How do I get rid of my dog's bad breath and improve their oral health?

I certainly understand how difficult it can be to manage bad breath. I am attaching a handout below on halitosis which will give you more information. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=129 Unfortunately, halitosis is most commonly due to dental disease that can only be treated by performing a dental cleaning under anesthesia to remove all the tartar and bacteria under the gum line. After a dental cleaning, continuing to brush is very important. I recently started using PetSmile since a veterinary dentist recommended it to me and have been very pleased at the improvement in halitosis in my dogs. https://petsmileusa.com/ Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach

It's odd that it improved when the [Giardia](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/giardia/) was treated. My first suspicion for the ongoing odor is that she may be licking at her anal glands or eating her own (or someone else's) poop. Ideally, have her examined by a veterinarian just to make sure there are no wounds, irritation, etc in her mouth or throat that maybe contributing. You r vet can also check her anal glands to see if they seem full or irritated which could lead t her having a tendency to lick at them a lot. If her anal glands are fine, and her mouth is fine, use a daily product for dental health. [CET products](https://us.virbac.com/cet-veggiedent-fr3sh-dental-chew-for-dogs) contain chlorhexadine which kills bad breath causing bacteria. [Water additives](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-oratene-water-additive) are great too. I hope thats helpful for you. Thanks for asking PetCoach! Good luck!

At his age, the bad breath could be an abscess or the normal shedding of his puppy teeth. Take a good look inside his mouth to check for any abnormalities. You may also consider having him examined by the veterinarian if you are not sure what you are seeing. Otherwise, I recommend to brush his teeth. This is one of the best ways to maintain dental health: https://www.petcoach.co/article/brushing-teeth-home-dental-care/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Yes dogs do need teeth cleaning! You can brush Layla's teeth with a specific dog toothbrush and paste you get from a pet store. Do NOT use human toothpaste. Denta sticks are fine. She also needs an exam from a vet. The bad breath could be due to severe gingivitis, tooth root abscess, or a broken tooth. That requires a dental cleaning, scaling, and polishing, it cannot be treated at home. Like humans, dogs need a dental cleaning yearly. Contact her vet on Monday to make her an appointment. I hope this helps!

It's not uncommon in dogs, if his teeth looks dirty and full of tartar he probably needs a scale and polish dental treatment at the vets, if the teeth look very clean then it probably comes from the stomach and is usually related to the food he eats.

If Tehya's teeth are fine, I would recommend getting blood work on her to make sure her kidneys are ok. Sometimes with kidney disease they can have a bad smell from their mouth. I would also discuss with your vet about potentially performing a dental procedure with x-rays to confirm there is no abscess we can see. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Dogs with bad breath usually have terrible teeth...ie their teeth are full of tartar which harbors gas producing bacteria and that stinks. These bacteria also cause severe gingivitis (inflamed gums) which allows the bacteria to enter the blood stream and eventually cause heart and kidney problems. Another reason for bad breath could be a tooth root abscess, a wound in the oral cavity and renal failure. Please take Voodoo to a veterinarian for an exam to find the cause of the bad breath. Treatment can then be initiated, ie a dental cleaning, antibiotics to kill those bacteria and/or early detection of renal failure.