Overbite In Puppy?

[Sandra777]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies! I read everything once again and found out that most of you say that if the overbite is not too serious then it shouldn't affect the puppy. How much is too much? More than 5mm? More than 10mm?

Impossible to say exactly how much is too much in the long run because every puppy is different and it might be 10mm today 12mm tomorrow and 5mm next Tuesday .

IMO if the upper jaw is too long (or the lower too short, has the same effect!) to the degree that the lower baby incisors are gouging into the roof of the mouth, then it's probably too much at that particular point in time, but would it be too much next week?? If the lower canines are inside the upper jaw then you have a narrow lower jaw as well as a short one (or long upper jaw, same effect) and this would be more of an issue to me.

Like I said before, I've had a pup with a 25mm overbite end up with a perfect mouth, so that wasn't "too much" in her particular case.

I would be asking the breeder's advice, they know the pups and (I assume?) the lines. If they don't know request that they ask their mentors/the stud dog owner/breeder of their bitch/an experienced breeder with the same bloodlines.

[mrs tornsocks]

Hey guys what happened to the overbite bit of the thread ??

Edited March 17, 2010 by mrs tornsocks

[nicolatu]

Hey guys what happened to the overbite bit of the thread ??

The breeder haven't called me today and haven't replied my emails yet so there is not much I could do but wait for her reply. I will update as soon as she calls me.

[Greytmate]

breaking a jaw and corrective surgery for something as simple as an overbite, in my opinion is overkill.

Even in the worst of situations and the bite ends up with inverted canines digging into the roof of the mouth or in the gums. Simply grinding off the tips of the teeth will suffice.

I've seen the most shocking overshot and undershot jaws, with massive gaps. Owners need to keep a bit more of an eye on the teeth and provide plenty of raw meaty bones, just to make sure that plaque doesn't build up but other than that, they live just like any dog, without the need for expensive and unecessary surgery.

I agree with this.

You do need to keep an eye on those canine teeth to make sure they are not creating sores or holes, and some dogs may need manual teeth cleaning to supplement bones if the teeth are in really bad position.

[Jed]

Thanks for the reply. We were really happy that the breeder was completely honest with us about a problem. I think the puppy is 6 weeks old now because he was micro-chipped today and had his vaccination today. That is when the vet found out about the overbite. The breeder also told us that it is not noticable unless we open his mouth and the puppy is eating well. The vet says they rarely have any problems and keep an eye on its teeth on yearly check-ups. Does that sound all right to you?

Absolutely.

The overbite has to be very bad for it to cause problems. Likely problems could be difficulty eating anything "hard" and top teeth cutting bottom gums.

I have bred a pup with an overbite. As an adult, the overbite was about 2.5cm, and the dog was not affected at all. He doesn't look quite right around the mouth - but most people who see him never notice. They will never have to spend anything on his mouth. Have added a photo.

As PF says, the lower jaw finishes growing last, and the bite could improve with age, and a change of teeth.

If the pup is a pet, I would still buy him. I would, however, ask to speak to the vet about it to ensure that it is unlikely that it will cause problems in the future. I expect he will say "no".

Just say nicely to the breeder - "I don't know much about this, do you mind if I ask your vet about it?"

Unless it is a very bad overbite, it is unlikely to be a problem.

And be aware that it is possible for an experienced breeder to purchase a pup with a perfect mouth, only to have it go "out" when the adult teeth come through. Stops the dog being shown (or winning a lot), but doesn't affect the health.

Dogs are not machines, and if you buy a pup, expect some imperfections. There will be some, even though you may not notice until later!!

Here

Edited March 17, 2010 by Jed

[nicolatu]

Update on overbite puppy. There was a late reply from the breeder because she went to ask a lot of questions about overbite and getting replies from friends and vets.

She told us:

She will take picture of the overbite and show us tommorow. The overbite is not obvious.

As far as she can be certain, the only problem Zorro may encounter is that he may need a tooth out of it if it is a problem to him later in life.

The overbite should not get any worse, it could improve as he matures and grows.

They will start him on adult dog food to stop any growth spurts.

She spoke with people's dogs who has overbites, and they are very happy and have no problems with health, or eating etc.

All the puppies ate chicken neck with no difficulty.

She will sell the puppy to us with full confidence, if at any stage that I dont want him, she will refund my money and take him back.

She will provide advice to us for the rest of his life so we wont be left dangling.

My girlfriend and I have decided to take the puppy in the condition that he is healthy. We will get him a vet check when he comes to us to make sure the overbite is not too serious.

Any advice?

[Cosmolo]

I don't think you could ask for any more from the breeder- sounds very responsible to me.

[nicolatu]

I don't think you could ask for any more from the breeder- sounds very responsible to me.

Agreed. Thats why we are pretty sure we will get a puppy from her.

[OSoSwift]

Sounds like the breeder is being upfront and honest. Can't ask more than that.

It sounds like you have full breeder support, which again is great.

If you are happy with the photos and the advice you have recieved then it all sounds good to me.