Today's Evil Beet Gossip

Charlie Is Toothless!

Charlie the Shih-Tzu Is Toothless!

The conversation I had with the veterinarian today:

Vet: Now, this breed is particularly prone to dental problems, so you’re going to want to keep a close eye on his teeth.

Me: Okay. But he doesn’t have any teeth right now.

Vet: Oh, yes, he does.

Me: No, he doesn’t.

Vet: Yes, he does.

Me: No, he doesn’t. He has one or two way in back, but that’s it.

Vet: [Looks at me like I’m insisting my dog can fly.] He has teeth. Let me show you. [Vet opens Charlie’s mouth.] Oh. Wow. You’re right. He doesn’t have teeth. [Flips through Charlie’s paperwork.] Maybe they got his birth date wrong … [Flips through more paperwork.] No, he’s two months old. He should really have teeth by now. I’ve never seen a dog with no teeth at this age. That’s really strange.

Me: Um, so …

Vet: Hm. Wow. So, um, I think he probably won’t ever have teeth.

Me: …

Vet: I mean maybe he’ll get his adult teeth in a few months, but if he doesn’t have any teeth at all at two months, he, uh, he probably won’t get teeth at all, I don’t think.

Me: My dog is toothless forever?

Vet: Well, um, it shouldn’t really be a problem as long as you’re willing to feed him soft food for the rest of his life.

Me: ….

Vet: Well, now you don’t have to worry about him chewing on your shoes.

So, Charlie is toothless. But he’s still adorable! He’s so sweet and calm and loving all the time. He just sits pretty still wherever I put him. (Mom: “Well, he doesn’t have teeth and he doesn’t move around much … maybe he has Down Syndrome? I guess that’s what happens when you’re inbred.”) I love my toothless dog more than ever!

34 CommentsLeave a comment

  • I have 2 shih tzus, one being an ‘imperial’ and she had absolutely NO teeth until the third month actually. They were actually pretty sharp… Just be aware that usually it takes a while for them to grow their adult teeth. On a side note, I think my dog is autistic but that’s another story…

  • cute…I have saw this pic on a celeb dating site ” Tallmeet.com “a celeb have a dog like this one

  • i just got a shih-tzu last month. love her to death! black & white just like yours. teeth or no teeth, gotta love ’em!

  • A toothless dog for a sharp-tongued woman, now that is serendipity. No chewing your stuff, no ankle-biting…oh, Charlie, I’m sorry, no steak either..if those teeth don’t show you might want to invest in a food processor so Charlie can have a full and meaningful life.

  • OH GAWD BEET!!!! I laughed so hard at that exchange, that was great! Po Charlie aint got no teef!!!!! Still adorable though!!!

    All my exchanges with my vets go like this:

    Vet: So, that will cost 800 dollars and possibly a kidney or your first born child.

    Me: Yea ok ya FINACIAL RAPIST!!!!!

  • Wish my shih-tzu was toothless.
    He’s 2 and a terror.
    Really Really cute but, Very Very fresh

  • You can feed him dry dog food, he doesn’t know he doesn’t have any teeth. The dry food is much better for him than the wet. I had a cat whose breathe was so bad, I took her into the vet. He said her teeth all needed to come out, and I asked about the wet food. He covered her ears and said “lets just not tell her she doesn’t have any teeth”. Ten years later and she is the fattest bossy cat out of the three.

  • Dogs can get Down’s Syndrome, your mom may be on to something. Although their tongues usually stick out a little. Looks like Charlie’s tongue is in place. Not that it matters either way…

  • AWESOME! I almost got a puppy just like him but got a silky terrier (TERROR!) instead. He is great and unfortunately, not toothless. One mangled Gucci bag and several shoes later I still LOVE him. You got one beautiful boy – Charlie forever!

  • awe he will get teeth silly! my dog also was toothless for the first few moths becasue they all fell out! Maybe u shuld switch vets urs seems like a re re!

  • yeah, no one’s toothless
    not even a dog
    maybe some vets are brainless though
    complete dental agenesis in an animal
    is an absurdity
    the same goes for humans

  • makes jokes about it – but this should tell you something about the breeder you got him from. 98% of the dog breeders out there are lying bastards that charge heinous amounts of money for thier dogs because they are papered. I don’t care how respectible they claim to be, most of these people are only in it for the money and they over breed thier poor dogs and the result is you having a dog with no teeth along with other genentic defects you may not even be aware of. I hope he does eventually get his teeth for his sake – but people should NEVER buy dogs from so-called dog breeders when there are so many unwanted dogs at the pound that need good homes.

  • there can be one or two teeth missing in a few syndromes
    not all of the teeth
    especially with no other visible malformations whatsoever
    science is science

  • Even more reason to get an American soldier to throw him off a cliff or detonate a bomb near him.

    (I keed! I keed!)

  • Oh! God! I laughed so hard, I’m crying! I loved this conversation and your mom is hilarious. Teeth or no teeth he is adorable! I have the only evil guinea pig in the world, he attacked me a few months ago, so know I just feed him and pet him in his cage, but I stil love him, he’s a great guard pig.

  • Do you like your vet? I don’t. I think a second opinion from a different, seemingly more caring vet is in order. I have 9 cats and a dog, my current vet is the most caring and competent vet I have ever dealt with. I have used him for 10 yrs. When my dog had a horrible accident in 2003, my vet drove from a xmas party 2 hrs away on his weekend off just to take care of him that night. He did everything possible to save my Norway’s front leg, but unfortunately it had to be amputated. My point is your vet, while the story is amusing, seems a tad on the disinterested side. I take pet care VERY seriously and want your Charlie to have a happy, healthy life. By the way, my Norway is the happiest dog alive(the opinion of all who encounter him)and has not let a missing limb slow him down. In fact people are amazed at the speed at which he runs and the fact that he does better than his four legged friends in many activities. Sorry for long story, just get second opinion. : )

  • This is one of the cutest things I have ever seen or heard. Charlie looks like an absolute angel and I can’t get over the fact that he may never have teeth….sooo effing sweet it brings a tear to my eye! Look at his little face, I want him so much. My cats would probably eat him though, they’re pretty savage. Anyways Beet lots of love to you and charlie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  • For the record, my daughter has Down Syndrome, and she has teeth. I’m also pretty sure she’s not inbred, either, even tho I grew up in West Virginia. You just have a cute weird dog.

  • your dog…freak
    your vet….a bit too slow
    your mom……hysterical!

    i wanna put money on him not gettin teeth at all.

  • even though she grew up in West Virginia, ha ha!

    Terri: fat cat does NOT = healthy cat. Dry food is NOT the best….
    We have so much crap in OUR food; animals have even more.
    Saw a wee bit of Ellen the other day when she had H. Clinton, and some military guy that saved? a dog or whatever over in Iraq, and Ellen supports/is part of some line of food that is ALMOST right with their formula. Oh, it’s called Halo; veggies are not what animals need.
    They need meat. You don’t hear about mountain lions raiding the farmer’s garden for a reason. Your cat’s not a “big cat”, well, fine then- you don’t see your cat all over the Tomato plant, it’s after birds and mice. Y’know- meat.
    I don’t mean anyones specific cat, by the way. “Your” in this context is all inclusive.
    Eddy ~~~

  • although it’s kind of sad in a way…

    it just makes your dog that much cuter!
    what a funny story. :)

    adorable dog.
    and the vet is really…kinda…slow.