My yorkie has a loose or broken canine tooth. Does she need a vet?

If she has a tooth hanging out, it's not necessarily an emergency, but I would recommend taking her to vet in the morning. If it's a baby tooth, it is usually not a problem since they will fall out eventually. If it's an adult tooth that is hanging, she will likely need to be put under anesthesia to have it extracted as these broken adult teeth are very painful and prone to infection.

I'm sorry to hear about this. The biggest concern with broken teeth is if the tooth root is exposed. This is not an emergency, but is painful and makes the teeth and roots susceptible to infection. In some cases the teeth can be repaired by a veterinary dentistry specialist, but in most cases they would have to be extracted. Considering this happened at the veterinary office, they should take some responsibility. I also understand that this would have been a difficult situation to control for the vet clinic and there may have been some broken teeth or dental disease prior to this incident. In these cases, I recommend talking with the veterinary practice owner and expressing your concerns and how you would like to be compensated. I understand that you must be very upset with them, but these matters can get much worse if you involve other people rather than communicating directly with the people in charge. It's best to talk with them directly as best as you can. I can tell you from experience that the clients that approach these issues calmly and reasonably with their concerns have more favorable outcomes. Give them a chance to explain their perspective and allow them to do the right thing (apologize and offer treatment for the teeth) on their own. Also, please understand that these are people too...who will occasionally make mistakes. I'm sure they did not want this to happen and I'm sure they feel bad about it. If talking with them does not work, or you feel that they did not give you a satisfactory response after giving them the opportunity, then the next step would be to take Mouch to another veterinarian for an outside opinion. They can give a non-biased evaluation of the problem and help you pursue compensation (if needed). You may also consider talking with the local veterinary council/board if you feel that the vet clinic is being unreasonable about the situation. I hope that helps and Mouch gets better soon.

It sounds like the tooth you are referring to is the lower left canine when I look at your picture, rather than an incisor. Because it is a canine tooth that is affected, I would recommend that you make an appointment and have your vet take a look. The canine teeth have very large, strong roots and leave large holes when they come out. I am glad that she is still eating, but it sounds like you do need to get her in. Even if she needs to have it extracted under anesthesia, this is a better option than opening her up to a potential infection, which could be very serious if it were to involve the bone of the lower jaw (mandible). There are also other changes your vet can look for that may have caused the tooth to become loose in the first place, such as a tumor of some kind in her mouth. Good luck with her, I hope this information is helpful for you!

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about Mars' troubles. It's a bit hard to see from the pictures but the tooth definitely looks a little bit discolored. And it almost looks like what we call a "slab fracture" where a flat, wide piece of the tooth breaks off. Dogs can do this by biting onto something hard, like a bone. This can expose the inside of the tooth to infection, and also be very uncomfortable. I would definitely have a veterinarian take a look at the tooth, to see if it should be extracted under anesthesia as this is the best way to treat a tooth like this. By removing the tooth, one removes the source, or potential source, of pain and discomfort. The veterinarian can also clean the rest of the teeth too, which would be great for Mars' overall health. Best of luck!

They may fall out on their own, however, they should be removed by your veterinarian to prevent further pain. Ideally, dental x-rays should be done to confirm no remnants of the roots remain. This could lead to infection. Additionally, he is likely very painful and should get some form of prescription pain medication. If your veterinarian is unavailable, consider a visit to the nearest veterinary ER. Antibiotics may also be indicated.

HI and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would definitely see your veterinarian in the morning however she is likely in pain if she has broken a tooth. I would recommend seeking emergency veterinary care for at least pain control tonight if she is uncomfortable, lethargic, salivating a lot, whining or vomiting. If you think her signs are mild, then you can probably monitor her and see your normal vet in the morning. Good luck!

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear the Aevie has a loose canine tooth. Even though her teeth looked great two months ago, most dental disease occurs underneath the gum line. Therefore, the gums and teeth may have looked great but there may have been the beginning of disease under the gum line. I recommend taking Aevie to your veterinarian to get another assessment and likely discuss a dental cleaning with dental radiographs and extractions of that canine too plus any additional teeth that need to be extracted. Good luck!