Does your dog's breath smell bad? Let’s be honest, dogs don’t normally have minty fresh breath, but if your dog’s breath makes you want to gag there could be an underlying problem beyond “normal stinky dog breath”. So before you dismiss your dog's bad breath as simply “bad dog breath” read below to find the 4 most common causes of bad dog breath.

Oral Hygiene

By far the most common causes of bad breath in dogs is bad oral hygiene, or lack thereof. Just as with humans, dogs teeth accumulate plaque and tartar that lead to the development of the bacteria which causes bad breath. If left untreated, this tarter and plaque buildup can push the gums away from the teeth leading to more problems like cavities, infections and tooth loss to name a few. The good news is there is an easy solution to this, you need to be brushing your dog's teeth. There are also many chew toys and products that can help you with this if. Read our article on Cleaning Your Dogs Teeth for more information.

Unpleasant Dietary Habits

What is your dog getting into or eating that you may not know about? Our dogs' noses can lead them to some pretty gross places, like garbage bags left unattended by you or neighbors. Do you or your neighbors have cats? It’s a known fact that dogs seem to love cat poop.   Some dogs even go after their own feces. Any of the above will give your furry friend a case of terrible breath. However, in these instances, it can go away quickly with a good meal, doggie breath mint or dental chew toy. The bigger issue is stopping this from continuing to happen in the future. The first step is identifying what exactly he is getting into.

Diabetes

Diabetes, specifically diabetic ketoacidosis, can also make a dog’s breath smell unusual, however, this scent is very distinct. Instead of foul breath, your dog will have sweet, almost fruity smelling breath. Sweet smelling breath can be a symptom of diabetes, which suppresses the immune system, allowing bacteria in the mouth to grow unchecked. If your dog’s bad breath has a sweet or fruity smell to it, you need to make an appointment with your veterinarian.

Kidney Disease

So we’ve discussed bad breath, poop breath, and sweet breath. But what about urine breath. A urine odor to your dog’s breath can be a warning sign of kidney disease, and just like with diabetes it warrants a visit to your local veterinarian. Kidney disease is a serious medical condition on its own and could also be a symptom of a larger medical problem. With help from your veterinarian, this issue can be resolved and your dog's breath can return to normal.

Once you have identified the cause of the bad breath you can address it begin making the changes necessary to correct the bad breath. If you are stuck and cannot figure out which it is, start with basic oral hygiene. Begin brushing your dog's teeth on a regular basis. Make sure you are feeding him good quality food and give him a quality chew toy. If the bad breath still persists then a vet can likely help you take it further and find the underlying cause. Most importantly begin taking action.