# My puppy's lower canine goes into the upper gums and it looks painful :(



## kna (May 7, 2010)

(pictures below)

At his first vet visit (11 weeks old), our vet checked his teeth and said he had a perfect bite. He is now 15 weeks old and my groomer showed me today that his lower left canine in digging into his upper gums. You can see the sore/hole in the gums where the tooth hits.

I'm of course going to contact my vet about this, but wanted to post this here to get opinions. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to help pull that lower canine outward? Will I need to have it pulled? Is the adult tooth going to grow the same way?

































Thanks!


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

that would be something you need to be asking your vet, i have personally never had this prob, but my folks dog, Yumi had to have per puppy tooth pulled BC it didnt come out like it was suppsoed to, but thats the closest prob i have had. i would check with your vet.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

Jackson has a slight over-bite. He has had it since he was a pup. His bottom canines poke into his upper gums sometimes. He's now almost 3yrs old and I think it is starting to bother him more... I don't notice any redness or marks or anything, but he smacks his mouth open and shut every morning. I'm going to hopefully get him in later this year for a dental and maybe they can shave down the teeth.. I'm not really sure what the protocol is. But it didn't bother him too much for all this time until recently. Since I just spent $1500 on his other medical issues, lol, I don't have the extra money until later this year to take care of that.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

It looks like it should correct itself when the adult teeth come in. . .but the next time you're at the vet, have him/her take a look. He should be losing his puppy teeth soon so that could account for some of the soreness.


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## kna (May 7, 2010)

I hope so. I emailed my vet the pictures and will discuss it with her more next time I'm at the office. It just seems odd that the right side is aligned properly but the left side isn't.


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## monkeykeeper (Nov 9, 2009)

I would talk to your vet, but being that she's still really young, she will loose that tooth and then hopefully the new one won't grow in as far. My cat had something similar when he was young except it was with his adult tooth. One vet quoted me a couple hundred dollars to fix it but my regular vet was able to just shave it down a bit. That was a much easier and cheaper option and he hasn't had a problem with it since then. Keep an eye out to make sure it doesn't get infected or painful to where he's not eating. Good luck


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## kna (May 7, 2010)

I spoke to my vet, who said while there are braces for dogs with this problem, she wouldn't address the issue yet as this is still his deciduous teeth. She did however, recommend I set up a consult with a veterinary dentist and see what he recommends. I am hesitant to do this because I feel if I bring my puppy to this specialist, he will of course recommend braces or some other $$$ measure.

My breeder suggested waiting it out and seeing if the lower jaw continues to grow. My question is, my puppy is already 15 weeks. Will the lower jaw even continue to grow any more?


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

kna said:


> I spoke to my vet, who said while there are braces for dogs with this problem, she wouldn't address the issue yet as this is still his deciduous teeth. She did however, recommend I set up a consult with a veterinary dentist and see what he recommends. I am hesitant to do this because I feel if I bring my puppy to this specialist, he will of course recommend braces or some other $$$ measure.
> 
> My breeder suggested waiting it out and seeing if the lower jaw continues to grow. My question is, my puppy is already 15 weeks. Will the lower jaw even continue to grow any more?


He could grow out of it. But, like I said, my guy is almost 3 and never did.


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## kna (May 7, 2010)

Jacksons Mom said:


> He could grow out of it. But, like I said, my guy is almost 3 and never did.


Was your guy's lower canine poking into the upper gums/roof like my puppy's canine is? Reading online, most people say to leave it be but it seems cruel to just leave it while there's an obvious sore developing on the top of his mouth.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

Braces? Why? Is he going to be a show dog? Even if he is a bad bite is genetic & he shouldn't be competing in what is essentially en evaluation of breeding stock.

If its not bothering him, I would leave it be & wait to see what his adult teeth do. Then if the perminant tooth comes in like his baby ones then I would see about pulling them or maybe filing them down.


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## kna (May 7, 2010)

Vanity is not my concern at all. My only concern is the comfort/health of my puppy, at present and in the future. He is not a show dog, just a pet but if this lower canine is likely causing him pain/discomfort, I would like to address it. If it weren't for the fact that there's an obvious hole/sole developing in the gum area where the tooth is hitting, I would just leave it be but again, my priority is his comfort.


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

dogdragoness said:


> Braces? Why? Is he going to be a show dog? Even if he is a bad bite is genetic & he shouldn't be competing in what is essentially en evaluation of breeding stock.
> .


 I certainly wouldn't consider anything extreme with milk teeth. However some dogs do have dental corrections done for health/comfort reasons. Including braces.


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## terrylyn (May 30, 2012)

If you still come on this forum I would love to know what happened- did it resolve? when the dog got its permanent teeth? My 11 month old has this exactly as yours- thanks for photos- first I found for what I am dealing with!


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