Doggy Breath - Causes and Cures

 

Most dogs suffer from bad breath at one time or another. Some struggle with horrible halitosis (which is a fancy word for bad breath) 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

While the things your dog eats can have some impact on their 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 terrible breath and plaque build up on your pooch's teeth.

These 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.

Treatment and prevention

Brushing your dog's teeth several times a week using toothpaste made specially for dogs can help clean away plaque and tartar and help avoid the build up of bacteria that leads to halitosis. 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 to help clear their palate and give them fresher breath.

Give your dog breath friendly treats. Add crunchy vegetables like raw carrots to your dog's diet to help clean their teeth naturally. You can also buy special dog treats designed to clean the plaque from your pet's teeth.

Hard chew toys also help to remove the build up of bacteria from teeth, so make sure your dog has safe chew toys just for this purpose.

Apart from regular dental care, be sure you visit your vet regularly to make sure there isn't another underlying reason for your dog's bad breath.

 

 

 

 

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