Treatment for Bad Breath in Dogs

Dog owners expect bad breath in their dogs to a certain extent. Sometimes dogs develop chronic bad breath, also called halitosis. Halitosis often has an underlying cause that a veterinarian can determine. Treatment for regular bad breath is simpler than treatment for halitosis, because successful halitosis treatment means treating the cause of the problem.

  1. Types

    • Treatment for unsavory dog breath varies from mint flavored rope toys and specially formulated breath mints to regular teeth cleaning. Halitosis usually has oral or dental causes. Treatment might involve the removal of any foreign objects, the treatment of any oral tumors and cleaning the teeth under the gums, veterinarian Debra Primovic reports on Pet Place.

    Stages

    • The type of treatment you choose for your dog's bad breath or halitosis depends on the stage of periodontal disease, according to All Pets Dental Clinic in Florida. The first two stages are early gingivitis and advanced gingivitis. Both are treatable with a professional teeth cleaning. The third and fourth stages may cause bone loss to occur, often requiring treatments such as surgery or tooth extraction.

    Considerations

    • Sensitivities to certain types of food often cause gas and bad breath, according to Vet Info. Ingredients that tend to cause digestive upsets in dogs include corn, wheat and soy. Simply changing the dog's food to a brand that does not contain corn, wheat or soy can help treat the dog's bad breath.

    Benefits

    • The main benefit of treating your dog's bad breath is relief from having to breathe such a foul odor. The dog's benefits from bad breath treatment include a healthier mouth and teeth. After treating the cause of a dog's halitosis, the dog feels relief from symptoms such as oral pain, oral discharge, difficulty swallowing, difficulty eating and depression, Primovic says.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Many periodontal diseases are preventable with a little at-home care. Brushing your dog's teeth regularly with dog toothpaste treats a dog's bad breath while it is still tame and helps prevent it from developing into halitosis. Dog toothpastes come in doggy-friendly flavors such as beef, chicken and vanilla.