A clean mouth is important to the health of your dog. There are many causes of bad dog breath. If your dog has bad breath, it’s up to you to find the cause and hopefully rid your pet of stinky dog breath.
A healthy Weimaraner will have pink gums, and although his or her breath won’t smell like a Glade Air Freshener, it shouldn’t be foul either.
Generally speaking, stinky dog breath (or doggy breath), is the result of bacterial growth from food that gets stuck in their teeth. But it may also be a sign of a more serious problem.
Primary Causes of Bad Dog Breath:
- Buildup of Bacteria, Tartar and Plaque
- Gum Disease (Gingivitis)
- Eating Disorder (Eating Feces, Vomit, or Trash)
- Liver or Kidney Disease (As Well As Other Various Diseases)
Treatments For Your Doggy’s Bad Breath:
- Brush Daily (With Specially Formulated Animal Toothpaste)
- Healthy Diet: Crunchy Food (Avoid Canned Food)
- Professional Teeth Cleaning (Done By Your Vet)
- Deter Your Pet From Eating Feces
Preventive care involves daily teeth brushing (you can do it), and if absolutely necessary, a once yearly professional teeth cleaning (to be done by your Vet). Check your doggy’s mouth regularly for any changes and for broken teeth.
Brushing your pet’s teeth is the single most important thing you can do for maintaining a clean and healthy mouth.
Some pets don’t enjoy getting their teeth brushed. Click here to go back to Cleaning Your Amstaff’s Teeth for a quick guide on how to get the job done.
A healthy, natural diet is also part of preventive care. Crunchy foods help slough off tartar. Canned foods are not recommended because soft food produces tartar buildup at a greater rate.
Rawhide chews can also be instrumental in keeping the teeth clean, just be sure to monitor your dog because they can present a choking hazard.
If your dog has bad breath that doesn’t improve with daily teeth brushing or other obvious treatments, we strongly recommend that you visit your Vet.
The Vet can determine the causes of bad dog breath for your Amstaff. The vet will also know if there is an underlying illness that will require appropriate treatment.
Doggie Dental Health Facts:
- 80% of Dogs show signs of Oral Disease by Age 3 According to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- February is National Pet Dental Health Month
