Hi,

My 5 month old labrador is changing her teeth, but yesterday I noticed she has 7 canine teeth at the front (in her upper jaw) including a new tooth coming through further back, which is behind the lower jaw canine (looks undershot). Should I be concerned? Or should I take her to the vet, as I do want to try and show her.

Thanks for any advice you can give.
Claire

7 canine teeth in the upper jaw? Do you mean incisors? The canine teeth are the long 'fangs' between the incisors and the premolars. There should be 6 incisors and 2 canines and the front of both top and bottom jaws.

I think she means the four originals plus three new ones JG. :)

If you look at the molars, the big ones at the back then the new teeth are presented with such big targets that the new teeth cannot really miss pushing the baby teeth out! The canines are so much smaller and the shape of the mouth is changing so the new teeth tend to miss the old rather more often than not! Usually this is not a problem. As all the teeth come through the old ones are gradually crowded out and finally fall out naturally. I've known it take a couple of months or more. I've even started to panic thinking that they were never going to fall out and have started to arrive at the conclusion that I was going to have to take the pup to the vets, but in the end they have ALWAYS come out on their own with no help from me.

Best wishes, John