Bad Breath in Dogs - Causes and Nutrition Tips

Humans and dogs belong together. They share life experiencing adventures.  In the forest or meadow, travelling together and perhaps even going to work together. Some dogs even sleep in bed with their owners - in short, we are very close to our dogs. If the dog has bad breath, this is very unpleasant and can put a serious strain on the relationship. In this guide, we explain the main causes that can lead to bad breath and offer simple tips on how you can combat it.

Causes of bad breath in dogs

In order to get the bad breath problem under control, it is worth taking a look at the possible causes. The mouth is not always responsible for the bad odour. Reasons for bad breath in dogs:

• Feeding problems - the food contains too many low-quality ingredients such as hidden sugars, feather meal, claws. The dog suffers from a food intolerance and cannot tolerate the food good enough, or the dog gets too many chews during the day.
• Bad behavioural habits - the dog is very susceptible to stress, picks up rubbish outside or eats the faeces of other animals.
• Problems in the oral cavity - including misaligned teeth, dental plaque, shifted mouth pH, inflammation of the gums and teeth, tongue plaque, or mouth and throat tumours.
• Problems in the throat or nose - e.g. tonsillitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, or dilation of the oesophagus.
• Problems in the digestive tract or metabolic processes - including gastritis, hyperacidity, poorly developed intestinal flora.
• Long-term administration of medication

Bad breath in dogs - the causes in detail

While you can check some causes of bad breath in dogs yourself, there are also causes that should be clarified by a vet or a veterinary practitioner.

Bad breath in dogs: problems with feeding

The right food has a major influence on the dog's entire organism. Feeding a food or treat that contains hidden sugars can contribute to the dog developing dental plaque, which can cause an unpleasant odour.

But it is not only hidden sugars that disrupt good dental hygiene, all low-quality by-products such as feather meal, claws, leaves or stalks, too high a proportion of carbohydrates in the food and also the processing of synthetic additives such as preservatives, can put a strain on the digestive organs and have an influence on the dog's body and thus also pH value in the mouth and in this way be responsible for the dog's bad breath.

The correct pH value of the saliva is a pre-requisite for healthy oral hygiene in dogs. If the food contains low-quality ingredients (with synthetics), nutrients that the body needs to balance out the hyperacidity that occurs every day (due to muscle activity) will be missing. If the pH value is shifted too far into the acidic range, bacteria can multiply more quickly and promote the formation of tartar over time. They also cause an unpleasant mouth odour and at the same time provide an ideal breeding ground for inflammation of the gums. Even if the dog is intolerant or even allergic to certain substances, but ingests them daily through its food, this can have a major impact on its oral hygiene and affect it negatively. You can find out more about allergies in dogs in our guide article here.

Even if the dog gets too many chews during the day, this can promote bad breath, because the excess protein and the constant digestive work can lead to bad breath.

Bad behavioural habits cause bad breath in dogs

Bad breath in dogs can of course also be the result of undesirable behaviour. If a dog picks up everything outside and frequently eats rubbish or faeces from other animals, this can put a huge strain on its oral hygiene and the entire digestive tract. You can find out more about this topic in our guide article ‘My Dog Eats Faeces - What Can I Do?’.

But it's not just eating faeces or rubbish that can be responsible for a dog's bad breath, because even if the dog is very susceptible to stress, shows anxiety and insecurity, gets upset very easily or is ‘constantly under stress’ for other reasons, this can have a major impact on its metabolism and therefore its entire body. This can also be the reason for the dog's bad mouth odour.

In these cases, it is advisable to seek out an experienced dog trainer who can show you how to help your dog become more confident through positive reinforcement. It has also proved to be a good idea to supplement our Canis Extra Tranquil Pet if the dog is so stressed before training begins that it can hardly concentrate.

A smelly mouth - problems in the oral cavity as a cause of bad breath in dogs

In many cases, bad breath in dogs is related to problems in the oral cavity. For example, if the dog has misaligned teeth, food residue can easily collect in places that are difficult to clean. The bacteria in the mouth are then constantly supplied with food and can easily multiply. The result can be a foul-smelling or even fishy mouth odour. Even if the mouth pH value is in the wrong range, this can lead to an environment that favours increased bacterial growth. The resulting dental and tongue plaque can spread into gum pockets and cause inflammation, which, in addition to tartar, contributes to the dog's unpleasant bad breath. Canis Extra Dental Care can be used as a supportive measure here. Mouth and throat tumours can also be the cause of bad breath in dogs and should be examined by a vet.

Special case of puppy bad breath -change of teeth as the cause

Misaligned teeth or tartar are not always responsible for bad breath in dogs. A puppy often has bad breath when it starts to change its teeth. When the new teeth start to push through the gums, this can cause small inflammations, causing bad breath. The change of teeth can therefore also be responsible for bad breath in dogs. Here too, our dental care can be used to alleviate inflammatory processes in the mouth. Also, if dogs get used to having their teeth brushed at an early age, both dog and owner will benefit from this for the rest of their lives.

