How to Prevent Bad Dog Breath in Plymouth Meeting, PA

If your dog has bad breath, chances are good you’ve wondered more than once how to help. Your dog’s bad breath may be overwhelming and may even stop you from wanting to play with her as often as you once did—or it might only be noticeable every now and then.

6 Ways You Can Help Your Dog’s Bad Breath in Plymouth Meeting, PA

Regardless of the severity of your dog’s bad breath, there are some steps you can take to help. Read through the information below to find out more.

Below are ways you can prevent or help your dog with their bad breath:

Give Your Dog Dental Treats

One of the first steps you can take to solve bad breath in your dog is to give her dental treats. These treats are made with healthy ingredients that promote dental health and improve your dog’s breath at the same time. They usually contain mint, which is safe for dogs in Plymouth Meeting and can freshen their breath as well.

If dental treats help your dog’s bad breath improve, chances are good she doesn’t have anything seriously wrong causing the breath issue. She may simply be eating food that is contributing to her bad breath or could have gotten into something she shouldn’t.

Give Your Dog Chew Toys

Chew toys can also help improve your dog’s bad breath. If your dog’s breath issue comes from a buildup of plaque on her teeth, then dental chew toys can make a big difference. These toys encourage your dog to chew in a health way, which in turn helps scrape the plaque from her teeth. Over time, chewing on dental chews can help freshen your dog’s breath.

As with any chew toys, always monitor your dog when she is playing with a dental chew. Make sure to only give high-quality chew toys that are made from safe ingredients and won’t hurt your dog.

Feed Your Dog Healthy Dry Food

Unless your veterinarian in Plymouth Meeting, PA has told you otherwise, your dog should be eating at least some dry food in her diet every day. This dry food is good at removing plaque from your dog’s teeth just like dental chew toys, and it can also help freshen her breath in this way too.

However, it’s important to choose food that contains healthy, high-quality ingredients for your dog. This way, the food won’t be contributing to her bad breath because of its low-quality ingredients, and it also won’t contribute to other potential health risks because of its lack of nutritional value.

Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

By brushing your dog’s teeth regularly, you can help prevent bad breath from ever starting or improve it if necessary. You should try to brush your dog’s teeth once a month, or more often if she has been eating something she shouldn’t or has a history of bad dental health.

Use a dog-friendly toothbrush and toothpaste that is formulated for dogs. You may need to begin by using a finger brush to get your dog used to the idea of having her teeth touched. Some dogs are more afraid of this process than others, but with time and patience, you should be able to work your dog up to this experience.

Have Your Dog’s Teeth Professionally Cleaned

If your dog has truly bad breath, you may need to think about having her teeth cleaned professionally. Your vet should be able to perform the dog teeth cleaning services, although some vet offices may outsource dental work to other vets in the area depending on their own facilities.

Your vet will tell you everything you need to know about the process of cleaning your dog’s teeth professionally. If there are any health risks involved—such as anesthesia for dogs with known heart conditions—your veterinarian in Plymouth Meeting will talk this over with you as well.

Have Your Dog Examined

Finally, if none of the options above have worked to improve your dog’s bad breath, you should have her examined by the vet. Persistent bad breath that doesn’t seem to improve no matter what you do can be a sign of an underlying health condition that may need to be addressed.

Bad breath with a sickeningly sweet smell is a sign of liver or kidney disease or failure in dogs. Bad breath may also signify diabetes in your dog, and it can be a symptom of nasal and mouth tumors. Your vet will perform tests to determine the root cause of the bad breath.

Seek Veterinary Care for Your Dog’s Bad Breath in Plymouth Meeting, PA

As you can see, there is a lot you can do to help your dog if she is dealing with bad breath. Bad breath may not be anything too serious, but it can be severe if associated with health problems. Because of this, you should always talk to your vet if your dog’s bad breath is not noticeably related to what she is eating.

Work your way through this list and remember to ask your vet for more information if you have any questions or concerns for your specific dog’s health. Our team at The Village Vets in Plymouth Meeting is here to help guide you in the best direction to treat your dog’s bad breath. Call us today at (484) 820-1700 to schedule an appointment for your dog.