Chihuahua Information Center
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Chihuahua Teething
Chihuahua Teething Age
At about the age of 4 to 6 months, puppies will begin to lose their ''baby teeth'' and their permanent, adult canine teeth begin to grow in. This process most often happens in a very specific order:
First the smaller front teeth come out, then the premolars, molars and finally the canine teeth will be the last to fall out.
Often, the as the teeth fall out one by one, it may happen while your pup is eating or playing, so they are often swallowed and you may not notice that it has happened.
If at the age of 6 months, if your Chihuahua puppy is still holding onto their puppy teeth, you should have a veterinarian perform a dental checkup. In rare cases, an adult dog tooth will come in slanted and may affect the other teeth.
The loss of puppy teeth and the growth of adult teeth normally happen in this order:
• 4 Months old - the incisors begin to grow in
• 5 months old - the canine teeth begin to grow in
• 6 months old - the molars begin to grow in
By 8 months old, a Chihuahua puppy should have all teeth ascended and stop teething. Do keep in mind that some puppies are late bloomers and teething may last a bit longer.
Read about the benefits of home cooking for your Chihuahua and some surprising facts about how manufactured dog food affects a Chi. More
When an Adult Tooth Grows in Before a Puppy Tooth Falls Out
Sometimes, an adult tooth will begin to drop down while the puppy tooth is still in place. A puppy may then have double row of teeth. This can happen with 1 tooth or with several.
With the puppy tooth in the way, the adult tooth may grow in crooked. This can cause:
• Discomfort
• Cuts to the inside of the mouth
• Eating and chewing problems
Therefore, if this situation happens, you will want the veterinarian to take a look to see if steps should be taken to more things along. Most likely, the tooth can be pulled out without sedation. Doing so, will allow the adult tooth to grow in properly and you will have an adult with proper alignment.
Chihuahua Teething Discomfort
When a puppy is teething, they have a strong, uncontrollable urge to chew on anything and everything. They may seem to go crazy trying to find something to satisfy! This is one reason why an owner must puppy-proof the home, to keep any dangerous items away from the reach of the puppy, such as electrical cords.
Your puppy will not understand the difference between chewing on your favorite shoes and chewing on a teething toy.
All the puppy knows is that chewing makes them feel better and helps to relieve the discomfort that their teeth are causing.
There are several things that you can do to get through this phase without your puppy chewing up the house and actually helping your puppy:
1. Teething toys. This is a must. A teething toy is much different than a regular dog toy. It will be one which has 2 main elements:
a. It is shapes with soft projections coming out of it. These smaller parts of the toy are so helpful to a teething puppy. They will work these parts into the small areas of their gums to “hit just the right spot”.
b. It is designed to be frozen. When a puppy is teething, having a cold toy to chew on offers a lot of relief. Many teething toys actually hold water. When you freeze them, a puppy will chew on them for hours as the frozen ice turns into a cold slush. After an hour or so, you can offer another frozen toy that is waiting in your freezer.
2. Ice cubes. This will not only entertain you, but will help make your Chihuahua puppy feel better. Most puppies find it amazingly fun to chase an ice cube around on a slippery floor, such as one made of linoleum or hardwood. The ice cube’s cold temperature will offer relief to the puppy’s gums.
3. Feed soft foods - Not only will this help your puppy while he or she is eating, but it will help afterward. If a teething puppy only option is to chew on hard kibble, this will cause additional discomfort and sore gums. Then, he or she will seek out additional relief and that can be in the form of chewing up your sofa!
We also strongly recommend home cooking as it is the best way to ensure that your Chihuahua has real, fresh, healthy food with zero additives, preservatives, artificial coloring and/or fillers. If you wish to stay with manufactured meals, we suggest adding a warm, low-sodium chicken or beef broth or fresh, warmed water in order to make for a more "soupy" consistency that will be much easier on the teeth and the gums.
Other Changes that Can Occur with a Teething Chihuahua
During this phase, you may notice other things happening with your little guy or girl... that at first may seem completely unrelated to teething.
You may notice that just 1 of these things are happening to your pup...Or all of them. Each Chi is very different in regard to growth and how the body reacts to the major changes that occur during the teething process. So, let's look at some elements that may occur and what you can do:
1. Ears may be affected. Ears that used to stand erect may:
Read about "Stopping the Destruction of Your Home" and 24 other Chihuahua behavioral issues in the GIANT petCHIdog Book....See below!
Sometimes, an adult tooth will begin to drop down while the puppy tooth is still in place. A puppy may then have double row of teeth. This can happen with 1 tooth or with several.
