jun 26, 2013)

EssieHayes said:


> I am also new to this kind of situation. Please anyone could also provide me the information on this kind of dog related issues.



Could you be more specific? Looks like we covered much information so far on this thread.


----------



## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

As he is obviously an adult not a puppy, what you feed him, as long as it is a good quality food does not have to change due to his age. You will treat him the same if he is five years old or 8 or 9, so I don't think his age really matters that much. Small dogs like him usually have a fairly long lifespan. Except in puppies that are changing from baby teeth to adult, you really cannot tell their age from their teeth, not like a horse.


----------

