Bad breath is caused by the build up of bacteria in the mouth, stomach or lungs of your dog. You see, bad breath in humans is no different than bad breath in dogs. A canine with a rotting tooth or a gum disease may emit that bad odor. If you dog does not get natural foods to eat such as raw meet which can naturally clean the dogs teeth, plaque and tartar can develop and over long periods of time will form tooth decay and bad breath. Persistent bad breath could be an indication of a larger medical problem in the mouth, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, or internal organs.
How To Help Prevent Bad Breath In Your Dog
Once you understand what causes bad breath in the animal, you will then know how to take some basic steps to minimize your dog having bad breath:
Bring your dog to the vet for regular checkups: I really have to emphasize this point. Dogs are not humans and once we have domesticated them, it is our duty to take care of them. When you bring your dog to the vet, he/she will be able to determine any existing or developing problems, therefore you are able to quickly do corrective measures.
Change Your Dogs Diet: How many lions or hyenas do you see sporting weak decayed teeth, they are in their natural environment which also helps to naturally take care of their health. Dogs were designed to eat raw food. Raw diet complete with raw meaty bones or a fresh food diet that’s not laden with starch is enough to prevent and even helps to treat dental disease. The surprise belief is that raw meat must be bad for your dog and may even cause bacteria development. Well, that is quite the opposite. Raw foods contain naturally occurring enzymes that help protect the teeth and gums.
Get your Dog's Teeth Cleaned
Bring your dog to the vet and let the expert take care of your dogs gum and teeth. Teeth are very important to a dog. It is his guard, his offense and defense.
Brush Your Dog's Teeth
If you don't feed your dog raw meat with bones, you have the option of brushing your dogs teeth. You can brush the dogs teeth at least twice per month.
Keep You Dogs Water Fresh Plentiful
Since bad breath comes from bacteria, the more water the dog consumes the more bacteria gets washed away.
WARNING!!!
DO NOT USE TOOTHPASTE USED BY HUMANS ON YOUR DOG!
- Toothpaste is not such a great thing, not even for humans. But when you brush a dogs teeth, it tends to swallow the toothpaste. This can lead to major internal problems for your dog. Many toothpaste contain sudsing agents that causes the toothpaste to foam brushing. Dogs that ingests enough of it can develop liver damage.
- There is also a chemical called xylitol which is used in the production of human toothpaste. It acts as a sweetener. This chemical can also be found in sugar free gums and even chew-able vitamins. Brushing your dog's teeth with paste which contain this chemical will allow the dog to absorb this into its blood stream. This may cause a surge in insulin, then a drop in blood sugar, if left untreated, may lead to severe liver problems.
- There are also many items on the market that are like mint to humans with bad breath, they do not solve the problem, they only mask it. I do not recommend you give your dogs any of these items. If you plan to brush your dog's teeth, ask your vet about a recommended toothpaste for pets.