How Many Teeth Do Goats Have, and What Are They Called?

By Dr Duncan Houston

Look inside the front of a goat’s mouth and something seems to be missing: the upper front teeth. That is normal. Goats have a firm dental pad there instead.

Their teeth are designed for collecting and chewing plant material. Knowing how they work also helps you spot problems that can quietly affect a goat’s weight and wellbeing.

Quick answer: Adult goats normally have 32 permanent teeth, and kids develop 20 baby teeth. Adults have eight lower front teeth and 24 cheek teeth, with a dental pad replacing the upper front teeth. Missing upper front teeth are normal, but difficulty chewing, drooling or weight loss deserves veterinary attention.

What are a goat’s teeth called?

The adult teeth are divided into incisors, canines, premolars and molars.

Tooth type	Upper jaw	Lower jaw	Total	Main role
Incisors	0	6	6	Gripping and biting plant material
Canines	0	2	2	Working alongside the incisors
Premolars	6	6	12	Crushing and grinding food
Molars	6	6	12	Grinding fibrous food
Total	12	20	32

The lower canine teeth sit at the outer ends of the front row and look like incisors. This is why farming guides often describe goats as having eight lower incisors. Anatomically, that row contains six incisors and two incisiform, or incisor-shaped, canines. They are not pointed fangs.

The incisors are named first, second and third, counting outwards from the centre on each side. Behind the toothless gap are three premolars and three molars in each quarter of the mouth. The premolars are designated P2, P3 and P4, because goats normally lack P1. The molars are M1, M2 and M3.

Why do goats have a dental pad?

The tough pad gives the lower front teeth a surface against which to grip vegetation. Goats still have upper teeth farther back, where the cheek teeth help them chew food and cud.

So the statement “goats have no top teeth” is only partly correct. They have no upper front teeth, but they have 12 upper cheek teeth. Keep fingers away from the back of the mouth when handling them.

How many teeth do baby goats have?

A kid’s complete baby set contains 20 teeth: eight lower front teeth and 12 premolars. There are no baby molars.

Baby teeth emerge during the first weeks of life. Later, permanent teeth replace them, while 12 adult molars appear behind the premolars. Those additional molars account for the increase from 20 to 32 teeth.

The changeover happens gradually. A young goat can therefore have baby teeth and permanent teeth at the same time.

Can you tell a goat’s age from its teeth?

The lower front teeth provide a useful estimate, particularly in young goats. Smaller milk teeth are replaced by larger permanent teeth, beginning with the central pair and moving outwards.

The timing varies between animals and published guides. These broad ranges are a practical guide rather than an exact timetable:

Front teeth present	Common description	Approximate age
All eight are milk teeth	Milk mouth	Usually under about 1 year
Central pair permanent	Two-tooth	About 1 to 1½ years
Four permanent front teeth	Four-tooth	About 1½ to 2 years
Six permanent front teeth	Six-tooth	About 2 to 3 years
All eight front teeth permanent	Full mouth	About 2½ to 4 years

“Two-tooth” does not mean the goat only has two teeth. It describes the number of permanent front teeth visible.

Breed, nutrition and individual development affect eruption, while diet and environment affect wear. After the permanent front teeth are present, estimating age becomes less reliable. Birth records remain the best guide.

What does “broken mouth” mean?

A broken-mouthed goat has lost or significantly damaged some permanent front teeth. The term does not mean the jaw itself is broken.

“Gummy” generally describes an animal whose front teeth have fallen out or worn down severely. These changes can make collecting feed harder, particularly when forage is poor or difficult to grasp.

The useful question is whether the goat can eat comfortably and maintain body condition. A goat with missing front teeth may still manage suitable feed, but painful or ineffective cheek teeth can seriously affect chewing.

What dental problems can goats develop?

Goats can develop uneven wear, overgrown cheek teeth, periodontal disease, tooth fractures and dental abscesses. Poor jaw alignment can also affect how the teeth meet.

Watch for:

• Dropping partly chewed food or struggling to chew.

• Drooling or persistent bad breath.

• Food collecting in a cheek.

• Swelling around the jaw or face.

• Weight loss despite approaching the feed.

• Loose, broken or unusually worn teeth.

Weight loss should not automatically be blamed on old teeth. Feed quality, competition, parasites and other diseases also need consideration. A goat may be trying to eat while failing to consume enough usable nutrition.

When should you contact a veterinarian?

Arrange an examination for persistent chewing changes, mouth odour, loose teeth or unexplained weight loss.

Seek same-day veterinary advice if your goat stops eating, develops painful facial swelling, or has significant mouth pain or bleeding. A kid unable to suckle also needs prompt assessment. A heavily pregnant doe that stops eating needs urgent attention because metabolic illness can develop or worsen quickly.

Difficulty breathing, inability to swallow, collapse or rapidly worsening abdominal swelling requires emergency veterinary help. Do not force feed, drench or pour water into a goat that cannot swallow normally.

How are a goat’s teeth examined and treated?

A complete assessment needs more than lifting the lip. The back teeth are difficult to inspect, and your veterinarian may need sedation, a mouth speculum and suitable lighting.

Treatment depends on the findings. It may involve correcting harmful overgrowths, treating infection or removing a diseased tooth. Filing or extraction should never be attempted at home.

How can you protect your goat’s dental health?

1. Watch individuals eat. Notice whether one goat takes longer, drops food or is pushed away from the feeder.

2. Track weight and body condition. A rounded abdomen does not necessarily mean the goat is maintaining muscle and body reserves.

3. Include the mouth in routine veterinary checks. Older goats and animals with previous dental problems may need closer monitoring.

4. Review the diet when chewing becomes difficult. Your vet or livestock nutritionist can help select an appropriate ration and feed texture.

5. Make dietary changes gradually. Suddenly replacing forage with large amounts of grain can cause ruminal acidosis.

Keep clean water available and provide enough feeding space for quieter animals. A goat with poor teeth may need protected feeding time to meet its needs.

Common mistakes include assuming the absence of upper front teeth is a defect, treating an age chart as exact, checking only the incisors, and waiting for substantial weight loss before seeking help.

Do goats need their teeth floated like horses?

Some goats need veterinary correction of abnormal cheek-tooth overgrowths. It is not a procedure every goat automatically needs on a fixed schedule. Treatment should follow an examination.

Do goats’ adult teeth grow back?

No. Lost permanent teeth are not replaced. Cheek teeth have tall crowns that gradually wear and emerge further, but their supply of tooth material is finite.

Do miniature goats have the same number of teeth?

Yes. Miniature breeds follow the same normal adult dental formula of 32 teeth. Age, missing teeth and previous treatment can change an individual animal’s count.

If you are unsure whether your goat’s teeth, chewing or weight changes are normal, ASK A VET™ can help you understand the next steps. Photos of the front teeth and a video of eating can support an initial discussion, while pain, swelling or difficulty feeding needs an in-person veterinary examination.