Age of Teething
 

We just got our new little yorkie girl (still un-named) two days ago. We were told she is 16 weeks old and given her shot records from her former vet. We took her to a vet here to be checked and given her final booster and rabies vaccine and the vet said she is NOT 16 weeks old as her teeth are all baby teeth. Said she is more like 10 weeks old. He would not give her the rabies vaccine and recommend we treat her as if she was just 10 weeks and give her the full series of vaccines all over again (even though I had vet records from breeders vet.)

I called the breeders vet when I got home and she said that the puppy is indeed 16 weeks old and that she was the one who docked tail and had given her vaccine series over the weeks. She knows the breeder and had no doubt about this puppies age.

Has anyone run across this before? Can some little yorkies teeth later than "normal"? I was not really very impressed with the vet I took her to and will not likely use him again. Can you accurately determine puppy age by the teeth?

What do I do? I don't want to over or under vaccinate her...

Another thing that makes me believe she is truly 16 weeks is she can sleep though the night without having to go potty although she did wake pretty early this morning (4:30 compared to yesterday morning at 7:00). She is pretty much fully pee pad trained, so far only one accident and that was when we first brought her home. We love her no matter what her age, but I would like to know.

Julie

My yorkies did not even start losing their baby teeth till 5 months old,very strange of your vet ,perhaps look for a second vet's opinion.

Age, teeth
 

I don't recall when Tucker started losing teeth, but I know it continued into his second 6 months.

So do I insist on a rabies shot at this time based on the info from the breeders vet or start her entire vaccine series over per this vet? I will find a new vet - this was my first time to use this one although my mom uses him and likes him. What if the next vet bases his age solely on the teething pattern?

What other markers are there to determine correct age? I know with Tucker, the hair in his head was just starting to show silver roots at around 10 weeks and the little girl (we really need to come up with a name for her) has a good 1/2 - 3/4 inches of silver at the roots - does that tell anything about age?

Aack, what to do??? What if she were to get the rabies shot too early? or too late? (we use pee pads and won't be out side a whole lot).

Thanks a bunch,

Julie

Hmmm Callie started loosing her puppy teeth at 5 months and is still loosing them! I would seek out a new vet as not all know toy breeds very well. Find someone you and your babies feel comfortable with.

I would switch vets or let your vet know you are certain of her age and confirmed it with the breeders vet. If your vet does not understand teeth in small breeds it might benefit you to switch anyway. I have a 17 week old pup and she has all her baby teeth still

Well...I have never had a 16 week old yorkie puppy with adult teeth...this is one reason not to buy a puppy for show until they are older...to make sure the bite is good when the adult teeth do come in.

If you vet is so concerned then maybe have the breeder's vet fax the medical records for the puppy over which will show birthdate and times of vaccinations.

It would not hurt to hold off on the rabies vaccine though, we do our when they are a year old and full grown.