Dog Halitosis

How Can I Treat Dog Halitosis?

Dog breath is rarely fresh by human standards, but occasionally your canine’s breath can exceed the standards for typical “doggie breath” and enter the realm of dog halitosis. Dog halitosis is persistent and offensive foul breath in dogs. It’s often the result of poor dental hygiene in your pet, but can be a symptom of a more serious condition. Your pet’s dog halitosis can be treated with a variety of professional, store-bought, or homemade remedies.

The most common cause of dog breath is poor dental hygiene. This can be combated with just one or a combination of techniques. One option is to take your pet to the veterinarian for a routine teeth cleaning. While most veterinarians recommend having your dog’s teeth cleaned once a year, many dog owners neglect this part of their pet’s care. Fortunately, a professional cleaning and persistent follow up can knock-out dog halitosis quickly.

You may choose to brush your dog’s teeth yourself to rid it of its dog halitosis. Ideally, you should brush your dog’s teeth once a day to avoid periodontal disease that can cause dog halitosis. You can purchase a specially designed toothbrush at your veterinarian or a pet supply store, along with toothpaste in beef, chicken, or liver flavor. Brush your dog’s teeth using a circular back and forth motion and be sure to get the back teeth. Regular brushing can treat and prevent dog halitosis.

There are also many products on the market that can be used to treat dog halitosis that include varieties of treats and chew toys. Some treats are specially designed to treat dog halitosis, but most hard treats such as dog biscuits can aide in removing plaque from your canine’s teeth. Likewise, some chew toys boast their ability to clean your dog’s teeth, but most hard varieties such as rawhide bones can prevent and treat dog halitosis. You also may try giving your dog a hard rope to chew on. This has the same effect as flossing your pet’s teeth, a very effective method of combating dog halitosis.

Lastly, try altering what you feed your pet to combat dog halitosis. Most veterinarians suggest feeding your canine dry dog food rather than wet because it naturally removes plaque, a leading cause of dog halitosis. In fact, many dry dog foods are specially designed to clean your pet’s teeth. Avoid giving your dog table scraps. Oftentimes, “human food” can get stuck in your dog’s teeth leadings to gum disease and, ultimately, dog halitosis. Lastly, there are some untraditional snacks you can give your pet to avoid dog halitosis such as carrots and apples. These can clean your dog’s teeth as he eats them.

Sometimes, after applying the abovementioned methods, dog halitosis still persists. In these instances, you should take your pet to the veterinarian to find out if your dog’s halitosis is caused by something more serious such as mouth cancer or intestinal problems.