With the puppy tooth in the way, the adult tooth may grow in crooked. This can cause:
• Discomfort
• Cuts to the inside of the mouth
• Eating and chewing problems
Therefore, if this situation happens, you will want the veterinarian to take a look to see if steps should be taken to more things along. Most likely, the tooth can be pulled out without sedation. Doing so, will allow the adult tooth to grow in properly and you will have an adult with proper alignment.
Chihuahua Teething Discomfort
When a puppy is teething, they have a strong, uncontrollable urge to chew on anything and everything. They may seem to go crazy trying to find something to satisfy! This is one reason why an owner must puppy-proof the home, to keep any dangerous items away from the reach of the puppy, such as electrical cords.
Your puppy will not understand the difference between chewing on your favorite shoes and chewing on a teething toy.
All the puppy knows is that chewing makes them feel better and helps to relieve the discomfort that their teeth are causing.
There are several things that you can do to get through this phase without your puppy chewing up the house and actually helping your puppy:
1. Teething toys. This is a must. A teething toy is much different than a regular dog toy. It will be one which has 2 main elements:
a. It is shapes with soft projections coming out of it. These smaller parts of the toy are so helpful to a teething puppy. They will work these parts into the small areas of their gums to “hit just the right spot”.
b. It is designed to be frozen. When a puppy is teething, having a cold toy to chew on offers a lot of relief. Many teething toys actually hold water. When you freeze them, a puppy will chew on them for hours as the frozen ice turns into a cold slush. After an hour or so, you can offer another frozen toy that is waiting in your freezer.
2. Ice cubes. This will not only entertain you, but will help make your Chihuahua puppy feel better. Most puppies find it amazingly fun to chase an ice cube around on a slippery floor, such as one made of linoleum or hardwood. The ice cube’s cold temperature will offer relief to the puppy’s gums.
3. Feed soft foods - Not only will this help your puppy while he or she is eating, but it will help afterward. If a teething puppy only option is to chew on hard kibble, this will cause additional discomfort and sore gums. Then, he or she will seek out additional relief and that can be in the form of chewing up your sofa! We also strongly recommend home cooking as it is the best way to ensure that your Chihuahua has real, fresh, healthy food with zero additives, preservatives, artificial coloring and/or fillers. If you wish to stay with manufactured meals, we suggest adding a warm, low-sodium chicken or beef broth or fresh, warmed water in order to make for a more "soupy" consistency that will be much easier on the teeth and the gums.
Other Changes that Can Occur with a Teething Chihuahua
During this phase, you may notice other things happening with your little guy or girl... that at first may seem completely unrelated to teething.
You may notice that just 1 of these things are happening to your pup...Or all of them. Each Chi is very different in regard to growth and how the body reacts to the major changes that occur during the teething process. So, let's look at some elements that may occur and what you can do:
1. Ears may be affected. Ears that used to stand erect may:
- Droop down very low
- One may droop and one may stand
- One or both may roll back toward the backside of the head
- An ear may droop or roll one day...And the next day it may be the other ear that is out of place
Do know that this is not uncommon. While it will not happen to all Chihuahuas who are teething, it is not out of the ordinary. With just about all Chi, ears will go back to what is "normal" for the puppy once the teething stage is done....It even may only last during a particular week or 2 during this time.
Those who have weak ears to begin with will be more prone to this. There is no reason to tape them or make any attempt to fix this issue as it should clear up on its own. In very few cases, if the supporting muscles are weak, this is usually a case of an inherited trait and the puppy would not have clearly erect ears in any case.
2. Testicles may be affected with males. If this happens, you may notice that:
- One has seemed to disappear
- Both have seemed to disappear
What to do? We highly recommend to NOT palpate them in an attempt to make them drop...Doing so can cause injury. There are a couple of elements to this issue. 1st, with many Chihuahua puppies, it is not uncommon for them to not drop until all the way up to the age of 6 months. 2nd, this is most often a temporary side effect of teething and they will drop just about the time that teething is done. If you see that 1 or both have not dropped by the age of 8 months, it will be time to have the veterinarian take a look.
Read about "Stopping the Destruction of Your Home" and 24 other Chihuahua behavioral issues in the GIANT petCHIdog Book....See below!
Looking for much more information? Do you have questions and would love direct advice from the petCHIdog Experts for ALL questions for FREE for LIFE? Forget about those silly little Chihuahua books that already tell you what you know ! It is time for something different!
