Home Remedies for Trench Mouth in Dogs

Trench mouth --- which earned its name in World War I, when it was rife among the soldiers living in the unhygienic conditions of the trenches of that war --- can also occur in dogs. This painful form of periodontal disease attacks the periodontal membrane, the fibrous tissue that keeps the teeth of humans and animals attached to the jaw.

  1. Symptoms

    • Canine trench mouth, also called St. Vincent's stomatitis, is caused by a bacterial infection of the tissue of the gums. This produces symptoms that include red, painful, swollen gums, bleeding gums, foul breath and foul-smelling, brownish drool from the dog's mouth that can stain a dog's front legs. If left untreated, trench mouth can produce ulcers in a dog's gums.

    Treatment

    • The usual treatment for stomatitis in dogs is a trip to the vet, who will clean the dog's teeth, and then remove decayed and broken teeth and roots. This treatment is usually followed by a course of prescribed antibiotics, typically ampicillin and metronidazole. Your vet may also prescribe pain medications and B-complex vitamins.

    Home Remedies

    • Because canine trench mouth is a bacterial infection, an afflicted dog really needs to be seen by a vet and put on a course of antibiotics. But it is possible for a dog owner to provide effective aftercare for a pet, as well as preventative care. Home aftercare following a visit to the vet includes rinsing the dog's mouth daily with a 0.1 to 0.2 percent solution of the antiseptic chlorhexidine. This can done by soaking a cotton ball in the solution and dabbing it on the dog's gums or by using a medicinal syringe and squirting the solution onto the gums. If your dog has had teeth and roots extracted by its vet, provide the dog with a soft diet while its gums heal. This can be done by diluting canned dog food with water to the consistency of pudding.

    Preventitive Care

    • To prevent trench mouth or its recurrence, a pet owner should first commit to a regular schedule of brushing the dog's teeth at least once a week, more often if possible. Special meat-flavored toothpastes for dogs are available; do not use human toothpastes because the fluoride in them can make a dog sick. Simple baking soda and a soft toothbrush are also effective, as well as finger brushes that you put on a finger and use to brush your dog's teeth. Do not purchase dog foods that contain sugar. Giving a dog treats and food that help clean the teeth as the dog chews them are also beneficial, as well as annual or biannual teeth cleanings under anesthesia at the vet's office.