How to Fix Bad Breath in Dogs

February is Pet Dental Health Month, and it is begging that elephant-in-the-room sort of question: Why do our furry friends have stinky breath, and can we finally get to the bottom of it?

For those researching the answers on how to fix bad breath in dogs, they will likely find that better breath starts in the gut. So, before simply giving your dog a minty dental chew, think about how you can help your pet’s gut. Focusing on their gut may help you in fixing dog breath and address the possible root cause of the issues.

3 WAYS FOR HOW TO FIX BAD BREATH IN DOGS

1) Supplements

Colostrum: Studies show that Colostrum helps bad breath, as it supports the growth of good bacteria in the gut, fights bacteria which causes bad breath, and reduces soreness (a precursor to periodontal issues). 

Probiotics: While Colostrum balances bacteria in the gut, yogurt actually infuses your dog’s body with beneficial bacteria. There are cautions to take when considering a yogurt, such as dog-sensitive lactose and dog-toxic artificial sweeteners (especially xylitol). A plain goat’s yogurt is a generally well-tolerated yogurt for dogs, but still, you should look out for your dog’s own allergies.

You can mix yogurt with Colostrum to maximize your efforts. Look for naturally flavored Colostrum to help with palatability.

(Gut Health 300mg)

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• 1460mg per scoop of Colostrum, with 14% Immunoglobulins
• 6mg per scoop of CBD, cannabinoids and terpenes (300mg total)
• Freeze-dried Blueberry Powder added for palatability
• Colostrum contains natural Immunoglobulins that support the body’s natural Immune Defense and improve Gastrointestinal Health
• Whole Plant Hemp Extract with a full-spectrum of CBD, cannabinoids and terpenes promotes a healthy inflammatory response in the gut, where research has shown a large amount of cannabinoid receptors are found
• Colostrum sourced from Canadian cows which are grass-fed without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones (rBGH)
• Colostrum contains a high amount of healthy fats to support healthy skin & coat

2) Diet

Meals: A quality, balanced diet will help keep your dog’s immune system in a good position to fight any bad-breath causing bacteria. Aim for a species-appropriate diet made of minimally processed protein and whole food ingredients. Freeze-dried, dehydrated, raw or wet are optimal feeding consistencies for cats and dogs.

The basic idea behind diet should be to feed species appropriate diets that are primarily high quality, minimally processed protein and whole food ingredients. Many companies make easy and convenient forms of these optimal diets.

Prophylactic foods: Integrate foods which prevent certain bad-breath-causing diseases. For example, yogurt’s probiotics help prevent periodontal issues, which is a cause of bad breath in dogs. Ginger can help regulate blood sugar levels, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes and its  bad-breath-consequence.

Breath-freshening foods: Parsley is not only a natural breath freshener, it also has antioxidant properties. Sprinkle a couple Curly Parsley leaves on top of your dog’s dinner (small quantities of parsley are safe, but be mindful that too much parsley can be toxic). Similarly, ginger is also a breath freshener with bacterial properties. Try boiling a small piece of ginger, then serving 1-2 teaspoons of the cool liquid into your pet’s water.

3) Lifestyle

Minimize toxic exposure: We often overlook all of the toxins our pets (and we) are exposed to on a given day. Fluorides in water, preservatives in food, BPAs in toys, lawn chemicals and more can stress your pet’s system. Try to minimize these exposures, so if there is an unwanted invader which might contribute to bad breath, your pet’s body will be more primed to defeat it.

Keep an eye out on the trails: Some dogs are attracted to smell and eat feces and carcasses in backyards, parks and trails. Prevent your dog from getting into these as much as possible–not only do they cause bad breath, but they can cause illness (bad-breath-causing illness, too).

Finally, exercise and annual check-ups are staples to keeping a dog in good health. Try to keep these routines as part of your dog’s lifestyle. 

Now you can see that bad breath can be more than it originally seemed, and with this understanding, we can learn many ways to actually target its root cause. Positive lifestyle, balanced diet and targeted supplements are great ways to improve our dogs’ stinky breath!

For questions or more information, please visit the links within the body of the article and in the below sources.

Sources:

https://www.care.com/c/wicked-bad-breath-in-dogs-10-ways-to-tame-it/

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/get-rid-of-stinky-dog-breath/

https://www.thefarmersdog.com/digest/superfoods-kitchen-parsley-for-dogs/#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20parsley,dog%20more%20good%20than%20harm.

https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/feeding-your-adult-dog-faq#:~:text=How%20much%20protein%20and%20fat,%25%20to%204.5%25%20percent%20fiber.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4277626/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rekha-Koduganti/publication/51618293_Probiotics_and_prebiotics_in_periodontal_therapy/links/542911fa0cf26120b7b5834c/Probiotics-and-prebiotics-in-periodontal-therapy.pdf