Ive had my pd Dale for 6 years. Hes always been happy and healthy. Tuesday he wouldnt eat his weekly treat. A baby carrot which is his favorite. I noticed that his 2 top front teeth were missing. He has an appointment with the vet today. Im worried that it might be odontoma. Has this happened to anyones pd? Can it be something else? If anyone has any info on this please let me know. Thanks.

Welcome to the forum! You're doing the right thing by seeing the vet, which is always the best choice. I hate to worry you, but it's never normal for pd's to loose their teeth and is cause for concern. However tooth loss in captive pd's happens frequently and is not always the big O. Many times this occurs from some kind of trauma and the teeth grow back, but only a vet can tell you for sure.

I'm sure you know as an owner that prairie dogs have no depth perception and are not designed to handle even small falls. In the wild there's no need for this trait being as the terrain they live is flat, but in captivity it's altogether different.

They way their body is designed their front legs are shorter than the length of their head so when they fall it's their face that takes the blow. Their can teeth break off from even the smallest of falls, and sometimes from within their cage.

It's possible this is what happened to Dale, but again only a vet can be sure. It's is a sign of O, but not in every case and seeing the vet immediately could make all the difference. Lets hope it's nothing serious.

I'm praying everything turns out fine. Please keep us updated on Dale!

Thanks for your post. Its not O!! His teeth were broken from a small fall he took a couple days prior to them falling out. The vet was great with Dale. He showed me that they were broken beneath his gum and had already started to grow back. And of course, Dale is just as active and fiesty as usual. Thanks again for your concern.