Why does my dogs breath stink so bad?

Chihuahuas are prone to dental disease. Take a look in his mouth (especially in the back). If you see tartar build up and red gums he needs a dental cleaning performed under anesthesia by a veterinarian. Once you get rid of the tartar and deal with any diseased teeth, brushing his teeth and other types of home care can help slow its return. Keep in mind that dental disease can be very painful and lead to serious health problems throughout the body so this is not a problem you want to ignore.

Bad breath happens for a number of reasons. If his breath wasn't smelly when you got him from the shelter it could be because of the food you are feeding him or because since you adopted him tartar has built up on his teeth. My dog gets his teeth brushed about once a month to keep the tartar down and if his breath gets bad before it's time for his brushing I give him Old Mother Hubbard Fresh breath treats. If his bad breath persists after brushing and possibly changing his food you will want to take him to the vet to see if there is something internally affecting his breath.

Bad dog breath can also be a symptom of a much more serious, and insidious, health problem. 80 percent of dogs over the age of 3 suffer from periodontal disease - which is a serious deterioration of the gums and supporting bones of the teeth.

Left unchecked, the resulting bacteria can enter the bloodstream, causing infection or damage to vital organs such as the kidneys, lungs, heart or liver.

2 to 5 years of your dog's life can be gained with good oral health.

Oxyfresh for Pets is a good dental care item. Oxyfresh offers simple, effective oral hygiene for your dog, starting with Pet Oral Hygiene Solution. It's a tasteless, odorless solution which is easily added to your dog’s drinking water to promote healthy gums and eliminate bad breath odors, thereby stopping bacteria and periodontal disease in its tracks!

Also, you can feed your dog hard kibble dog food or biscuits at least once a day. The friction from chewing the hard food cleans the teeth while providing the teething benefits your Chihuahua needs.

Hard nylon or rawhide bones help remove plaque. Give your puppy a hard chew toy at least once a week. Personally, I give my small Yorkshire terriers small Greenies dental chews.

Brush your pet's teeth several times a week, with a soft-bristled nylon toothbrush and a plaque-retardant, tartar-control toothpaste. Brush in a circular motion as you would your own teeth. Expect minor gum bleeding until the gums tighten. Make sure you use brushes and toothpaste specially meant for dogs (not for humans). I recommend the kind of toothpaste that does NOT need to be rinsed out.

Keep the folds of skin around the mouth clean and free of food with dental cleansers.

In severe cases of tartar buildup, teeth may have to be scaled and polished to remove tartar. It is easy and most pets tolerate it well. You can use a tooth scaler or have the cleaning done by your veterinarian.

Well probably for one of three reasons pretty much the same as for people:

1) He/she ate something not so good like rotten food or dead animal etc. My dogs did this a few too many times so now I just don't let them out unless I'm out there with them.

2) His teeth need cleaning. Dogs teeth need cleaning and brushing just like people. If you look in your dogs mouth and the teeth are covered with tartar that is basically a breeding ground for bacteria so your dog's breath will stink. I bought a tooth brush and beef flavored tooth (from the vet or they sell on line at http://www.drsfostersmith.com/dog-supplies/pr/c/33... paste and brush my dogs teeth once a week to avoid this. Sounds crazy but it works.

3) Type of food is also an issue. if you feed really cheap food it basically rots in their stomach and digestive system and gives them very horrible breath. I feed my dogs Honest Kitchen dog food. It's all dehydrated and you just add water at meal time. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/products/dog-food/ It has really helped with breath and overall health. I also have fed Blue Buffalo in the past which is also a good dry dog food and helped with breath.

4) if none of those seem likely or your dog is also acting differently you should probably take him/her to a vet.

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RE:

Why does my dogs breath stink so bad?

I just adopted him from a shelter, hes tree 3 yrs old and hes 11lbs chihuahua. When i got him he did not have this bad breath. Its really bad. Any advice besides just taking him to the Vet and someone has experienced this?

Thanks

The only time I've had my dog's breath gets worse is when her allergies are acting up, and then it is similar to a sinus infection in humans. You might try brushing his teeth and see if it makes a difference. The only other thing I can think of is taking him to a vet and checking to make sure he doesn't have allergies or some kind of infection

Anytime you get a new dog, it should be seen by a vet within 48-72 hours after taking it home. Your dog needs to see a VET to get down to the bottom of the problem. Your dog cannot be diagnosed by a bunch of total strangers on YA's.

There is doggy toothpaste and brush that you can use. Some dogs have a problem with breath odor. They also have treats that are for bad breath that the dog can chew on to help.

It is probably time for some dental work. Chihuahua's are known for not having great teeth. Take him to vet.

Rotten teeth or meat rotting between teeth, get him to a vet for a check.