Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

242 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
ABNORMAL NUMBER OF TEETH
The standard of 42 teeth is normal for all adult dogs, whether large or small.
An exception is the hairless breeds, such as the Chinese Crested, because the
hairless gene also modifies dentition. And in Bulldogs and other bracycephalic
breeds, the last molars may be absent because of the short jaw.
Some dogs carry a genetic mutation for missing teeth. Doberman
Pinschers may have fewer than the normal eight premolars. This is considered
a show fault but has no real significance in terms of the dog’s health,
unless the missing teeth shift the bite. Genetic variations of this type usually
are hereditary.
You may find that your dog has more teeth than normal. This occurs most
often in spaniels and sighthounds (especially Greyhounds). The extra teeth
may crowd, twist, or overlap the normal teeth. The offending teeth should be
removed.
MALOCCLUSION (INCORRECT BITE)
A dog’s bite is determined by how the upper and lower incisor teeth meet
when the mouth is closed. The ideal occlusion is one in which the upper incisors
just overlap and touch the lower incisors. This is called the scissors bite.
In the even or level bite, the incisors meet edge to edge. This is a common
occlusion, but is not considered ideal because the edge-to-edge contact wears
the teeth. The correct bite for any given breed is described in the standard for
that breed.
An incorrect bite causes breeders more concern than any other mouth
problem. Bad bites interfere with the dog’s ability to grasp, hold, and chew
food. Teeth that are out of alignment may injure the soft parts of the mouth.
Most malocclusions are hereditary, resulting from genetic factors that control
the rate of growth of the upper and lower jaws. Some incorrect bites
are caused by retained baby teeth, which push the erupting adult teeth out
of line.
Overshot bite occurs when the upper jaw protrudes beyond the lower jaw,
causing the upper teeth to overlap the lower teeth without touching. This
condition is also called prognathism. Some breeds, such as German Shepherd
Dogs, will go through a normal stage as puppies in which the bite is overshot.
The overshot bite may correct itself spontaneously in young puppies if the gap
is no greater than the head of a wooden match. Improvement may continue
until the puppy is 10 months old, at which time the jaws stop growing.
Puppies with severe overshot bites may have problems, because as the adult
teeth come in they can injure the soft parts of the mouth. This requires treatment.