Terrible breath! Things to do??

[tbird2340]

Our dog has some really bad breath! We've had him for about six months and it wasn't bad in the beginning. We were originally feeding him Natural Choice Dental Care and I think that was working because I don't remember his breath being this bad. We switched him to Natural Choice Chicken Meal, Rice & Oatmeal Forumula because we thought he had a sensitive stomach. Turns out I think he just had to get used to living with us so I don't know if he actually needs sensitive stomach food now.

My question is.. What are some ways to get his breath smelling good? I know your supposed to brush their teeth like twice a week but is there anything in addition to?

I heard greenie treats work but they are expensive!

Thanks!!

[Deja]

My Golden Retriever, Jack had breath so bad he could clear an entire room. It was *that* bad! Horrid, disgusting, nasty breath! I asked the vet about it, and the vet said "His teeth look clean and gorgeous".... we were clueless and willing to try anything.

I know I probably shouldn't have, but sometimes I'd slip him a Listerine Strip or Tic Tac if we were having people over or I was taking him in the car with me.

I switched to Wellness food and within a week, that was one of the first things I noticed. His breath was clean! No smell!! Amazing.

Curious- Does your dog perhaps partake in the evil doggie ritual of snacking in the kitty box? Nosing For Kitty Roca? Snackin' on Cat Turds? (sorry got carried away ....

Jack will still do it if someone leaves the laundry room door opened long enough for him to get in
omg that's the worst- so bad it seriously makes me gag!

I'm sorry I can't help you - I can sympathize a lot though!
Good Luck in figuring it out and let us know what you come up with. I considered those greenie treats! I never got them because his breath cleared up just fine for some reason when I changed foods.

[Pigsterz]

Quote: I know I probably shouldn't have, but sometimes I'd slip him a Listerine Strip or Tic Tac if we were having people over or I was taking him in the car with me. Curious- Does your dog perhaps partake in the evil doggie ritual of snacking in the kitty box? Nosing For Kitty Roca? Snackin' on Cat Turds? (sorry got carried away ....

Deja, you just crack me up!! Whoo boy, slipping a Tic-Tac.

Sorry, I have no advice to share. But I'm sure someone here will come along with some words of wisdom.

[tbird2340]

Yes, he does like to eat cat poop. It's disgusting! He acts like there treats.. He sneaks downstairs if were not carefully watching him then when we realize where he's at and we scream his name he runs up the steps licking his lips..

Deja, do you brush your dog's teeth often?

[kittygurl823]

Deja- I was wondering if I could give them one of those listerine things!!! Too funny!
Tbird- All 3 of my dogs breath tends to smell bad, lol. Although I don't take much notice unless they are actually breathing in my face, . And yes, they like to sneak into the cat box!! I know what you mean, it's sooo nasty, licking their lips like its a treat. And I will yell their name if they are doing it, and they will drop it right there, ewwww. lol. We watch carefully, and they are all crated while we aren't at home. I heard their is a product you can buy (Dr. FosterSmith) that you can put on your cats food, and it makes the dogs not want to go near it. Never tried this myself thou. My dogs eat Solid Gold, it seemed to get a little better after switching them over, like Deja said. I have tried those Greenies before, but I personally, didn't see any difference, but you could still try it, it could help. Yes, they tend to be a little pricy, if you get the *right* amount you are supossed to. I try to brush their teeth at least once a week. I have a finger toothbrush and they love having their teeth brushed.
Has anyone seen those *Yip-Yap* mints for dogs? I wonder if those work?