Fishy breath in dogs - problems in the throat or nose area

Infections in the respiratory tract can be another cause of bad breath in dogs and must be examined and treated by a vet.

Throat infections such as tonsillitis or pneumonia as well as sinusitis are not uncommon in dogs and can be particularly hard on young dogs whose immune systems are still developing. However, a cold winter can also lead to a dog suffering from inflammation of the respiratory tract, especially if it is allowed to drink from puddles or eat snow. The vet will then initiate appropriate treatment, and the dog will need to take it easy for a while. With targeted support during their recovery phase, they can then be helped to make a successful recovery. You can find more information on the dog's recovery phase in our guide.

Not only respiratory infections can be responsible for bad breath in dogs, foreign bodies that get stuck in the oesophagus can also cause the problem. In the case of Megaesophagus, (pathological dilation of the oesophagus), it is easy for food residue to get stuck and cause inflammation. However, other areas of the oesophagus are also susceptible to disorders. In the case of acid reflux, for example, stomach acid enters the oesophagus, and the dog may burp more frequently. The dog's bad breath can then smell very unpleasant and sour.

In any case, the dog should be examined by a vet if problems occur in the throat or nose area. The correct diagnosis is the first step in starting successful treatment.

Problems in the digestive tract or with metabolism

Problems in the digestive tract can be caused by incorrect feeding, parasites, deworming treatments, medication, vaccinations, poisoning, the ingestion of rubbish, stress and many other things often have an influence on the metabolism. If the metabolism is out of balance and liver and kidneys are overloaded, this can lead to the body looking for other ways to compensate. In many cases, it uses its body surface, i.e. the skin or mucous membranes, to do this. Recurrent ear infections or constant eye discharge are one way in which the body can show that something is going wrong. The rapid formation of plaque on the teeth and tongue is another. With the help of a vet or veterinary practitioner, you can try to get to the bottom of the problem and develop a plan to relieve the dog's metabolism and digestive tract and over time build and strengthen it. In our guide ‘Simply Natural - Which Synthetic Substances Can Be Avoided in Everyday Life?’, we show ways in which dogs can build up and maintain a healthy immune system, while our article ‘Intestinal Rehabilitation in Dogs’ presents instructions for successful intestinal cleaning and health reconstruction.

Long-term administration of medication

Even if the dog is permanently dependent on medication, this can have an impact on its entire organism. The body's pH value can be shifted, its gastrointestinal tract affected, and all of this can in turn have an impact on its oral flora and thus be responsible for bad breath. Medication should therefore always be weighed up against whether or not the dog really needs it. There are medications that are vital for dogs, but there are also some that they don't need, or at least not permanently. Our guide ‘Simply Natural - Which Synthetic Substances Can Be Avoided in Everyday Life’ also provides useful information on this topic.

What helps against bad breath in dogs - home remedies from Naturavetal®

• Canis Plus® cold-pressed dry food
  Natural cold-pressed dog food provides dogs with high-quality proteins and fats, pure natural vitamins and digestible fibre that supports a healthy digestive tract and a strong immune system.
• Canis Plus® Complete Meals
  Gently cooked complete meals containing a species-appropriate mix with a high meat content, healthy fibre and selected herbs.
• Canis Plus® Pure Meat Pots
  100% pure meat, to which you can add your own vegetables and fruit or add air-dried flakes as well as a source of calcium and oil. Ideal for individualised meal planning, from which dogs with allergies in particular can benefit.
• Canis Plus® Pure Meat Rolls
  100% pure meat, for maximum feeding flexibility. Vegetables and fruit or air-dried flakes must be added independently, as well as a source of calcium and oil.

Natural detoxification to promote a balanced body

• Canis Extra Seaweed Meal
  Supports the elimination of toxins via the intestines and makes a positive contribution to the immune system, ligaments and tendons, claws and coat.
• Canis Extra Spirulina
  Supplies the body with metabolism-supporting ingredients and can thus make a positive contribution to cell cleansing and mineralisation.
• Canis Extra Chlorella
  This freshwater algae supports the detoxification of the body in a natural way and can cleanse and purify the tissue in the process
• Canis Extra Ceolife®
  Ceolife® can bind harmful substances in the intestine and thus prevent them from entering the bloodstream. This relieves the detoxification organs and the body's own detoxification is promoted.

Solid chews with fur - more than just a snack

• Canis Plus® Rabbit Ears with Fur
  Snacks with fur provide valuable fibre, are a real delicacy and also help to clean the teeth and intestines.

Solid chews to nibble on

Chews can not only keep dogs occupied, they can also relieve stress and train their chewing muscles. The more effort the dog has to make to eat the chew, the more their teeth can benefit from it.

• Canis Plus® Beef Scalp in 12.5cm or 25cm
• Canis Plus® Horse Tendon
• Canis Plus® Horse Scalp
• Canis Plus® Roe Deer Skin