5 reasons for bad breath in dogs
Bad breath in dogs can be a sign of an underlying health issue.
Bad breath in dogs isn’t the most pleasant of conditions to be dealing with as a pet parent, especially if your canine companion loves nothing more than to smother you with kisses the minute you walk through the door.
While there are plenty of tips to keep dog teeth clean and healthy it’s important to figure out why your beloved bundle of fluff is experiencing bad breath in the first place so that you can then choose the most appropriate form of treatment, which may be as simple as buying the best toothbrush for dogs or a dental additive.
Although we often just write off a dog’s bad breath as part and parcel of owning a pup, it’s worth noting that while a certain degree of stinky breath is to be expected from time to time, a foul and persistent odor is often the sign of an underlying health issue.
Learning how to brush a dog’s teeth can certainly be a useful skill when it comes to preventing plaque and tartar build-up, but other more serious conditions, such as diabetes in dogs, kidney disease, and liver disease, are all potential health issues that can cause bad breath and require specialist intervention.
Poor oral hygiene practices and periodontal disease are the most common causes of bad breath in dogs.
Unsupervised snacking on anything from feces to household objects can lead to rotten smelling breath which can be further exacerbated if your pup is frequently vomiting up all that foreign material that their body isn’t able to digest.
A serious but treatable condition, diabetes in dogs is fairly common, affecting around 1 in 300 pups. Along with symptoms like an increase in thirst and urination, bad breath that has a sweet or fruity smell to it is another key sign of the condition.
When the kidneys aren’t working properly, either due to an underlying disease or kidney failure, toxins start to build up in the blood and these can cause your dog’s breath to smell like urine.
Just like with kidney disease, liver disease is a serious condition that can lead to seizures, coma, and even death if left untreated.
Schedule a dental exam with your vet but to prevent bad breath in your dog, there are several simple things you can do at home to keep those pearly whites in tip-top condition.
Regular brushing
Dental treats
Special oral health diet