Bad Breath in Dogs and Cats: Causes and Treatments

Have you ever doubted your life because of the bad breath of your family dog or cat? Why can it be so smelly? Everyone knows about human bad breath and has experienced it. For example, a brother or sister who looks very clean will immediately lose their good image when he opens his mouth. Oral care for dogs and cats is the same as for humans. Oral problems can easily be overlooked. By the time a problem occurs, it has already become serious.

Even though dogs and cats are pets, they also have a lot of interaction with people. Dogs, in particular, are much more enthusiastic than cats. They often put their heads to their owners’ mouths, asking for petting and kisses (usually, they’ve already licked you first). If a dog shows signs of bad breath, an owner who would otherwise be happy to interact with the dog may refuse because of the bad breath. Over time, you may even come to hate the dog. In this case, the dog’s request will not be responded to, ultimately affecting the dog’s mood and, thus, the relationship between the dog and its owner.

Of course, the fact is that both dogs and cats have unconscious bad breaths, and they have no reason for people to hate them. Bad breath in dogs and cats often hides a seemingly ordinary but serious problem.

1. Are dogs and cats suddenly picky or hungry?

For example, a dog or cat may have a great appetite and be expert eaters. Suddenly, one day, it stopped eating and lost interest in food. The cat then brought out his favorite treat, but he was not interested either. Sometimes, you will drool and become irritable. If this happens, you should suspect that you have a serious oral disease. If doctors don’t catch the problem early and don’t treat it, the bacteria can spread along the bloodstream and affect other organs, ultimately making the situation more difficult.

Oral problems are details that pet owners need to pay more attention to. Some people may recognize a problem but not know how to deal with it or get help. Research shows that the proportion of pets with oral problems requiring treatment remains high. It was also noted that pet owners need to seek help proactively. Oral abnormalities were found in only 8% of consultations, and pet hospitals discovered the remaining 92%. Therefore, we should pay more attention to the condition of our pets and know how to prevent it. Because firstly, the economic cost will be high; second, the pet and owner will be in a bad mood; and third, the pet will feel uncomfortable during the treatment process.

2. Provide regular oral care to pets

To avoid oral disease problems, brushing your pet’s teeth regularly is most important. Brushing your pet’s teeth keeps them healthy and prevents tartar from forming. I have read an article before and mentioned that Cai Yijin, consultant to the American Pet Food Association and director of the animal hospital, said that based on his experience, most pet owners lack the concept of dental care for their pets. Cai Yijin mentioned that dental calculus is a common oral problem for furry children, and humans and pets may suffer from dental calculus. It is generally rare in young dogs, but in young and middle-aged dogs, the probability of dental calculus is still very high, especially in dogs aged 3 or 4 years old. The formation of dental calculus is often associated with poor oral hygiene. It is generally adhered to the tooth surface, tooth neck, and tooth surface in the dead corners of the mouth. It is soft at first and then gradually hardens, called calcification.

There are two main reasons why dogs develop dental calculus. One is due to long-term eating of soft food attached to the teeth. Secondly, bacteria will multiply if your teeth are not brushed in time. In addition, many kinds of bacteria in the dog’s mouth can produce dental calculus. Bacteria and their toxins can irritate periodontal tissue and cause gum inflammation, which manifests as red and swollen gums, bad breath, and other symptoms.

Tartar can cause gum inflammation. If severe, it can also cause periodontitis. Obvious symptoms will appear in the final stage, such as bad breath, abnormal saliva (drooling), loss of appetite, gum bleeding or ulcers, gum recession, etc. So, does it mean that dogs will not have periodontal disease if there is no dental calculus now? No, Vet Tsai also reminds us that even if your dog does not currently have dental calculus, there is still a chance of developing periodontal disease. Therefore, it is very important to brush your dog’s teeth. Pet owners shouldn’t be lazy. In addition, Dr. Cai also shared an experience. A dog sneezes a lot. The owner thought it was chronic sinusitis, but one day, it suddenly had a nosebleed and even needed an emergency blood transfusion. The diagnosis revealed that he had severe periodontal disease in his cani no teeth, with root decay leading to an oronasal fistula, which caused him to sneeze frequently and eventually lead to nosebleeds. He almost bled to death! How is sneezing linked to dental problems? This is something that many owners cannot understand, but it is a fact. This is also the part that impressed me about this article. Therefore, all pet owners should take their pets’ oral problems seriously.

3. Diet improves bad breath problems

Nowadays, people’s understanding of pets is gradually increasing. Many pet owners know it is beneficial to feed their dog’s delicious dog food, but many owners only feed their dogs human food, fish, and meat at the dinner table, thinking this is good for them. A better diet plan is to combine meat and vegetables. You cannot eat only meat without vegetables. Otherwise, the nutrition will be unbalanced. The same goes for dogs. This combination can improve the dog’s oral problems to a certain extent. It’s also important to clean your dog’s mouth after meals, as food particles can easily accumulate between or on the teeth. If these food residues are not cleaned up in time, bacteria will slowly multiply and form dental plaque and tartar, which, in severe cases, can lead to gum inflammation.

4. Five tips to solve oral problems

Strategy 1: Brush your teeth. The most straightforward way is to brush your teeth every day like everyone else, and you will see a big improvement. There are pet-specific toothbrushing tools that you can choose directly.

Strategy 2: Feed dry dog food mainly. This is a relatively basic method. Feed your dog dry food as much as possible! This type of dog food is made from puffed food. There are many small holes in the food. When the dog chews, it has a certain friction effect on the teeth, which is beneficial for cleaning them. Avoid refined foods, such as white bread and soft foods, as these increase the number of food particles on your teeth, making them more likely to cause bad breath.

Strategy 3: Teething Treats and Toys: Give them teething toys or teething treats. These are ready-made products that can be purchased directly. They clean their teeth while playing and eating.

Strategy 4: Oral spray. If your cat or dog’s mouth isn’t very smelly, you can usually spray it with a pet-specific oral cleaning spray.

Strategy 5: Feed probiotics to help digestion. If the cause is gastrointestinal (bad breath, smelly stool, undigested food residue in the stool), it is recommended that the owner feeds the pet some probiotics to help them digest food.