Why does my dog's breath smell bad and his mouth seems to hurt him?

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

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.

It would be best to have a veterinarian do an exam on him. It’s possible he may have a wound on the roof of his mouth or back of his throat, or a piece of grass or a small twig stuck on a back tooth, etc, or a wound elsewhere in his mouth. It’s also possible that he’s having some tooth root problems with the recent eruption of adult teeth. If he is eating fine and otherwise acting normally, it’s ok to try brushing his teeth and try a rinse or water additive designed for halitosis (bad breath) in dogs. However if that doesn’t help after a few days, I would strongly recommend that you take him in. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly 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!

Missy appears to have several areas of bone loss and exposed tooth roots. I suspect she has several diseased teeth and significant infection. Sometimes severe bone loss can results in deep ulcers and even fistulas. I recommend to discuss having Missy sedated to remove the diseased teeth and clean out any ulcers. Then give her mouth time to heal. It’s unlikely that this problem and the odor will go away with out the full treatment. Ulcer and bad teeth can cause discomfort. Not to mention if can lead to other diseases as well. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Lily could have dental disease causing foul breath - bacteria form plaque on the teeth and underneath the gumline and cause bad breath. She could have a mass or wound in her mouth if this is a sudden change, or occasionally dogs with gastrointestinal disease will also have bad breath. I'd recommend having your veterinanrian examin Lily's mouth -she may need a dental exam and cleaning under anesthesia.

Rex urgently needs to be seen by your veterinarian for an exam. You likely will need to schedule a dental cleaning under anesthesia. He likely has a very painful tooth root abscess. The vet will remove all tartar, and also clean under the gingiva wich will also remove bacteria which are causing infection and bad breath. He will also remove all rotten and infected teeth. This should greatly increase your dog's quality of life and will help prevent heart and kidney disease. He will also be able to eat properly without a toothache! Please make an appointment on Monday!