Well I'm posting this in hope that someone with some experience and generious resourses can help. When we rescued Iolaus (e' ol' us), we noticed that his upper canines were gone. One broke off at the gum line, and the other missing all together. One small purpose for them was to hold the upper lips out of the way so the lower canines could come up and nestle neatly in his mouth. This week we will probably have to have the other canines removed because he is bitting his upper lips and is in extreme pain. He's trying to chew his food but when his lip gets in the way, he rolls on his back and scratches at his mouth. We found blood on him tonight for the first time. There are times that we think he is trying chew something, buy he is only trying to get his lower canines in his mouth and off his upper lips. We noticed some cuts on the upper lips when we first got him, but we didn't know how they got there. Is there a way to give him a cap on the broken tooth, and some how open the gums and "screw" a metal tooth to the jaw bone then let the gums heal over? Does anybody do this sort of thing or know anyone who does? If not, how will he do defending himself with no canaines at all? I've heard of other rescues with missing teeth, but how do they get along with others? Do they use canines to break food up? We live in Missoula Montana and can be contacted by e-mail: ([log in to unmask]). Thank you Michael [Posted in FML issue 2327]