Seriously Foul Dog Breath - What Really Works?

[Guest Lmw626]

I need help. Two Point has seriously foul dog breath.

 

Here are the details...

 

He eats Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon twice a day with plain yogurt (without the yogurt the gas could be used as a deadly weapon)

Other than plain yogurt and sometimes pumpkin (when things are too loose) he gets NO table scraps. Just about all other raw food gives him terrible gas.

He eats Blue Buffalo Health Bars as treats, two per day usually

The Mail Carrier drops a small milkbone into the slot almost every day

I use a dog toothbrush and toothpaste on him

I use Petzlife gel. I have used the spray, can't really tell which works better

 

*I think* a dental was done between the track and the foster in January 2010 but I'm not positive. All his teeth are 90% white, the front lower teeth are very ground down and slightly beige. He show minimal visible tarter but his gums bled when I first got him and started brushing, they are not bleeding much anymore, just a tinge. My vet said his teeth look good for a greyhound. My friend with 2+ greys and the rescue group said his teeth look exceptional for a grey.

 

I have recently tried some of those green dental bones, one per day as directed, no help at all and I don't think he likes them. He takes them reluctantly as if I'm trying to feed vegetables to a kid.

 

So what is going on with his breath? It's so bad you can smell it across the room.

 

I've read posts here about Neem Bark and Raw Bones and Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste... What REALLY works? And could this be an intestinal issue? Should he be on a different food? I really like the BB Wilderness brand but would a different one of their products be better?

 

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[CaliforniaGreys]

I don't think I would accept "they look good for a GH" especially from my vet.

 

My guess is they need a good cleaning, especially along the gum line.

 

As for after a cleaning, I wipe their teeth and gums with Biotene, suggested by my vet, and for mine, it works wonders

[Guest lanielovesgreys]

The foul breath is usually the smell from an infection.

 

Get a dental, stat! My mom's dog's now has major heart problems that stemmed from an infection in her gums.

[Guest jettcricket]

My Dave's teeth, when I first got him, were very white but he still had gingivitis so the boy needed a good root cleaning or could the ordor be coming from his stomach?

[rschultz]

I use biotene on the gums. Cleans germs so it may help. Vet told me it is safe. Just put some on a gauze and wipe gums.

[Remolacha]

Fletcher has beautiful teeth, and he's raw fed, but when his breath got nasty (after I stopped blaming the fosters ) I had him checked and he had an abcess. He had his first dental in over 6 years, removed the bad tooth, and is now fine.

 

If his teeth really are fine, check the rest of his digestive system.

[Ullaluv]

If he has gingivitis, you might want to ask you vet about starting him on a (good) antibiotic, even before a dental. Hopefully if you can get the infection cleared up and the teeth really cleaned up, including below the gum line, you can keep on top of it with the good care that you're already doing.

[silverfish]

It might be worth doing a dental, but it would also be worth doing a blood panel, or getting the vet's opinion on his gut issues. Bad breath is usually from the teeth and mouth, but can be from the stomach, or from a metabolic problem like kidney disease. No amount of brushing and cleaning would fix that. Since you say he needs yogurt with his food or he gets terrible gas, I'd suspect a stomach problem is causing it.

 

In Sid's case, he gets killer breath when he eats tripe. Yet another factor to add into the mix.

[DaisyDoodle]

Daisy's breath was awful when her liver was malfunctioning. I'd also suggest bloodwork, which you'd need to do before a dental anyway.

[SAVED2]

Try 3% hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball after dinner , it works.

[Guest MyBoys]

I also agree with getting his teeth and gums checked again.

[Guest Paige12]

My experience, go with the dental, he's probably got some kind of infection going on.