Here are 10 gross reasons why dogs have bad breath—and believe it or not, we have the power to correct or eliminate their bad breath and fall in love with sweet puppy kisses again.
Dogs…
10. Eat poop. Shocking but true—consult with your veterinarian to rule out any medical reasons for this behavior. Otherwise, training and cleaning up waste immediately can eliminate this problem.
9. Eat vomit. See #10—dogs will eat just about anything. Watch them closely.
8. Hunt vermin. Cats aren’t the only closet serial killers. Dogs chase squirrels, rabbits, birds and other potentially disease-carrying vermin. Thanks for offering me your prized headless squirrel but don’t expect a kiss for the effort.
7. Lick pee. Ok, so the rule is to never eat yellow snow, and don’t taste melted yellow snow either. Urine is not a fresh and fruity flavor.
6. Eat garbage. That’s like stumbling upon an open door to a free all-you-can-eat buffet of gross. Close the door and remove the temptation to eat stinky stuff.
5. Drink from the toilet. If the water is clean, then why do we prefer our drinking water from the tap or a bottle? Lid down please.
4. Chew bones and bully sticks. Sure, chewing on bones is what dogs do, but you know what that stuff is made from right? Just sayin.
3. Lick to clean. Any self-cleaning effort is welcomed, but I don’t buy the “a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human mouth” knowing where that tongue has just been. Better make sure your dog doesn’t have parasites. Bubbles and perfume were not present, so don’t breathe in my face.
2. Never brush their teeth. Their lack of opposable thumbs and gross habits (See #3-10) are not reasons for avoiding proper dental care. Talk to your veterinarian about easy steps for brushing your dog’s teeth as well as pet toothpaste formulated especially for dogs and types of brushes. Never use human toothpaste on a dog! I don’t expect a blast of minty fresh breath from panting, but regular oral care is a good start to eliminating halitosis.
1. Can suffer from gingivitis and rotten teeth. An oral exam should be an important part of your dog’s (or cat’s) annual veterinary exam. Like keeping current with required vaccinations and parasite preventives, regular dental care is an important part of overall wellness and reducing pet dental disease. Harmful bacteria, visible tartar build-up and rotten teeth result in bad breath, pain, and serious medical conditions if left untreated. Just because your dog’s mouth looks like a normal dog mouth, doesn’t mean problems are not present. Regular veterinary dental exam complete with x-rays and teeth cleaning will keep your dog’s mouth healthy and avoid the cost of major dental work or associated medical care down the road.
It’s not about having a white smile, proper pet dental care is about a healthy mouth. Advanced dental disease includes pain, inflammation and loss of teeth.
Love is a clean mouth, sweet breath and kisses from the four-legged love of your life. If your dog still has bad breath after managing the really yucky things dogs do (We all agree 10-3 are gross, right?), then take pet dental care seriously and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian today.
Call Doylestown Veterinary Hospital at 215-345-6000 to schedule an exam and consultation to discuss the benefits of proper dental care for your pet.
