As your furry friend grows up, they’ll go through all sorts of changes – some cute, some not so cute. One major change that you’ll definitely notice is their teething process. But don’t worry – we’re here to help you navigate this exciting (and sometimes challenging) time!
Teething can cause all sorts of symptoms in your pup, from a mild fever to diarrhea, vomiting, allergies, and loss of appetite. But fear not, because there are plenty of things you can do to help your pup through this process. By closely monitoring your pup, providing them with plenty of chew toys, adjusting their diet as needed, and staying on top of their dental care, you can help make this time as smooth and painless as possible.
And of course, it’s always a good idea to contact your veterinarian if you have any concerns or questions about your pup’s health during this time. With a little patience and effort, you can help your furry friend get through their teething process and come out on the other side with a beautiful set of pearly whites!
So, let’s dive in and find out what causes these changes in your pup during teething, and how you can best support them during this exciting (and sometimes challenging) time. Get ready to become a teething expert!
Is it possible to get diarrhea and vomiting due to teething?
Like in humans, teething is one developmental stage of dogs; it is their first experience of adulthood. Your little pooch is born with no teeth.
Then within weeks, he will develop a new set of milk teeth which will be replaced by a set of strong permanent teeth. We will discuss the schedule of teething during the article.
If your new pooch is only a few weeks old, you will be able to see the changes he goes through during the eruption of milk teeth and replacements by permanent teeth.
One of the significant concerns of pet owners is that puppies have many gastrointestinal-related problems during teething. Yes, this is true.
Diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive drooling are some such symptoms in puppies during teething.
What are the reasons for these upset stomachs?
During the eruption of permanent teeth, puppies tend to drool more. They will keep on swallowing this fluid. This can cause changes in the stomach and digestive system, leading to diarrhea and vomiting.
Sometimes, it is not vomiting; puppies tend to regurgitate what they ate during teething. You can see that the content they throw out is undigested food.
Another reason for an upset stomach can be what they ingest during teething. Teething is a painful process. As a compensation mechanism, puppies bite on anything they find.
It relieves their pain. Vomiting/diarrhea can be due to something they ate; it can cause an allergy or indigestion in your pup.
The symptoms of teething should not last for a long duration. If they remain for more than two weeks and the symptoms worsen, you must contact your veterinarian.
By the way, read this if you have never brushed your dog’s teeth.
What are the things we can do if the dog has vomiting and diarrhea during teething?
Although teething is a natural process and the symptoms are common to most puppies, you must not take them lightly. Your puppy needs you the most during this period.
Vomiting and diarrhea can occur during the teething process. But it should not last for a long time. If you observe your pup vomits persistently for weeks, you must contact your vet immediately.
If vomiting and diarrhea are accompanied by blood or abdominal pain, it requires immediate veterinary care.
Diarrhea might not be an alarming condition for an adult dog, but it is a severe condition in puppies. Puppies can get dehydrated very quickly.
Therefore, take your puppy to the vet immediately. Until that time, provide him with enough water to drink to keep him hydrated.
If your puppy is vomiting, regurgitating, or having diarrhea during teething, do not provide him with a routine diet. You might need to change his diet and the feeding schedule.
However, before doing that, contact your veterinarian and explain the condition and the symptoms of your pup. He will come up with a proper diet plan to help your pet recover.
Should you be worried if your puppy throws up during teething?
Throwing up can be a symptom of teething in many puppies; therefore, it is possible that your pup is also showing the same sign. If your puppy is showing symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea, it is advisable to observe the puppy closely.
Note the vomiting time ( before, after, or in between meals), the color, and whether there is blood, and observe the puppy’s behaviors.
If he is showing abdominal pain, lethargy, or symptoms of dehydration, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
Things to be aware of.
Throughout the article, we focused on one of the most common symptoms of teething in puppies.
Let’s go through teething in your pup, what other common symptoms you will see in your pup, and how to help your little fur friend have a healthy teething period.
1. Teething schedule of your puppy.
Have you noticed that your puppy is born without teeth? Puppies do not have teeth at birth, but they quickly start teething.
