As dog affectionados it’s only natural to love everything about our pooches… the good and the bad. One such ‘unpleasantry’ we often accept as normal or tend to overlook is Dog Bad Breath.
Now because “Dogs Breath” is so common (take any 5 dogs and chances are 4 will have dog breath) it’s easy to understand why most dog owners accept bad breath as a natural part of being a dog.
However, what few people realise is that dog bad breath (formally referred to as “Canine Halitosis”) is actually a non-specific symptom of a wide range of harmful and even potentially fatal conditions. In essence dog bad breath is nature’s way of telling you that your dog is unwell. The upshot of all this is that by accepting your dogs bad breath as normal you actually run the risk of hurting your dog… and even prematurely killing them.
Being such a potentially harmful yet so widely ignored characteristic I’ve created this site to fulfil three distinct purposes…
1. raise your awareness and plain-English understanding of the numerous underlying causes of dog bad breath;
2. Evaluate the numerous commercial and home remedies for dog bad breath and in turn show you how best to cure dog bad breath;
3. Empower you to recognise when dog bad breath requires you to abandon conventional bad breath treatments and instead mandate a trip to your vet.
As you can see there’s more to dog breath than meets the nose! And through this site I hope to bring you all the knowledge and resources you need to raise a happy, healthy, odour-free dog.
One such resource that I think every genuine dog lover must read is Dog Food Dangers. With the obvious (and not so obvious) links between diet and bad breath this eye-opening report is one of the most important places to start when looking to treat your dogs bad breath.
I think it is an absolute must read for someone who really loves their pooch and takes curing dog bad breath seriously.
If you think yesterdays dog bad breath video was disturbing, check this one out. This nutter actually comes up with a potentially simple and effective cure to stop your pooch eating poop. However, I’m not convinced his method to stop your dog liking your face is one I’ll be recommending! (Besides, I actually brush my teeth!)
WARNING: Do not watch this video within 1 hour either side of eating.
You’ll hear me talk alot about the harmful effects of conventional dog foods on your pooch’s health (and breath!). What I haven’t heard of before is that putting fido on a detox can actually exacerbate bad breath (as mentioned in this interesting article discussing the virtues of a “Primal Diet”). I’d be interested to hear from you if you’ve A) detoxed your pooch and B) whether or not you noticed a worsening of dog bad breath!
While it’s widely recognised that plaque and tartar build up (which occurs naturally in ever dogs mouth) is the number one cause of dog bad breath, the second most common cause is simply un-natural and totally caused by us, the dog owners!
What is this man-made cause of dog bad breath?
Tooth decay!
Just like in our own teeth, four things need to simultaneously co-exist for tooth decay to develop:
1. A susceptible tooth surface (e.g. a natural groove in a tooth which can harbour plaque);
2. Acid-forming bacteria;
3. A fermentable carbohydrate;
4. Time.
Take any one of these elements out of the equation and tooth decay can not form.
Now pretty much every dog with teeth will have tooth surfaces susceptible to tooth decay and left unbrushed these susceptible surfaces will harbour bacteria. However, not all bacteria can produce tooth decay. It takes special types of bacteria that can ferment simple carbohydrates (i.e. sugars) in to acids which subsequently dissolve the teeth and cause tooth decay. These bacteria (collectively called cariogenic bacteria) are not normal residents in dogs mouths but rather are spread from dogs (and possibly humans) already infected with cariogenic bacteria. In this way tooth decay is an infectious disease.
But just because your dog may be infected with cariogenic bactria doesn’t mean they’ll get tooth decay. To produce tooth decay these cariogenic bacteria require simple sugars in your dogs’ diet to turn in to acid.
And here-in lies the key to giving your dog tooth decay. By giving your dog cheap processed dog foods packed with sugars you greatly increase their chances of dveloping tooth decay. And just like in humans tooth decay can not only give your dog tooth ache (affecting their eating habits as well as their temprament) it can also lead to potentially harmfu and even fatal dental abscesses in their jaw bones.
In a nut-shell, your dog should never get tooth decay. By cleaning their teeth daily and never feeding them (read: poisoning them with) cheap processed dog food not only will they never have to go through the trauma of a tooth extraction, you’ll never have to put up with dog bad breath from tooth decay.
If you’re not sure whether or not the food your giving your dog is poisonignthem or if you’re not sure what alternative healthy foods to feed your dog be sure to read this eye-opening report!
Dog Bad Breath can be your pooch's way way of telling you "Please stop killing me!" Don't endanger your dog's life one second longer. Discover for yourself the deadly secret behind dog bad breath. If you love your dog you absolutely must read this article!
