How to Soothe Puppy Teething Pain

Just like human babies, dogs will go through a teething stage as puppies while their puppy teeth fall out and their big dog teeth come in. This period can last anywhere from 3-5 months, and it can be a frustrating time as your new puppy tries to chew everything in sight.

Thankfully, there are things you can do to reduce their pain and keep them away from your shoes!

Signs and Symptoms of Teething

Every dog is different; however, there are some common signs you can look for that indicate if your dog will be growing adult teeth soon.

• Finding puppy teeth around the house
• Finding blood spots on their toys
• Desire to chew everything
• Increased drooling
• Eating slower
• Red and/or swollen gums
• Upset stomach
• Soft Stool
• Whining
• Occasional low fever

How to Soothe Teething Pain

When puppies are teething, their mouths are in pain. Often by easing their pain, you will see a decrease in some of these behaviors or symptoms.

Provide Lots of Toys

When puppies are teething, they often have the desire to chew. Unfortunately, dogs are not too picky about what they are chewing, so anything from your shoes to your fingers is fair game. You can reduce the number of chewed items you are dealing with by providing some fun toys for your pup to chew on.

If your puppy is trying to chew something they shouldn’t have, replace it with a toy instead, and they probably won’t care.

Softer Food

Let’s face it. When your mouth hurts, you wouldn’t want to chomp down on some hard kibble either! Chewing on hard foods can make an aching mouth feel even worse. If you notice your dog is eating a lot slower or is refusing to eat altogether, try softening their food to help out.

You could try wet dog food, or you can simply add some water to their dry food to try and soften it a bit.

Frozen Toys or Food

To try and ease some of your dog’s pain and keep their mouth busy at the same time, stick some of their favorite treats or toys in the freezer. A frozen chew toy or a peanut butter-filled toy is going to keep your dog’s mind and mouth busy and also help to ease some of the pain in their gums.

Have a Mouth Inspection

When your dog is in this phase, check their mouth to see how their teeth and gums are looking. If anything looks off, it may be worth a trip to the vet to make sure your puppy is healthy.