How Old Is My Dog  --  Telling a dogs age by its teeth

^{Don't forget to read "Basics of Using Teeth to Tell Age" before trying to use this information.}

^{The dental formula for puppies is:}

^{The dental formula for adult dogs is:}

^{2(I3/3 C 1/1 P 4/4 M 2/3) = 42}

^{Eruption of the deciduous teeth begins with the incisors at 4 to 5 weeks and ends with Dp 4 at 6 to 8 weeks.}

^{The data given for wear of the teeth are accurate in about 90 percent of large dogs.  The wear of the teeth in small dogs and dogs with undershot or overshot jaws is often misleading.}  

^{Cusp worn off means that the largest cusp of the incisor is worn down to the level of the small cusp or cusps. The upper I 1 and I 2 have two small cusps; lower incisors have one (Fig. 1-8).}

^{5,-months - Permanent incisors have erupted. I 3 is not yet in wear.}

^{6 months- Permanent canines have erupted (see Fig. 1-8). r/2 years. Cusp is worn off lower II. is.2y2 years. Cusp is worn off lower 12. y/2 years. Cusp is worn off upper I 1. 4V2 years. Cusp is worn off upper 12.}

^{5 years. Cusp of lower I 3 is slightly worn. The occlusal surfaces of lower I 1 and I 2 are rectangular. The canines are slightly worn.}

^{6 years. Cusp is worn off lower I 3. Canines are worn blunt. Lower canine shows impression of upper I 3 (see Fig. 1-8).}

^{7 years. Lower I 1 is worn down to the root, so that the occlusal surface is elongated in the labiolin-gual direction.}

^{8 years. Occlusal surface of the lower I 1 is beveled in front. ;}

^{10 years. Lower I 2 and upper I 1 have occlusal surfaces elongated labiolingually (see Fig. 1-8). 12 years. I Is begin to fall out. ,, ,;}

^{16 years. Incisors are gone. , 20 years. Loss of canines occurs.}

^{The cheek teeth erupt at about 6 months. In connection with tooth extraction in the dog, it is of interest that the last three upper teeth have triple roots. (P 4, M 1, M 2). All the first premolars and the last lower molars have one root. All the other cheek teeth have two roots.}