Mary Allen
Dogs can develop pervasive bad breath. This is an unpleasant experience for the owner, but this is usually an indication of an illness and should be clarified by a veterinarian.
Bad Breath In Dogs: Symptoms And Their Meaning
The dog smells from its mouth – that’s perhaps difficult to describe. But doctors have words for it: sweet, sour, putrid, … or combinations of these. Depending on the smell, this is an indication of something else: tartar and bacterial infections can smell foul. If the smell comes from the lower digestive tract, e.g. the stomach, because the dog has to belch, it has a different quality again, namely more acidic. And metabolic diseases such as diabetes (sweet) or kidney failure have their very own “scent”, in this case smelling of urine.
It is also important whether the bad breath occurs in the dog permanently or intermittently. In any case, it is worthwhile to clarify the dog’s mouth odor at the veterinarian. In this way, serious consequences can be avoided.
Bad Breath Dog: Causes
In most cases, bad breath in dogs is caused by dental plaque. These contain plenty of bacteria, the waste products of which smell unpleasant. In addition, pockets form in the gums as a result, in which these germs also grow and cause gingivitis in dogs. An increase would be rotten teeth, which of course also smell strongly. Other dental diseases such as periodontitis, tooth fractures (i.e. broken teeth), and stuck food (common with misaligned teeth) also cause bad breath in dogs. You can find out more about dentistry and toothache in animals here.
Lip eczema causes inflammation in the skin folds of the lips. Bacteria and fungi can settle there – the dog stinks from the mouth.
By the way: If a dog wears dog braces, it can happen that food components get caught in them and also start to rot. This bad breath in dogs usually goes away very quickly after removing the braces.
Bad Breath In Dogs: It Doesn’t Always Come From The Mouth
In addition to pure dental diseases, there are other diseases that can cause bad breath in dogs. This is important because these diseases can be life-threatening. This is how dogs smell from their mouths when they have too high a concentration of metabolic waste products in the blood (uremia) that are not properly excreted through the kidneys.
Other possible causes of bad breath in dogs are:
- Autoimmune diseases such as pemphigus
- tonsillitis
- mouth and throat tumors
- salivary gland diseases
- Coprophagia (eating feces, e.g. horse droppings)
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
- Sinusitis (sinus infection)
- Bronchopneumonia (inflammation of the lungs)
Harmless but unpleasant is the bad breath that dogs get when they are fed strong-smelling feed such as fish or tripe.
Bad Breath Dog: Puppies
Even puppies can develop bad breath. If it smells metallic, this smell can be caused by light bleeding when changing teeth. If the odor is rather putrid, loose teeth that have not yet fallen out can be the reason: leftover food and/or bacteria can accumulate on the loose teeth and lead to inflammation. This form of bad breath in puppies ends at the latest when the change of teeth is complete.
Other causes of puppy bad breath can be, for example:
- Problems with changing teeth, jaw diseases
- Bite into the upper jaw with subsequent inflammation
- sore throat
Bad Breath Dog: Diagnosis
If you find, “My dog has bad breath!” and take him to the vet, who will examine him thoroughly. This includes a general examination of the entire animal, which is part of every visit to the vet because here you can already see many indications of how the animal is doing and where the problem might lie. A special examination of the mouth and throat follows. If tartar or inflammation is the cause of bad breath in dogs, they appear here.
A blood test makes sense to rule out the threatening conditions of metabolic diseases such as kidney inflammation and diabetes. This also shows whether the dog is suffering from severe inflammation, because then changes in the blood count would be found.
X-rays or CT scans of the head and trunk as well as endoscopy of the nose, bronchi, or stomach can then be used to find the cause of the bad breath.
Bad Breath Dog: Therapy
What helps against bad breath in dogs? That depends on the underlying cause. Dental treatment is often necessary. Various options are available, from cleaning to comprehensive tooth restoration. Anti-inflammatories, painkillers, acid blockers, and antibiotics can be helpful against inflammation, including in the airways or digestive tract; the veterinarian will decide this on a case-by-case basis.
Bad Breath Dog: Prevention
If bad breath occurs in the dog, it should definitely be clarified by a veterinarian! This is the only way to detect serious illnesses. All things that protect against dental disease help to prevent bad breath. Which includes:
- brush teeth regularly (preferably get the puppy used to it)
- Chewing bones and high-quality food for mechanical cleaning of the teeth
- regular teeth cleaning at the vet (remove tartar dog)
Also, check whether leftover food has accumulated between the teeth and remove it (see also brushing your teeth).
Dog Bad Breath: Home Remedies And Self-Help
If the vet has ruled out serious illnesses, there are a few tips and tricks on how to combat harmless bad breath in your dog:
- Herbs: Parsley, peppermint, and basil neutralize bad smells. Finely chopped and given under the feed, they reduce bad breath.
- Now and then a piece of dry bread or a carrot mimics chewing bones and provides a mechanical cleaning of the teeth.
- Small doses of yogurt in the feed should also have an odor-binding effect.
- A compress soaked in cold chamomile tea can help if the gums bleed during the change of teeth.
If the dog has “been exhausted” in terms of bad breath, all health problems have been clarified, changing the food could also help. It is important that the dog continues to be supplied with all the important nutrients. Be sure to seek professional advice on this!
Bad Breath Dog: Conclusion
Bad breath in dogs should always be taken seriously as a symptom and clarified if possible. This will avoid bad consequences and banter for the animal. In the case of harmless bad breath, on the other hand, dental hygiene and, if necessary, a change in feeding help.