The presence of bad breath is a warning indication that should not be ignored in your dog. One of my dogs unfortunately died of periodontal disease, and I had to learn this the hard way. The most common reason of persistent bad breath is tartar buildup, which is characteristic of periodontal disease.
Tartar forms on teeth and provides food for bacteria that cause bad breath and tooth decay. If the bacteria that causes a gum infection is allowed to thrive, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause sickness.
Due to the significant tartar buildup that happens with age, it is usual for older dogs to have foul breath unless they have had regular dental cleanings.
Because of this, if your dog has particularly foul breath, it's probably time to take him to the vet for a dental checkup. Your vet will conduct a full physical examination of your dog to identify the cause of the my dog has bad breath and rule out more serious diseases. The vet's examination of your dog will allow him to offer his expert assessment of the situation and recommend future steps.
To be completely forthright, you need to start brushing your dog's teeth right away. As the old adage goes, prevention is always better than cure. Modern dog toothpastes are all highly effective and can be used to clean a dog's teeth.
Your dog will go nuts over the various flavours, including chicken and beef. The teeth-cleaning technique may be difficult at first, but your dog will learn to tolerate it.
You may help your dog avoid tartar buildup by giving him chew toys and bones to play with in addition to regular brushings. A Tartar Buster is a great alternative to the more common dog treats like chews and bones.
My dog's tartar has been greatly reduced by using tartar busters with a diameter of three inches, which I regularly purchase. However, like with any type of dog food, you should keep a close eye on your pet to make sure he doesn't eat any bits that are too big.
If the tartar accumulation is particularly bad, the vet may recommend sedating the animal for the cleaning. However, keep in mind that this could get pricey if your dog is getting on in years, and it could also offer certain health hazards to your pet. But I think the risk is worth it if it means avoiding fatal consequences down the road.
The two main causes of your dog's bad breath
In this brief article, I'll go over two of the most common causes of dog bad breath.
If your dog has never had an issue with bad breath before, but you have noticed it suddenly, it is possible that one or more of their teeth have deteriorated and will need to be pulled. The removal of decayed teeth is a common treatment for bad breath since it eliminates the source of the odour, decayed teeth.
Bad breath in dogs is often caused by the accumulation of tartar and plaque on their teeth. If your dog is currently consuming canned food but there is no medical necessity for it to do so, you may want to move it to a dry or raw diet to prevent tartar buildup.
Cleaning your dog's teeth with a finger brush and dog-formulated flavoured toothpaste as soon as you notice tartar development is essential. There will be a dramatic improvement after you start brushing your dog's teeth.
How frequently should one brush their teeth? Depending on how bad the cavities are or how much plaque has built up, you may need to brush your teeth twice a day, every day, for a week to get rid of the plaque, and then once or twice a week to preserve the effects. The frequency with which you should remove tartar from your teeth depends on how much buildup there currently is.
Avoid using human dental products on your dog; canine toothbrushes are shaped differently for better results, and dog toothpaste comes in a range of meaty flavours that dogs adore, making it a breeze to clean their teeth.