[Formula86]

do you guys know that they actually do make listerine strips for your dog??!! you can get them at petsmart. greenies are good, but a better investment would be a dental bone made form rubber/plastic that will last. brushing the teeth at least 3-4 times a week also helps. more importantly, give your dog only dry food. and if that other first food worked, i would try giving 1/4 that and 3/4 the recent chicken stuff. then 1/2 each, and try to get him back on just the breath food stuff.
hope it works out!
-jane

[kittygurl823]

I didn't know they made them special for dogs? Cool! Oopps, yah formula, forgot to add, all dry food. All my dogs eat is dry. It's also supposed to be good for their teeth. And also, maybe try brushing more often, and even brushing once a day right now, it wouldn't hurt. Does he like having his teeth brushed? My dogs don't mind it, I just don't do it as often as I should.

[Mallory]

Hmm... Our dogs breath is very bad, at least to me. (Dog breath doesn't bother me like it does some people...) But try moving your cats litter box. (If of course the cat wouldn't mind, some will be finiky about where *they* want their litter box... but anyways) Is there a room that the dog can't reach that the cat can? For us, my room is up in the attic and for about six months we've kept the litter box up there... The dogs never even got a sniff! Now (for the sake of my rooms scent ) I've moved the litter box to the basement. I haven't caught the dogs in there yet, but I wouldn't be too suprised. Kitty box cruntchies must be irrisistible to the canine species or something...

Anyhow, the my dogs DO have pond breath, they like to drink outta the back yard fish pond which doesn't exactly smell the greatest despite its prettiness.

My mom bought this bottle of human/canine breath drops from Burt's Bee's. It smells pretty good, and the girls love it! (But Audrey is afraid of the dropper, that goon. I have to drip it on my hand or my leg for her to take it. ha ha)

I think they have a website, I'll do a search and if I find it, I'll link it here for you to check out.

Mallory

[Mallory]

We have used Yip-Yaps!!! Greta and Audrey liked those a lot also! It helped, but not drastically...

[Mallory]

Here is the link:

Better breath for Man and Beast

We only let the dogs have them though, because Greta slobbers all over the dropper!

And yeah, greenies are up high in price but they do VERY well. Out of Yip-Yaps, Burt's Bee's, and Greenies, I would recommend Greenies. In the long run, its less expensive because you don't have to keep buying the quick-fixes like Burt's Bee's and Yip-Yaps. Greta and Audrey have never had a greenie before, but Bean did, and she loved it. If I would get one, I'd get the biggest one for like 15 bucks (?) because it would last longer!

[Deja]

I don't brush my dog's teeth. I've tried, and once in a blue moon I'll buy a little dog tooth brushing kit and use it on Jack.

The vet says that whatever I am doing - keep it up because for a dog his age, his teeth look fantastic. He has no visible brown plaque or build up- they are nice and white and his gums are in great shape.

I give them lots and lots of stuff to chew on. Dental rope bones, booda bones, the occasional pig ear, those prickly looking denta-bones, dental nylabones... knotted raw hide (I supervise when they have these because I don't like when they gnaw it down to the point that small ingestible bits chunk off) - I take the raw hide away when it starts looking like they can swallow bits of it.

Do you guys brush your dog's teeth?

[Formula86]

i brush my dogs' teeth at least once a week. i brush the roof of their mouths and i try to do their tongue. they don't mind cause they like the taste of the toothpaste (liver). but the greenies are the Best! they love em (they fight over them) and they don't tear off like rawhide. instead they kinda crumble and that's good cause my dogs choke on small rawhide pieces. there is another mint flavored bone that is white and smells like a big peppermint stick, but my dogs don't like it that much.
buuuuuut........
yes, i always brush their teeth. and after 2 yrs old they should have yearly dentist appointments with their vet.

[Linda Lee]

I use to brush my dogs teeth , but I've gotten lazy about doing it(but they like it). I have a dog tooth scaler so if stuff builds up I just scale it off myself. Beau loves to chew those Nuckle nylabones so his teeth look pretty good. Greenies are nice but they're so much money .
No one mentioned charcoal, I believe charcoal treats would be good for bad breath. It works if the smell is coming from the digestive system, not teeth. They also sell charcoal tablets for people if you can't find the treats.