weird chomping/grinding noise

[Tuff Love]

In the last couple weeks Thora has developed a bizarre noise that I can't seem to pinpoint. She adjusts her chops a lot when she's about to rest, and sometimes I hear this clacking noise. It's hard to describe, but it's like she's softly grinding her teeth. It's brief but she does it all the time lately. She eats fine and opens her mouth fine, doesn't seem to have any irritation. I tried looking in her mouth but it's hard to really see everything with her floppy jowls in the way. I tried to get a better look while brushing her teeth, but I can't see anything irregular so far. I was worried she chipped a tooth or something because she batters the heck out of her metal crate with her mouth. She doesn't like to be left in it when we're home (which we've done a lot lately to keep her from running out the door while we're moving boxes). She literally grabs the crate sides with her teeth and shakes it! I wonder if she put her jaw out of alignment or something doing that? It didn't occur to me until I recently saw her really have at it. I want to have her checked out but until this move is finished I really can't get her in unless there's an emergency (and I don't think this is). Any thoughts on what that could be? I really can't see her back teeth very well, but the fronts seem fine... no odor anymore (she had some skanky breath for a while).

 

[tasham]

My Baxter used to do this when he was still with us. (RIP my sweet boy!) It's an annoying sound isn't it! He would only do it when he was just settling down to go do sleep and would grind his teeth and jaw for a few moments, then usually stopped. I asked our vet about it a couple times. They checked his teeth, and even at 12 years old, he had no signs of tooth or gum problems. Our vet told us sometimes it was just something they did during stressful times. Maybe because of the move she's a bit stressed? Once you're settled it she might stop. I would guess it sounds more like a stress thing, but of course it doesn't hurt to get it checked out. Hopefully everything will be just fine. Good luck with the move!

 

[Tuff Love]

No kidding? Well that's comforting to hear, and I hope that is the case. I was thinking maybe it was similar to people grinding their teeth, but then with how she shakes her crate with her teeth I can't completely dismiss it. It just started a couple weeks ago and we started our move (going back and forth to paint and do floors) a few weeks ago also. My husband finally noticed it and it bugs him, but not me so much other than my lingering concern. She's also still growing, so maybe it's a growing thing? She's got one heck of an underbite .

 

[Cami]

Raine grinds her teeth occasionally, just before going to sleep. Was more often when she was smaller but I can still hear it once in a while.

 

[Tuff Love]

Huh... This must be more common than I thought. None of my dogs ever did anything like this. I could be worrying for nothing I guess . I will just have to keep an eye on her until she sees the vet then. Thanks for sharing- I feel a little less concerned about it hearing that.

 

[LILYLARUE]

Buster does the grinding too before sleeping. Sometimes even chomps and clicks. Thinking maybe it's normal, even stress enduced.

 

[johann]

Johann grinds his teeth sometimes when sleeping. Drives me crazy....between him and DH I need some ear plugs.

 

[Tuff Love]

Ha- Glad to hear we're not alone! And here I am thinking something is wrong with her

 

[Boxer_21]

Mason went through a teeth grinding phase, but the vet couldn't see anything wrong.