Dog Diet Top 10 Best Things For Dog Breath

Top 10 Best Things For Dog Breath

Dog breath can be a problem if your furry friend lives in your house and not your yard. It is an even bigger discomfort if they like to take naps with you. And even if they have their own space outdoors, you will want to play with them often without being bothered by the specific dog breath.

Wondering what can I give my dog for bad breath?

Well, we put together a complete guide to help you reduce dog breath and enjoy your cuddling time with your pet a lot more!

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Table of Contents

10 Best things for dog breath
Frequently asked questions
Key References

10 Best things for dog breath

1. Make sure your dog has a healthy diet

Bad breath often comes from a poor diet. It is one of the most common side effects, so the first thing you have to do is make sure your dog eats the right things.

Their diet should contain all the nutrients they need, and you can add certain dental health foods to their diet.
Best dog food brands on the market often offer a version of food that keeps dental issues away.
The frequency with which your dog eats is just as important. If they are snacking on food all they, the chances to have bad breath will be more prominent.

2. Check their teeth regularly

Teeth problems are another common reason for bad breath. If your dog has bad teeth, they will suffer from unpleasant breath as well.

Giving your dog an oral physical exam should be one of the first things you do. When your pet has bad breath, it can be a sign of many problems.
An experienced vet will diagnose such a condition properly and help your pet get rid of the bad breath problem.
Bad breath can be a cause of mouth wounds or other health problems inside the mouth cavity.

3. Keep their teeth clean

The hygiene of your dog’s teeth is also crucial if you want to treat or avoid bad breath. You can make a routine out of brushing your dog’s teeth at home.

This is an excellent remedy for bad breath. Brushing their teeth regularly will keep them clean and their breath fresh as well.
To do that, though, you will have to use dog-friendly toothpaste as well as a proper toothbrush.
Your vet will help you invest in the best products. If you find too much of a hassle to brush their teeth daily, you can resume it every other day.

4. Add a homemade dog freshener to their diet

A quick and healthy remedy for dealing with bad dog breath is carrots and apples. They don’t need any type of preparation, and you can just cut them in bite sizes before feeding them to your dog.

The crunchy texture of the carrots and the apple will help clean their teeth and get rid of bad breath.
You can also homemade dog breath freshener (bake snacks) for your dog to help eliminate the bad breath. A great recipe is blending together 2 cups of oats, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, a pinch of parsley, a pinch of mint, and water.
When all the ingredients are well mixed, split them into rolls and bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees F. once these rolls are cooled down, you can feed them to your dog.
Make sure to not give them more than one or two a day as they should be treats, not replace a meal.

5. Give them homemade dog water additive for bad breath

You will find plenty of options on the market in terms of water additives for dogs.

These additives are meant to go in the water bowl of your dog and make sure they have a fresh breath all day long.
Keep in mind that this is not a solution to replace good oral hygiene. However, it will reduce bad breath for the day, and you can simply add the additive to your pet’s water.
It is also essential to follow the additive instructions because you don’t want to add too much of it.

6. Add lemon to their water

If you don’t want to dive into the world of chemicals and processed solutions to keep your dog’s bad breath under, lemon is one of your best solutions.

You can squeeze half a lemon into your dog’s water in the morning, and they will have a fresher breath for the day.
It is important not to add too much lemon because they might not like its flavor and altogether refuse to drink the water.

7. Give them dental snacks

Some of the most common solutions to bad breath in dogs are dental snacks.

You can find them in most stores, and they can replace the regular snacks you offer your dog.
Find dental snacks in a flavor your dog will love, and give them one before you want to cuddle or take a nap with them.
It is essential to understand that dental treats will not get rid of the problem entirely. Still, it will reduce the bad breath discomfort temporarily.

8. Put toothpaste on their chew toy

Adding dog-friendly toothpaste to your dog’s chew toys is a great trick.

Doing so could even replace the brushing teeth routine if you find that to be too troublesome.
You don’t have to cover the toy they love in too much toothpaste.
A little bit of it will go a long way, and your dog’s breath will significantly improve with no effort.

9. Check their overall health

Dogs bad breath from stomach can also be a cause that might affect your dog’s health.

That’s why it is essential to make sure they have no digestive issues, as bad breath could also be a side effect of heartburn or acid reflux.
Gastroesophageal reflux is common in dogs of all ages and breeds.
Even if, in most cases, bad breath is a result of poor oral hygiene or dental issues, giving your dog an overall health check could also help identify other root causes.

10. Give them products with Chlorhexidine

You will find plenty of dog products that contain Chlorhexidine.

The most common of these are mouth sprays as well as mouthwashes. This best product for dog bad breath is antibacterial which will help keep your dog’s mouth clean, and you can use such products on cats as well.
Many veterinarians used oral sprays and mouthwashes with Chlorhexidine thanks to its efficiency in terms of oral hygiene.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I use the same remedies for bad breath in cats?

A: All the remedies recommended in this guide will work for both cats and dogs. They will be efficient and maintain proper oral hygiene. However, you will not be able to brush your cat’s teeth, so that is one difference that you have to consider.

Q: Should I take my dog to the vet if they have bad breath?

A: Yes, having your dog checked by their vet is a wise idea. You want to make sure that bad breath is a superficial condition and not something you should be worried about. Also, your vet will recommend you proper solution according to the cause of the problem.

Q: Can bad breath in dogs be cured?

A: Bad breath in dogs can definitely be cured or at least kept under control. If you identified the root cause of the bad breath, you should focus on finding the proper treatment for that. Applying the remedies in this guide will also help you keep the bad breath under control. You can watch your dog’s diet and check their oral hygiene regularly to make sure that they will not develop such a condition, to begin with.

Q: Is terrible breath a sign of a serious health problem?

A: Bad breath in dogs is usually an artificial issue that can be fixed with proper diet and oral hygiene. However, it can also be a sign of heartburn or a digestive problem. In most cases, a visit to the vet will give you a quick diagnosis for your dog and the best treatment for their case.

Even if bad breath is common in dogs with poor oral hygiene, you want to invest in their health to avoid it at all costs. Your dog doesn’t have to be the cause of any discomfort while you two are cuddling.

Make sure to try the remedies in this guide and see which one is more efficient for your pet. If the problem persists, don’t hesitate to talk to your vet and see the root cause of your puppy’s bad breath!

Key References

“Bad breath in dogs – PDSA”. Accessed March 20, 2021. Link.
“Dog Acid Reflux – Acid Reflux Treatment for Dogs | PetMD”. Accessed March 20, 2021. Link.