The sweet smell of puppy breath can quickly transition to a pungent version that has you pushing away the kisses. While your dog doesn’t know his breath is unpleasant, the underlying cause may trigger other health issues down the road. Treating the breath without figuring out what’s behind it may not be the full answer to your stinky problem. 

Root Causes of Bad Breath

It can be easy to toss a fresh breath biscuit to your furbaby and move on with your days, but you may be doing more harm than good. Schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible to catch anything minor before it becomes all-consuming and outrageously expensive. 

Bad breath is medically labeled Halitosis, and it cannot be cured without treating the underlying issue. 

Toxic or Non-Food Ingestion

Consuming fecal matter, garbage scraps, or something toxic will inevitably lead to bad breath. If your dog’s behavior shifts or he shows signs of illness, take him immediately to be checked.

Unbalanced Gut Health

Not all foods are created equal. Not all dog bellies are created equal. Just as humans need specific nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, your pup does too. These needs can change over the years, and they can trigger bigger problems that start with bad breath. Talk to your vet about running routine lab work to find the missing pieces in your dog’s diet.

Gum Disease or Bad Dental Hygiene

Improper or irregular teeth cleaning, especially with dogs who have crowded, crooked teeth, easily leads to bad breath and gum disease or infections. The buildup of plaque and tartar inflames the gums, pulling them back and exposes area for bacteria to settle.

Oral Tumor

As tumor masses grow, they can become infected. Even with regular teeth and gum cleaning, the dead tissue triggers persistently bad breath. This generally does not impact young dogs.

Diabetes

1 in every 300 dogs suffers from diabetes. While it is scary and overwhelming at first, it is treatable. Other than increased thirst and urination, the first sign of diabetes is an abnormally sweet and fruity smelling breath.

Liver Disease

Awful breath paired with weight loss, yellowing of the skin and eyes, loss of appetite, vomiting, and behavior changes are signs of life-threatening liver disease.

Kidney Disease

The kidneys handle the toxic load of the body. When an infection or disease occurs, the overload can be too much. The toxins then begin to build up in the blood causing the urine and breath to take on a funky smell.