Bad news, good news this week. Travis’ teething is progressing apace complete with sore bleeding gums and the development of “puppy breath“.

He managed to rip out a loose deciduous canine tooth when playing rough and tumble with an older, bigger dog. By the sound that he made, it hurt. It certainly bled a lot.

The next two teeth (as far as I know) dropped onto the studio floor when we were in flamenco class. The studio is pretty bare – nothing much that a puppy can grab, so when I heard a “plink” I went to investigate and found a tooth on the floor. Hardly ten seconds later, there was another “plink” and a second tooth followed, much to the amusement of my flamenco teacher.

So far, he seems to have swallowed all of the others.

I have been keeping an eye on the remaining deciduous canine which isn’t even wobbly.

Two days after the teeth on the floor episode, I saw that the new canine tooth was making the same rapid progress as its corresponding partner but alongside the original tooth. Time to check with the vet. The pressure of the new tooth bud erupting usually promotes the reabsorption of the deciduous tooth roots and they loosen and shed. Retained deciduous teeth can distort the growth of the new tooth and/or become infected because the overcrowding makes it more likely that tartar will accumulate. The additional tooth (and upper canines are the most commonly retained teeth) can also cause pain as they cut into the lower gums. Time also to start training for teeth cleaning.

Although I have DNA tested Travis and he is MDR1 negative, I didn’t relish the thought of a general anaesthetic – not least the cost. So it was a relief to find that the vet is happy to wait a month and see if nature takes its course and the deciduous tooth eventually drops out. Fingers crossed.

Next week: Pick of the litter

Celebrate spring with the new Puppy Social Walk in Chiswick House grounds for help with walking well on the lead and negotiating hazards safely