They don’t call it ‘dog breath’ for no reason. Most dogs suffer from terrible breath at one time or another. Some struggle with horrible halitosis their entire lives. While it may not appear to bother them very much, it probably isn’t pleasant for you when they try to plant puppy kisses all over you. Here’s what you need to know about your dog’s bad breath, including some common causes and what you can do to cure them.
Common causes of bad breath in dogs
While the things your dog eats can have some impact on his breath, the biggest culprit is actually poor dental hygiene. Dogs chew on lots of dirty, germy stuff, so it’s no surprise that these germs hang around on their teeth and gums. Bacteria from stinky stuff (and even your dog’s food) can linger in the oral cavity and breed, leading to knockout-bad breath and plaque buildup on your pooch’s teeth.
This same bacteria can wind up in your pet’s stomach, making it even more difficult to treat the bad breath. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent halitosis in your dog.
Prevention and treatment
You can keep your dog’s breath minty fresh by cleaning his teeth daily. Be sure to use a toothpaste designed for dogs--human toothpaste can upset your pet’s stomach--and aim for daily brushing or twice a week, minimum. You can purchase oral solution to add to your dog’s water to treat the bacteria in the stomach, or you could squeeze lemon juice into your pet’s water.
Keep your pet’s diet balanced to help prevent stinky breath. Ask your vet for food recommendations for your breed to help keep the healthy gut bacteria and eliminate stinky dog breath. You can also add crunchy vegetables like raw carrots to your dog’s diet to help clean the teeth naturally. You can also buy special dog treats designed to clean the plaque from your pet’s teeth.
Whether you’re looking to improve your pet’s health or find out about dog training, the friendly staff at Bark Busters are always ready to help. Visit today and see how you can help your dog grow and learn.