Just like their human counterparts, dogs also eventually lose their milk teeth. By the time you get your new Chihuahua puppy they will probably still have their baby teeth in, but when they do lose them, you won’t be able to help but notice!
Most people bring their Chihuahua puppy home between the ages of 8 and 10 weeks old. At this point, the pups will still have milk teeth, as the teething stage won’t have started yet. When it does start though, be prepared to see tiny little teeth fall out on the floor, in the carpet, and embedded in their toys – it’s kind of weird but adorable to see.
My friend owns a Chihuahua puppy, and they went through this exact thing only last month. They called me up as they have no idea what was happening and didn’t realize there was an age Chihuahuas lose their baby teeth; in fact, they had no idea they even had milk teeth!
Based on this conversation, I decided to do a quick primer on Chihuahua baby teeth and what you can expect during the different phases.
When do Chihuahua get baby or milk teeth?
Just like humans, Chihuahua puppies have no teeth when they are born. Likewise, their baby teeth grow through later, but it’s a lot quicker than us: Chihuahuas get their baby teeth (aka milk teeth) around 2 to 3 weeks after being born.
Their front baby teeth (aka incisors) come through first, followed by the canines. Once all the milk teeth have come through at about 8 weeks of age, there will be 28 very sharp milk teeth in total.
Do Chihuahuas lose their baby teeth?
Yes, Chihuahuas do lose their baby and milk teeth; it’s an entirely natural process that occurs to allow for bigger adult teeth to come through as their jaws and skulls grow bigger.
Due to the lack of room in the puppies’ mouths, they won’t have baby molar teeth. There simply isn’t enough space. Instead, they only grow 28 milk teeth, all of which fall out eventually to be replaced by 42 adult teeth, including the missing molars!
Handy Hint: Another interesting development with this breed will be their ears. Their ears can remain floppy, but most of the time will stand up, here’s what to expect.
When do Chihuahua puppies lose their baby teeth?
Typically, a Chihuahua puppy will lose baby teeth by the time they are 3 months (12 weeks) old. Owners usually notice the tiny teeth falling out as the puppy chews on toys… the baby teeth and being pushed up and out by the larger adult teeth.
Whilst not all puppies are the same, almost every Chihuahua puppy will have lost all their baby teeth by the time they reach 8 months old. By this stage in their development they will have all 42 of their adult teeth in the jaw.
Handy Hint: Did you know that Chihuahua puppies open their eyes after a couple of weeks due to an evolutionary trait?
Can Chihuahua puppies swallow their milk teeth?
Owners might be worried about choking or internal damage risks by loose teeth being swallowed. Don’t be concerned though; baby teeth are very small and should pass through the digestive system and feces with no harm. In fact, you might even see little teeth in their stools!
The most likely place to see your puppy’s teeth will be on the floor or your home, and possibly stuck on next to their teething toys. If you don’t have teething toys, please do invest in them, as they will help to relieve the pain of sore gums – I recommend this small teething toy pack on Amazon.
Are Chihuahua puppies in pain when they lose milk teeth?
Puppies can find teething painful, and you might see little blood spots in and around your home when they start to lose their teeth.
By having a selection of teething toys, you can help alleviate any pain they are going through. Having them chew a toy is much more preferable than your shoes and furniture!
Here’s a very brief overview of the teething stages your Chihuahua puppy will go through:
- 2 to 3 weeks: Chihuahua puppy baby teeth start to grow through.
- 12 weeks onwards: Your Chihuahua loses their baby teeth, replaced by adult ones.
- 7 to 8 months: Teething stages and excessive chewing should end.
How many teeth do Chihuahua’s have?
Once fully grown and past teething, an adult Chihuahua will 42 teeth in total, replacing the tiny 28 baby teeth that will have fallen out.
The number of teeth in the jaw are organized as such:
- 42 teeth in total.
- 20 teeth on the top jaw.
- 22 teeth on the bottom jaw.
Don’t be too shocked if you see less than 42 teeth though. Chihuahuas are prone to dental problems and teeth can also fall out during play and eating. It’s not uncommon for dogs of any age to not have the full set, even at 2 years old.
Handy Hint: For more details on their dental problems and a better explainer of how many teeth they have, read this guide and Chihuahua dental chart.
Conclusion
It’s entirely natural for a Chihuahua to lose their teeth, but when they do start to fall out, you can give them a helping hand and support with teething toys. You are going to see bleeding gums and the puppy will want to chew everything it sees so be prepared to keep things out of their way!
More about Chihuahuas…
If you’re fascinated by all things about Chihuahua puppies then you might be interested in the following guides:
- Learn how to train a Chihuahua to not go to the bathroom in your house!
- This is how many puppies a Chihuahua can actually have!
- Research into the fatalities recorded from Chihuahua bites each year
Image used in header from Pixabay.com.