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Remove baby teeth with spay?

Species: Dog
Breed: Chihuahua
Age: 3-6 months
Hello, My wife's puppy is 9 months old. she weighs 3.6 pounds. She needs to get spayed and her baby teeth have not fallen out yet. Her Doctor is recommending that we spay her and remove her baby teeth all at once during the same procedure(next week). She is very tiny and i have read many things online about surgery on small dogs. What are your thoughts? do you recommend that we spay her only and wait until she is a year old for the teeth removal or is her vet wanting to do both at once the correct procedure? Thank you very much for your help.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I agree with your vet 100%!

I would never postpone a surgery because a dog was too small. The one exception would be if your dog was small because of a medical problem such as a liver shunt or a heart condition. The anesthetics are all dosed according to weight so size really is not an issue. The vet's assistant(s) will likely keep a close eye on her body temperature as smaller animals sometimes can have lower body temperatures under anesthetic and they'll make sure she is ok.

It is very common to do spay and remove baby teeth at the same time. In fact, I do this about 2-3 times a week at my practice. I would much rather do this all in one surgery than submit a dog to a second surgery.

It is very common for a chihuahua to have retained deciduous (baby) teeth. At 9 months of age if the teeth have not come out by now they are not likely to come out on their own.

Rest assured, what your vet is suggesting is very normal.

Hope all goes well!
Dr. Marie.




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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.