What could cause an adult male dogs teeth to fall out/wear off?

We found a dog today who looks pretty young. His other teeth are ok, but his front teeth, top and bottom between the canines look like some have fallen out and it almost looks like someone took a grinder to them--What could have caused this? We don't want to put up signs to find his family if he's being abused-is there any kind of disorder or anything he could be doing himself to literally wear his teeth off??

What could cause an adult male dogs teeth to fall out/wear off?
Please take him into your veterinarian as soon as possible for a thorough check up. I do not know of any condition that would cause the incisors to wear down that way under normal circumstances... and depending on how far down they are, it must be excruciating to the dog.





Many dogs and cats do develop periodontal disease which can cause teeth to become loose, cracked, and even fall out, but it is the premolars and molars who are affected first. Dogs chew with their back teeth, not the incisors between the canines, so I highly doubt this is simply from chewing on toys.





A thorough physical exam will help to ditermine if this is an abuse case. Ask for a fecal exam, dental, and skin check as well. This will help to detirmine if the dog has internal parasites like worms, or external parasites like mites and lice which are common in dogs who have been neglected. A blood test may help to pinpoint any diseases, but precautionary vaccinations would be best to have done.





If this turns out to be an abuse case or case of neglect, I would probably keep the dog or find it a good home after a two week period, if no signs or notices for a lost dog are put up by the owners. If abuse is ruled out by the vet, ask your vet and other local veterinarians to put up flyers in their offices, and contact local humane groups and animal control to alert them to the fact you've taken in a lost dog and if the owner should call to please direct him or her to you.





If you want to put up flyers, i suggest leaving details such as a photograph, or description out so the person claiming to be the rightful owner can describe him to you and give you details that prove his or her identity to be true.





I wish you the best of luck, and thank you for opening your arms to a lost soul.





-RVT


(Registered Veterinary Technician)
Reply:Possibly from chewing a crate or fence. Many puppymill dogs grind their front teeth down to nubs on their crates, trying to gnaw their way out.


If he's not a mill dog my guess he has just tried (and probably managed) to chew his way out of a crate.


If you don't want to put up signs at least check the "lost" column in the local paper; or put an ad that says "found dog" and ask for a description of the dog and maybe they will tell you about the teeth, volunteer why they are that way.
Reply:well I don't belive that anything besides abuse could lead to that because i don't think that dogs grind their teeth but just to be safe i would take him to the vet straight away so he could be looked at to be sure that he doesn't lose any more teeth.
Reply:There once was a dog who lived with an owner, ran off for 9 months, and then they found him again.





He could of been trying to find food, chewing of anything really hard to get it ... steel, bone, rock


Try going back to where he was and look for any clues to see what might of happened. If you don't find anything wrong, hang up signs that you found a dog, and look in the ads under lost pets.
Reply:Some pets that have separation anxiety or chew on their cage will develop large abrasive wear facets on the crown of the tooth (blue arrow). This greatly weakens the tooth making it prone to fracture. A three-quarter crown can protect the tooth from further damage and likely fracture.
Reply:I would take him to a vet just to see what they think about the teeth. Maybe they did fall out , but if it looks like they had a grinder taken to them that's weird. I would have said maybe a vet took them out but if they are partially there yet like grinded away that would raise a red flag for me too. If the vet see's no foul play like the owners could have taken a grinder to them then put up flyers and get the dog back to the owner but if you have a gut feeling I would keep him or take him to a local no kill shelter.
Reply:We had a dog whose teeth wore flat from paying with tennis balls so much. Is it possible that this pooch likes to play tug? Rough ropes might wear his teeth down. It's also possible that he chewed his way out of somewhere if he's running free. Could you have a vet look at him to be sure?
Reply:He may have chewed him self free from a bad situation that is why his teeth may have fallen out and worn down.
Reply:This can be cause by his chewing on something very hard like a chain, or on a cage or even on the links of a fence. Or he could just be loosing his puppy teeth and he will be getting in his adult teeth soon. If he is loosing his puppy teeth then he's about 5 to 6 months old.
Reply:It could be just from genetics. More likely he is a chewer. Whether it was chewing out of enclosure or just his toys. I highly doubt it is abuse.





You should take him to a vet to have him scanned to see if he has a microchip implanted, then put up signs and let the humane society know you have him. I'm sure his family misses him!
Reply:Some people are perfectly nice to their dogs but don't brush their dog's teeth. This could be it.
Reply:If the dog is skinny,than he or she was prob. chewing on anything that smelled good,old bones,dirt where something was spilled ,etc.but hard toys like cow hocks will do the same.
Reply:It won't cost you a thing to go bye a shelter or vet's office to see if it looks like abuse to them. You sound like a good person so protect the dog he needs you. Thanks M.M.
Reply:he was in a ba situation. bad teeth can be from many things. take him to a vet, get him checked, get his shots and then keep him. he was most likely abused. chewing to get out is a big possibility



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