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How To Know When It’s More Than Just Your Dog’s Bad Breath

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Image: Pixabay

It’s unlikely that your dog’s breath will ever smell like a bunch of roses, but if it carries a stench that makes you want to pass out, something may be amiss.

“So many dog owners forget to check the condition of their pet’s teeth. Bad breath is often ‘brushed over’, when in fact, if left untreated, can lead to the deterioration of your dog’s health and standard of life,” said Ashleigh Sanderson, senior brand manager at Dog Portfolio.

Smelly breath can be a sign that your pooch suffers from gum disease and cavities. However, persistent bad breath can also indicate larger medical problems in the mouth, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, or internal organs, according to Pets WebMD

“Your dog uses his teeth for much more than just eating. He uses them where we would use our hands – to hold, carry and play,” said Sanderson, and this is why it’s important for a pet owner to get to the bottom of what’s causing the odour.

When to see the vet:

  • Breath that smells like urine can be a sign of kidney disease.
  • An unusually foul odour accompanied by vomiting, lack of appetite, and yellow-tinged corneas or gums could signal a liver problem.
  • Unusually sweet or fruity breath could indicate diabetes, particularly if your dog has been drinking and urinating more frequently than usual.

Some other underlying clues include red, inflamed or bleeding gums, a receding gum line and tooth root exposure, loose teeth, tartar build up and in severe cases, a change in eating behaviour – such as preferring softer foods or chewing more on one side of the mouth.

You can take an active role in your pet’s dental care by:

1. Brushing your pet’s teeth. It is recommended that all pets be trained early on to accept simple tooth brushing as part of their daily (at the very least, weekly) routine.

2. Regular dental cleanings by your vet. Your vet will carefully clean every tooth surface and remove plaque and tartar from hard-to-reach recesses below the gums and between teeth.

3. Ask for other dental care routines outside of brushing your dog’s teeth. For example, daily oral swishes and rinses, chew treats containing anti-plaque ingredients, and specialised teeth-cleaning diets.

Source: Huffington Post

WHISKAS® scoops coolest pet food award, and we are paw-sitively ecstatic!

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MYTH BUSTED: YOUR DOG’S BAD BREATH ISN’T ACTUALLY NORMAL

Why their oral health is as important as yours

While your pooch’s breath may never smell like a bunch of roses, if it carries a pong that makes you want to pass out, something’s amiss and your dog could actually have gum disease. Sadly, your canine can’t tell you if something is wrong, so it’s up to you as a pet owner to get to the bottom of what’s causing the odour.

Research shows that 4 out of 5 of dogs over the age of three years have gum disease, caused by plaque and tartar build-up around the gum line. The good news is this stat can be reduced by an effective dental care routine.

“So many dog owners forget to check the condition of their pet’s teeth. Bad breath is often ‘brushed over’, when in fact, if left untreated, can lead to the deterioration of your dog’s health and standard of life. That is where PEDIGREE® DentaStix™ comes to the rescue – it’s a cleverly formulated daily chew to help you keep your dog’s teeth clean and reduces plaque build-up,” says Ashleigh Sanderson, Senior Brand Manager, Dog Portfolio.

But how can dog owners tell if their dog has gum disease, besides checking for bad breath?

Some other underlying clues include red, inflamed or bleeding gums, a receding gum line and tooth root exposure, loose teeth, calculus (tartar) build up and in severe cases, a change in eating behaviour – such as preferring softer foods, or chewing more on one side of the mouth.

PEDIGREE® DentaStix™ is recommended by vets and can be introduced as a morning or evening cleaning routine that you have with your dog. So, when you brush your teeth, they can chomp on PEDIGREE® DentaStix™ – what could be easier?

The chew has a unique X-shape and a mildly abrasive texture, with active ingredients, that when fed to your dog daily, is scientifically proven to reduce the build-up of plaque at the gum line, where it matters most. What’s more, they are low in fat, free of artificial colour and sugar and contain real meat flavour for added deliciousness.

Other tips to keep your dog’s teeth healthy include:

  • Making sure your dog has an oral health examination at your vet at least once a year
  • Training your dog, ideally as a puppy, to get him/her used to having teeth brushed, using a canine-specific toothpaste and a toothbrush
  • Making sure to provide chews, toys and treats that are safe – many people don’t realise that bones, stones, sticks and tennis balls can damage a dogs teeth or gums

“Your dog uses his teeth for much more than just eating. He uses them where we would use our hands – to hold, carry and play. From licking to leaning in, dogs have a special way of giving affection to their owners, and now you can now say goodbye to smelly breath and unhealthy teeth and gums and enjoy your pet at its best,” says Sanderson.

PEDIGREE® DentaStix™ are available in most retailers and are made for small, medium and large breed dogs. They are scientifically proven to help reduce tartar build-up by up to 80%. This chewy treat is not suitable for young puppies under 4 months.

Source: WHISKAS®