The first teeth appear in a few weeks, and a complete set of milk teeth/deciduous teeth is functional at the end of the second month. Puppies develop 28 milk teeth.
Then the second set of permanent teeth starts to appear in puppies. This eruption of permanent teeth begins at three months of age, and the set is complete and functional at the end of six or seven months. The permanent set has 42 teeth.
Throughout their adulthood, dogs will use this set of permanent teeth, and with their age, teeth will be worn out, and finally, they will fall.
Until 10 years of age, dogs’ teeth will not fall, but they will be worn off. After 10 years of age, gradually, teeth will fall.
2. Symptoms of teething.
Teething is the main change that occurs in your pup’s body. This change can cause discomfort to your pet, and some symptoms can be observed during this time.
These symptoms can occur during milk teething or the eruption of permanent teeth.
Here are a few such symptoms:
- Red and swollen gums – when the permanent teeth push the milk teeth during the eruption, it can cause swollen gums. This process can be painful for your little pup. To add to that pain, during permanent teeth eruption, the jaws of a puppy should grow to accommodate 42 teeth.
- Mild fever- this is a reaction to the teething process. Your puppy will be lethargic, have a slight increase in temperature, and lose appetite. Monitor your pet’s temperature during teething to make sure the dog doesn’t have a very high fever, which can be due to an infection. Contact your veterinarian if the fever lasts too long.
- Crying and whining- this is a symptom of pain.
- Drooling.
- Blood spots in toys and other objects he chews.
- There can be half broken teeth in puppies mouth. These are milk teeth that are not entirely fallen during the eruption of permanent teeth. If your pet has such teeth stuck to his gums, take him to the vet. Professional care will be needed to remove these teeth for new teeth to erupt completely.
3. How to support your puppy during teething.
We have now realized that teething is a painful process for your fur baby. So how does he relieve this pain? One of the main complaints of puppy owners is that puppies chew on everything they find.
This happens due to the process of teething. Chewing and nibbling help relieve the pain of teething, and it is also a way of exploring the surrounding.
Follow these steps to give your puppy a chance to chew healthily. The steps you take now will help him throughout his life.
Provide him with chew toys.
You can buy chew toys for your puppy when he starts teething. Make sure you choose soft chew toys of appropriate size if he is very young, as hard ones can damage or break his new teeth.
Having his toys will prevent him from chewing everything in your house. When he grows older, give him more durable chew toys. Anyways chew toys are suitable for their teeth, it makes them stronger.
Puppy proof your house.
When it comes to chewing, puppies don’t know what to chew and what not to chew. Their target can be electrical wires, rugs, pillows, appliances, or shoes.
Remove these items out of reach from your puppy. Therefore he will not get used to chewing these items. Some food items like chocolates, sweets, alcohol, and plants at home are allergic to puppies and dogs. When you puppy proof, make sure you remove them too out of their reach.
Start puppy training.
Providing training to your dog at a very young age will help him get used to your household quickly and more comfortably. The teething period is a very good place to start this.
When it comes to nibbling and chewing, anything, including you, can be your pup’s target.
If your puppy bites or nibbles your fingers, a hand, or any body part, show him you are hurt and not happy. Say NO or DON’T. If he responds to that and moves away, show him you are happy and give him a little treat.
This applies to electrical wires, your shoes, or any other furniture which he should not chew.
If he keeps on damaging things at home, you can use a deterrent to stop them. If you use an artificial deterrent available on the market, make sure it is not toxic to puppies.
Dental care routine.
After teething, another responsibility adds to your list. That is brushing teeth and addressing your pet’s dental care. Make sure you start cleaning his teeth soon after he has a complete set of teeth.
Brushing can be something your pet hates, but it will be easy for both parties if he gets used to that from a very young age.
Contact your vet before you try to brush your puppy’s teeth. Ask him about the procedure of doing that, as it can damage teeth.
Conclusion.
The article briefs about the process of teething, common symptoms shown by puppies, and how to act as a responsible pet owner.