Why Does My Dog Has Bad Breath?

Bad breath is commonly a sign of poor oral hygiene or infection in the dog’s mouth. In some rare cases it may also result from infection in other parts of the body such as the digestive system.

Bad breath is something that most owners hate to deal with and this is a common health problem in dogs. It may be every embarrassing for you if your dog has bad breath and it also makes being close to the dog unbearable.

Here are infections that will cause halitosis (bad breath)

- Periodontal disease

This is an infection of the periodontal membrane of the teeth. In addition to bad breath the dog will also be in pain and the tissue surrounding the teeth will appear inflamed   

- Abscesses in the mouth

These are pus filled cavities. The molar abscess is an example of such. This abscess forms due to an infection of the carnassial teeth.       

- Ulcers

Ulcers in the mouth if not treated will end up causing bad odours of the mouth.

- Tartar build-up

Tartar accumulates on the surface of the teeth. If not removed as frequently as it should through scraping, it ends up accumulating resulting in very bad odour.

- Decaying tooth

In addition to pain and increased sensitivity, such kind of teeth also cause the dog to have bad breath

- Kidney failure

Chronic kidney failure will result in accumulation of waste products in the body. These waste products end up in the blood stream and will reach various organs including the oral cavity. The dog may have breath that smells of urine.

- Stomach ulcers

These ulcers are usually prone to bleeding. The blood in most cases will be vomited and this will leave a bad odour in the mouth.

While some of the conditions above require professional treatment, you can also help by maintaining good oral hygiene.

You should brush your dog’s teeth daily or at intervals of two days. If you are not able to do this then you can get your some commercially available preparations that you can give your dog. These include chews, greenies and bones. These will help clean the teeth, reduce tartar build-up and also help massage your dogs gum to promote circulation. Some of these also contain mint to keep your dog’s breath fresh.

Take your dog to the vet every once in a while to have his teeth cleaned professionally. During this time, the vet will also check the dental cavity for other anomalies.

Diet will also play a big role in preventing bad breath. Some dogs when left alone, may eat all sorts of things. Some even end up eating their own faeces! Ensure your dog is well fed and has access to clean water. Avoid giving him things with a lot of sugar such as candy. Dogs should be fed healthy dog food.

If bad breath persists for sometime then have the dog checked by a vet. It could be a sign that the halitosis is due to an underlying issue. The issue whatever it is will be properly diagnosed and treated by the vet.

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