“Bad breath in dogs (Halitosis):
“There are several potential reasons for bad breath in dogs. These reasons can be classified as physiological, behavioral (such as poop eating), nutritional, or a combination.
- Physiological causes: The major physiological issues that can cause bad breath in dogs include oral/dental hygiene (periodontal disease), kidney disease (urine like smell), liver disease (musty breath smell, often accompanied by a lack of appetite) and diabetes (sweet-fruity-acetone like smell). If the bad breath is caused by one of these physiological issues, then the dog should get medical and/or dental care from a veterinarian, and the use of products such as sprays, gels, synthetic dental chews, etc. will not help to overcome the bad breath.
- Behavioral causes: If a dog has a bad habit (a behavioral issue) of eating cat poop or getting into the garbage can, then you will need to resolve the issue through training, as well as making sure that the dog is not acting that way because of a nutrient deficiency.
- Nutritional causes: Nutritional causes of bad breath in dogs are very common. They can be associated with feeding a low-quality food (especially food with low-quality sources of protein), treats, and possibly chews. Dog food with by-products, such as meat by-product meal, chicken by-product meal etc., can be the main nutritional cause of bad breath in dogs. Dog foods that contain animal by-product meals often contain, or lead to, the production of nitrogenous compounds, such as biogenic amines in the intestine of dogs. Some of these biogenic amines (e.g. putrescine and cadaverine) cause the foul smell of rotten meat, and so can also cause your dog’s breath to have a rotting-flesh-like smell. Increasing how long food is stored, particularly if it’s at higher temperatures, can increase the conversion of the proteins and fatty acids of dog food into these harmful products. In addition, dog food or treats containing potentially allergenic ingredients, such wheat, corn, or soy, can cause bad breath in dogs. Besides inducing allergic reactions, these ingredients can cause dysbiosis (an imbalance) in the gastrointestinal microbiota in favor of bad microbes that produce foul odors. Processed chews, such as rawhide, can also cause bad breath. Thus, if your dog food, treats, or chews include some of these ingredients, you may want to consider a change and replace them with natural foods devoid of these ingredients. This will provide a better and more permanent solution for the bad breath of your dog, if the cause is nutritional.” ~ Dr. Anoosh
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Dr. Anoosh has a PhD in animal nutrition and has published numerous research articles on nutrition in animals, particularly during stress. His weekly tips and advice about animal nutrition are not meant to replace medical recommendations from your pet’s veterinarian.
Nutrition Tips from Dr. Anoosh 