Does Your Dog Have Bad Breath? Try These 5 Breath-Friendly Tips

Does Your Dog Have Bad Breath?

Dogs aren’t always the best-smelling creatures in the world, but we love them anyway.

Sometimes, however, your dog’s breath might seem especially…fragrant. When that happens, you’re probably interested in finding out why your dog’s breath smells so bad, and what you can do about it.

The good news is that this is a topic we know a lot about, and there are a lot of things you can do to help improve your dog’s breath.

Before we get to the solutions, though, let’s take a second to talk about what causes bad breath in dogs.

What Causes Bad Breath in Dogs?

Chances are good that your dog’s bad breath has an oral cause—such as gum disease. Or it could be the result of your dog eating something they shouldn’t be eating. (Dogs eat some gross things every now and then. It happens.)

However, if your dog’s bad breath persists even after dental treatment, there’s a possibility that it could be caused by a more serious medical condition. And there are three such conditions that can cause bad breath:

Sweet/fruity-smelling breath could be a sign of diabetes.

Yes, dogs can get diabetes just like humans can. If this is the case, you might need to reevaluate your dog’s diet and cut back on the carbs.

Urine-smelling breath could be a sign of kidney disease.

If this is the case, definitely take your dog to the vet ASAP. This could be a very serious condition.

Bad breath with yellow eyes or gums could be a sign of liver disease.

This is another condition in which you don’t want to waste any time. Get your dog to the vet so they can get the treatment they need.

5 Tips To Treat Your Dog’s Bad Breath

Now that you know what might be causing your dog’s bad breath, the next thing to figure out is…what should you actually do about it?

First things first:

Take your dog to the vet. Do this before you do anything drastic. Your vet is the best person to decide what is really causing your dog’s bad breath. If the breath is being caused by a medical condition, your vet will be able to recommend an appropriate treatment.

If you find out that your dog’s bad breath isn’t something serious, then give one of these other 5 bad-breath solutions a try.

1) Lower the toilet lid.

Oh, if we had a dollar for every time we’ve seen a dog drink out of a toilet. It’s gross, obviously, and it really makes you wonder if they have taste buds at all. That, and drinking from the toilet can also do really bad things for your dog’s breath.

First of all, toilet water itself is not exactly great-smelling. And second of all, that water is bound to have all kinds of bad bacteria in it—bacteria you do NOT want living in your dog’s mouth.

So just do the easy thing and keep the toilet lid down. Your dog might not like it, but your nose will.

2) Cut the carbs.

Not only can too many carbs lead to diabetes (which can cause fruity-smelling breath in dogs), but they can also get stuck between your dog’s teeth—where they will encourage bacterial growth. (Many smelly bacteria feed off of sugar and other carbs.)

3) Brush those teeth.

Yes, you can brush your dog’s teeth. No, they probably aren’t going to love the idea. Yes, it’s one of the most effective things you can do to prevent bad breath.

We recommend starting small, by brushing just one tooth the first day. The next day, brush two teeth. Keep increasing like this, letting your dog get used to it, until you’re doing the entire mouth.

4) Try a better dog food.

Your dog’s diet can have a BIG impact on their breath. Are you sure you’re feeding your dog a healthy dog food?

If not, we highly recommend our Super Premium Dog Food. It’s chock full of whitefish & duck, 12 organic veggies, and probiotics. Even better, it contains no wheat, soy, corn, or artificial ingredients.

5) Consider probiotics.

You might be getting the picture by now that the wrong kind of bacteria, whether in your dog’s mouth or their digestive system, can cause some funky odors. Fortunately, there’s a supplement that can help encourage healthier bacteria in your dog’s gut: probiotics.

These healthy gut bacteria can help restore the naturally healthy balance in your dog’s digestive system. So consider buying a high-quality probiotic supplement—not only will it help their breath, it will also help improve your dog’s overall health.

Or try our probiotic treat for dogs; they contain over 1 billion CFUs per serving and come in a delicious bacon flavor that dogs love.

So there you have it: 5 easy, at-home tips to help improve your dog’s bad breath. Give them a try, and see if they work for you!

(Highly recommend if your dog likes to wake you up with a great big kiss.)