Why Does my dog smell like that from his mouth?
Every dog has a different bad breath: It's completely normal that their mouth doesn't smell as fresh as humans. After all, dog food has its own unique flavor and our four-legged friends have theirs too characteristic smell, that you shouldn't change anything.
However, this also has its limits: Some dogs smell so bad from their mouths that it becomes an annoyance for all other family members. The question that concerns every owner is of course: “What’s that about?”
You should definitely investigate this question: Although many causes of bad breath are harmless, there are also reasons that are related to serious health problems.
Change of teeth in puppies
Many dog owners notice early on that their… Puppy suddenly stinks from the mouth. This is almost always because the little four-legged friend loses his milk teeth and gets permanent teeth.
With this one Change of teeth It is almost normal for leftover food and bacteria to get into the temporarily vacant spaces. This causes the gums to become slightly inflamed, which also causes unpleasant bad breath.
If your dog child is affected by this, I wouldn't worry too much, but I would keep a close eye on the mouth.
dental plaque
Another common cause of bad breath is dental plaque. Plaque occurs in dogs because small bits of food get stuck on their teeth. Bacteria collect in this, which then multiplies and causes a characteristic stench.
When dental plaque becomes excessive and hardens, it is called Tartar. It is the most common dental disease in dogs and is significantly more common than tooth decay. Dogs that are fed wet, semi-moist or low-quality dry food are most often affected. Congenital misalignments of teeth can increase the risk of developing the disease.
Inflammation of the gums
Also – but not only – caused by plaque Inflammation of the gums. At a gingivitis, As the technical term goes, the bacteria get into the deeper regions of the mouth. There they destroy parts of the gums, cause inflammation and bleeding and – unfortunately – often have a very undisturbed life.
Gingivitis diseases are very treacherous in dogs for various reasons:
- For one thing, they cause severe pain in dogs that are not visible to us for a long time. The animals then eat less or try to adopt a protective posture when chewing. Then even the still healthy parts of the teeth are overstressed.
- On the other hand, gum infections often take hold to other parts of the body: Many eye diseases and heart problems have their origin in the mouth.
- Sometimes gingivitis is also one Result of significantly more serious underlying diseases such as diseases of the metabolic organs or tumors.
Inflammation of the gums is primarily manifested by severe gum disease Redness of the mouth. Pungent bad breath is also part of the clinical picture. But be careful: The external symptoms say little about the progress of the disease – sometimes the gums still appear to be in relatively good condition, even though the inflammation has already spread to other parts of the body.
Foreign body in the mouth or throat
There is also a great risk of infection and therefore bad breath if the dog has one Foreign body eats, which then partially gets stuck in the mouth or throat. This happens more often than you might think, often it is Glass and wood splinters or pointed parts of plants, which, among other things, actually get stuck in the gums.
The body reacts to these disruptive intruders with inflammation, which can put a lot of strain on the dog. Bad breath is one of the symptoms that you as an owner notice almost immediately.
(Chronic) diseases in Neck and throat area
In addition to the gums can also Neck and throat be the cause of bad breath. For example, purulent tonsillitis causes a very strong stench that only goes away when the infection is overcome.
However, this annoyance should be of secondary importance: First and foremost, throat infections are very painful for the four-legged friend and can also cause consequential damage.
Foul-smelling BARF ingredients
More and more dog owners are giving up ready-made food and opting instead to feed their four-legged friends BARF. This can certainly be appropriate for the species, as long as the menu composition takes all nutritional needs into account.
Proponents of the method often state that their dogs then smell significantly less from their mouths – for example by chewing bones. However, this is not always the case, as with some feed combinations the exact opposite is the case.
If the dog increases healthy, nutrient-dense ingredients like Fish or tripe is served, he will inevitably develop quite a bit of bad breath. This is then no reason to worry, but should decrease within a shorter period of time. But he still remains a nuisance.
Gastrointestinal problems
Also common are foul smells from the mouth, which actually come from the digestive tract come. For example, if bacteria collect in the stomach area, the dog is under one Stomach hyperacidity or even a dilated esophagus – the so-called mega-esophagus – every burp creates an unpleasant aroma.
In some cases, this bad breath only lasts for a short time. In the case of chronic gastrointestinal problems, the mouth can become a permanent disruptive factor – similar to flatulence.
Lip eczema
This is particularly common in wrinkled dogs lip eczema, which affects the corner of the mouth and lower lip of the four-legged friends. Characteristic of this dermatological disease is the formation of purulent spots, which are caused by bacteria that attack the affected areas. This results in a typical foul smell in the mouth.
Affected dogs often also suffer from tartar and/or gum inflammation. Such eczema can be very stubborn and the skin is often permanently damaged.
Fungal infestation
It can also happen that the dog has one in the neck area fungal infection was attacked. Especially the treacherous one Candida albicans A fungus that affects the mucous membranes and is known as vaginal fungus in humans, for example, must be mentioned here.
Dogs can become infected with it, for example, by sniffing other dogs and eating the feces of infected animals. They multiply very quickly in the throat area and inevitably cause bad breath as the infection continues.
diabetes & Diseases of the metabolic organs
However, not all causes of bad breath are acute: occasionally there is also a chronic organic disease behind it. A long-lasting stench also leads to suffering
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These diseases often involve fatty residues such as acetone not properly dismantled. The unprocessed residues are then excreted, particularly through breathing.
Eating feces & others malodorous substances
Sometimes the cause is simpler: Many dogs simply stink from their mouths because they have eaten something very smelly:
- Dogs that engage in coprophagy, i.e. eat the feces of themselves or other animals, have an extremely disgusting bad breath for some time
- Even animals that eat partially decomposed carrion will notice this by smelling from their mouths.
In addition to the odor nuisance, such eating habits also come with it other risks connected: For example, the risk of your four-legged friend becoming infected with parasites or other pathogens increases enormously.