Pet Forum

My dog's breath smells so bad! She is an old puppy, and her breath really is starting to stink badly like real doggy breath! Sammy is 11 years old. She is a mixed lab. I started noticing her foul odor about 2 months ago. I actually switched her dog food just to see if that was causing her new stinky dog breath. I guess that wasn't the problem because it is getting worse!

Any idea on what causes bad dog breath? Is there anything I can do about the smell? Are there any products I can buy to help?

One last thing, Sammy has lost a few teeth because of old age. I wonder if that could be part of the thing that is causing this horrible doggy breath? There aren't any dog dentists huh? I've never heard of one. I guess the vet could help her teeth, but he just told me that old dogs lose teeth.

Any idea guys?

Thanks!!!

Hey George. I found some info out about doggy breath for ya. Maybe this will help. This is some product that you can buy online for bad dog breath that people are raving about:

About a capful of Oxyfresh Pet Oral Hygiene Solution in your
dog's drinking water, says Oxyfresh CEO Richard Brooke, and you
can stay in the same house with the animal without holding a rag
over your nose. "Where we get most of our business is from pets
that humans sleep with or ride in the car with, where the pet is
in such close proximity to the human they can't stand the pet's
breath," said Brooke, who doesn't have a dog. If I knew as much
about bad dog breath as this guy does, I wouldn't have a dog
either

I also found this on what causes bad dog breath:

One major cause of bad breath in a dog is periodontal disease, or gingivitis. In a healthy dog, the gums are a coral pink color and the breath, while not necessarily pleasant, is not foul. When a dog is in the early stages of gingivitis, however, it will have brownish deposits on the back of its teeth. It might also have a thin red line running along its gums and its breath may well be foul. These symptoms are unfortunately fairly common in a two or three year old dog whose mouth has not been properly cared for.

I've never heard of a dog dentist either, but I found this:

According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats develop gum disease by the age of three years. Periodontal disease is the most common dental condition affecting dogs and cats. Infection and inflammation of the gums and supporting tissues of the teeth are caused by bacteria present in plaque and calculus (tartar). The problem begins when plaque and calculus are allowed to build up on a pet's teeth, especially below the gumline. Bad breath, bleeding and inflammation of the gums, receding gums, loosening and the eventual loss of teeth are characteristic of the condition. Prophylactic treatment to keep the teeth clean is therefore of great importance. Your veterinarian may recommend an oral hygiene program that includes regularly brushing your pets' teeth with a toothpaste formulated for animals. Diet is a major factor in the development of plaque and calculus. Soft or sticky foods should therefore be avoided, while certain chewing toys are beneficial. A specially formulated diet with dental benefits (reduced accumulation of plaque and calculus) is now available for dogs.

Hope that helps the doggy breath problem. lolol

The reply above me hit this one well. I just wanted to add that proper dental care, when your pet is young, makes all the difference in the world. If you wait until your dog is 12, it's too late to correct the true source of the problem (usually).

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