[Dovadog]

Hello, I just joined the forum. I am getting my first GSD soon. (I had a Shiloh Shepherd in the past.) My breeder contacted me yesterday to let me know that my pup was checked by the vet yesterday and she has an overbite. The breeder estimates it at 1/4 inch. She sent two pictures which I will attach. The pup is exactly 7 weeks. I have done a lot of research in the past 24 hours and have found a wealth of information, some of it conflicting. Some sources says lots (up to 50%) of GSDs have overbites as puppies; that it is part of the natural growth curve and that most correct. Other sources say that pups often grow out of it and when they get their adult teeth there is no problem; of course in some it worsens over time. I asked my vet who is an experienced canine vet but not a canine dentist; she said that it's hard to evaluate at this age and we'll have to wait and see. The possible effects on the dog range from no problems at all with a slight overbite to severe problems requiring surgery, such as the lower incisors puncturing the palate.

I know that any overbite is a serious conformation flaw, but I am not planning on showing her in conformation. The breeder is being very open and honest and is going to give me a large discount if I decide to take the pup. I know several people who have gotten their GSDs from this breeder and they are wonderful, healthy dogs, so I have some trust in her. She says that she has only had a couple of overbites that she knows about from her past litters and that they have corrected as the pups grew.

I'm interested in forum member's opinions. Have you had pups with overbites of this caliber, and have they gotten better or worse with age? Thank you!

 

[skier16]

no pics

 

[Okin]

The thing I would be the most concerned with is that when the adult lower canines come in they may go in to the top palate. My pup had about a centimeter overbite, maybe a little less at 5 months. At 7 weeks it was not even noticeable so I'm not sure how that would change with time. She had some issues with that happening and they made sockets where they were going in to the top of the mouth. Now at 7 1/2 months the canines are longer and it has corrected itself for the most part with maybe a tiny bit of one of the canines still under the gum like a millimeter maybe. My vet said she doesn't think it is anything to worry about and hopefully it will correct itself the rest of the way. She still has a bit of an overbite but it looks to be a tiny bit less than it was but I am going to keep an eye on it. With my girl it doesn't seem to cause her any discomfort or issues with eating or anything else.

Not sure if this helps at all just thought I would throw it out there.

 

[Dovadog]

Thanks. That's exactly what I'm worried about. But it's good to know that your pup isn't having problems.

 

[1sttimeforgsd]

I don't have any info for you on the overbite, but if you type overbite in the search box there are several threads that maybe you can get some information from.

 

[1sttimeforgsd]

Not in the google search, but in the search in the black line at the top of the page.

 

[m1953]

7 weeks is real young. The lower jaw grows slower than the upper jaw and catches up by 9 months old. His bite for a 7 week old looks pretty good