Does your dog have a bad breath?

Every dog has a bad breath sometimes or smells bad… Dogs like to roll in something that smell really bad or they eat something that stinks a lot. The mouth tends to be very problematic in terms of a bad smell. If dog’s breath smells bad it may be very annoying and people do not want to be around a smelly dog. But most importantly, a bad smell may be an indicator of a potential disease. In this article we shall focus on dog’s mouth as the most problematic part.

Occasional bad smell is ok

Dog’s mouth will never produce a rosy smell. We all know that. Occasional bad breath is called halitosis and it is a rather common phenomenon but if a bad smell lasts for a long time your dog may have a problem and you should be concern. The main cause of unpleasant odour is usually improper or nonexistent dental hygiene.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Do not neglect dental hygiene

The main reason for bad breath often includes tartar or gingivitis. How can you tell that your dog is suffering from one of the above? Well, a yellow coating on teeth and red gums. However, if you do not see these indicators, your dog may have a more serious health problem. For example a liver or stomach disease. If that is the case you should visit a veterinarian.

Aromatic feed and eating faeces

Unfortunately, both may be behind the unpleasant smell. For example, fish pellets have this undesirable effect, especially salmon. And yes, sometimes your pet can eat excrements. Some dogs do that because they look for something different… Check your dog from time to time. If you notice that your dog tends to eat faeces, put a muzzle on him before you go for a walk. If you do not do that, your dog may develop a parasite problem or unpleasant stomach problem.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Prevention

Dry feed or pellets are probably the best choice as far as prevention goes. You can also use rather hard and abrasive dry treats which help to a certain extent. Hard vegetables such as carrots can also help with teeth cleaning. If you provide soft feed, do not forget to brush your dog’s teeth several times a week. Of course, you need to use special brush for dogs. Seaweed is also good. Extracts from seaweed eliminate odour and formation of dental plaque.

Source: Yoggies.cz, metropolevet.cz

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán