I have a four year-old pug who has always had bad breath. I have noticed his teeth have a lot of plaque on them, especially the ones at the back. I don't want him to have dental problems later on in life, and I have tried brushing his teeth and using Lintbells products. He hates having his teeth touched so it's difficult for me to clean them properly, I really need something else to try!
If anyone has any suggestions for me I would be very grateful!
Jo, via email
May issue
May issue
Showing posts with label bad breath. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bad breath. Show all posts
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Friday, 22 February 2013
A breath of fresh air?
Dear Dogs Today
I have tried almost everything.
For some reason his breath literally takes my breath away!
I have changed my dog's diet to something that actually smells good enough for me to eat, but no change. I clean my dog's teeth regularly and I've had the vet check and there's definitely no decay or underlying health issues.
My dog is otherwise a happy, healthy, well exercised dog.
Are there some dogs who just stink?
To other dogs this might be the most appealing smell ever, but to the human nose it's rank.
I can't even begin to describe the smell, it's not quite rotten fish but it's a close relative - and he doesn't ever eat fish.
I love him enough to breath lightly while giving him a cuddle, but it does put others off. I worry he may end up with a complex as people do pull away when he pants in their direction.
Is there anything I can try to improve his halitosis?
Max Jackson, Weybridge, Surrey
I have tried almost everything.
For some reason his breath literally takes my breath away!
I have changed my dog's diet to something that actually smells good enough for me to eat, but no change. I clean my dog's teeth regularly and I've had the vet check and there's definitely no decay or underlying health issues.
My dog is otherwise a happy, healthy, well exercised dog.
Are there some dogs who just stink?
To other dogs this might be the most appealing smell ever, but to the human nose it's rank.
I can't even begin to describe the smell, it's not quite rotten fish but it's a close relative - and he doesn't ever eat fish.
I love him enough to breath lightly while giving him a cuddle, but it does put others off. I worry he may end up with a complex as people do pull away when he pants in their direction.
Is there anything I can try to improve his halitosis?
Max Jackson, Weybridge, Surrey
Monday, 21 January 2013
Bad breath or something more?
Hi all! I'm hoping someone might be able to help....
My 12-year-old Doberman bitch was diagnosed early last year with fairly widespread cancer that is affecting her liver. Despite our vet being stunned that she is still with us, she is not currently on any medication because no one has told her that she is ill and she is still behaving like a young dog! She is on a veterinary diet to help support her liver and is enjoying a good quality if life.
In the last few months, she has developed ulcers in her mouth which I have read can be caused by the disease in her liver. They have always been very smelly but recently the odour from her mouth has become even worse, (her teeth are not the cause). Could this rancid smell be due to the build up of toxins in her liver because of its diminished function? I know that kidney failure can cause bad breath from experience with an elderly Springer Spaniel I took on many years ago, but is the same true of liver failure?
Any hints, tips or general advice regarding liver disease and/or mouth ulcers would also be greatly appreciated!
Becky Holt, by email
My 12-year-old Doberman bitch was diagnosed early last year with fairly widespread cancer that is affecting her liver. Despite our vet being stunned that she is still with us, she is not currently on any medication because no one has told her that she is ill and she is still behaving like a young dog! She is on a veterinary diet to help support her liver and is enjoying a good quality if life.
In the last few months, she has developed ulcers in her mouth which I have read can be caused by the disease in her liver. They have always been very smelly but recently the odour from her mouth has become even worse, (her teeth are not the cause). Could this rancid smell be due to the build up of toxins in her liver because of its diminished function? I know that kidney failure can cause bad breath from experience with an elderly Springer Spaniel I took on many years ago, but is the same true of liver failure?
Any hints, tips or general advice regarding liver disease and/or mouth ulcers would also be greatly appreciated!
Becky Holt, by email
NB. Please note, only a qualified vet can provide veterinary advice, but anecdotes and personal stories from fellow dog owners can help
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Dog breath
Hi,
I use Maxi Guard for my 13-year-old Westie, on my vet's advice, after her having her teeth cleaned and tartar removed as last year.
She has been back for a check up recently and it seems to be working but her breath still doesn’t smell very nice, please can you advise me of anything I could try to make it more pleasant.
Kind regards,
Pam, via email
I use Maxi Guard for my 13-year-old Westie, on my vet's advice, after her having her teeth cleaned and tartar removed as last year.
She has been back for a check up recently and it seems to be working but her breath still doesn’t smell very nice, please can you advise me of anything I could try to make it more pleasant.
Kind regards,
Pam, via email
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
The whole tooth
My year-old crossbreed has got bad breath and his teeth are quite stained. Should I be following a dental hygiene routine for my dog?
Tina Searle
The simple, short answer is “Yes, you should be following a home dental hygiene routine.” In the wild, a dog’s teeth would clean themselves naturally whilst eating. Assuming you are feeding manufactured food, then that natural role of the diet has been removed, and the responsibility for keeping our dogs’ teeth clean comes down to us owners.
In an ideal world, we would brush our dogs’ teeth every time after he or she has eaten, or at least twice daily. It is best to start when your dog is a puppy because brushing the teeth is not a normal behaviour. It should be a pleasant experience, but you will need to set aside time for it because it can seem like one big game, as with so many things when training a puppy!
A dog’s mouth is not only differently shaped from ours but also varies between breeds. Specifically-designed canine toothbrushes are available so you should be able to find one which matches the size and shape of your dog’s mouth. The toothpaste we use when brushing our own teeth is not suitable for dogs not only because is it designed to be spat out but also because it is flavoured to suit our taste-buds. Again, veterinary toothpastes in different flavours (for example, poultry, malt) can be found.
Start by letting your dog taste the toothpaste, then introduce the idea of brushing by rubbing the teeth and gums gently with your finger. If your dog does not take to an actual toothbrush, then a finger brush might be more acceptable, which simply slips over your finger so that it mimics rubbing the teeth and gums with your finger.
If your dog will not tolerate having his teeth brushed, there are other ways of helping his dental hygiene. These include:
- special powder added to food to reduce plaque build-up;
- dental chews and biscuits – a pleasant and convenient way for your dog’s teeth to be brushed, but beware of the extra energy content; you do not want your dog to gain weight! Reduce the amount fed of the main diet to allow for them;
- dental-care foods (routine and prescription) – instead of all the crunch being at the surface of the teeth, as happens when a dog eats standard dried foods, the nuggets of these foods are formulated to allow the teeth to sink into them, enabling their abrasive nature to help clean the teeth, so it is rather like eating a toothbrush!
- there are also drinking water supplements designed to improve oral hygiene (rather like drinking water with added mouth wash).
You mention bad breath which can certainly reflect poor dental hygiene. Do bear in mind that there could be another underlying reason such as:
- infected broken tooth;
- caries;
- gum disease;
- foreign body wedged in mouth and/or abscess;
- eating malodorous material such as faeces, decomposing food materials and so on (yuk!);
- is your dog washing his rear-end excessively? Impacted anal sacs are a common finding in my experience; although many argue they may be a red herring, I find that the bad breath often clears up once they have been expressed.
Although your dog is a year old, one should not overlook the effects of an underlying health problem. In particular, I am thinking of kidney failure which can develop in young dogs and can be the sole reason for an owner seeking veterinary advice. I would therefore suggest that if your dog’s breath does not improve after attempting any of home dental hygiene measures mentioned above, then I would have him examined by a veterinary surgeon.
Alison Logan, vet
What do you use to keep your dog's teeth clean and their breath smelling sweet? Tell us about your favourite dental products now.
Tina Searle
The simple, short answer is “Yes, you should be following a home dental hygiene routine.” In the wild, a dog’s teeth would clean themselves naturally whilst eating. Assuming you are feeding manufactured food, then that natural role of the diet has been removed, and the responsibility for keeping our dogs’ teeth clean comes down to us owners.
In an ideal world, we would brush our dogs’ teeth every time after he or she has eaten, or at least twice daily. It is best to start when your dog is a puppy because brushing the teeth is not a normal behaviour. It should be a pleasant experience, but you will need to set aside time for it because it can seem like one big game, as with so many things when training a puppy!
A dog’s mouth is not only differently shaped from ours but also varies between breeds. Specifically-designed canine toothbrushes are available so you should be able to find one which matches the size and shape of your dog’s mouth. The toothpaste we use when brushing our own teeth is not suitable for dogs not only because is it designed to be spat out but also because it is flavoured to suit our taste-buds. Again, veterinary toothpastes in different flavours (for example, poultry, malt) can be found.
Start by letting your dog taste the toothpaste, then introduce the idea of brushing by rubbing the teeth and gums gently with your finger. If your dog does not take to an actual toothbrush, then a finger brush might be more acceptable, which simply slips over your finger so that it mimics rubbing the teeth and gums with your finger.
If your dog will not tolerate having his teeth brushed, there are other ways of helping his dental hygiene. These include:
- special powder added to food to reduce plaque build-up;
- dental chews and biscuits – a pleasant and convenient way for your dog’s teeth to be brushed, but beware of the extra energy content; you do not want your dog to gain weight! Reduce the amount fed of the main diet to allow for them;
- dental-care foods (routine and prescription) – instead of all the crunch being at the surface of the teeth, as happens when a dog eats standard dried foods, the nuggets of these foods are formulated to allow the teeth to sink into them, enabling their abrasive nature to help clean the teeth, so it is rather like eating a toothbrush!
- there are also drinking water supplements designed to improve oral hygiene (rather like drinking water with added mouth wash).
You mention bad breath which can certainly reflect poor dental hygiene. Do bear in mind that there could be another underlying reason such as:
- infected broken tooth;
- caries;
- gum disease;
- foreign body wedged in mouth and/or abscess;
- eating malodorous material such as faeces, decomposing food materials and so on (yuk!);
- is your dog washing his rear-end excessively? Impacted anal sacs are a common finding in my experience; although many argue they may be a red herring, I find that the bad breath often clears up once they have been expressed.
Although your dog is a year old, one should not overlook the effects of an underlying health problem. In particular, I am thinking of kidney failure which can develop in young dogs and can be the sole reason for an owner seeking veterinary advice. I would therefore suggest that if your dog’s breath does not improve after attempting any of home dental hygiene measures mentioned above, then I would have him examined by a veterinary surgeon.
Alison Logan, vet
What do you use to keep your dog's teeth clean and their breath smelling sweet? Tell us about your favourite dental products now.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)