Is my dog's bad breath and nasal mucus a sign of something serious?

Hello, thank you for your question about Blue. Based on the symptoms that you describe it is possible that his nasal discharge and loud breathing could be an indication of any of the above mentioned problems. Dogs can develop upper respiratory infections secondary to bacteria or viruses. Another possible explanation is that Blue has rhinitis, or an inflammatory condition, most commonly associated with allergies. These symptoms can also be indicative of a nasal foreign body or possibly a nasal mass. There are "nasal mites" (or parasites) that can cause these symptoms, but these are very uncommon. I would recommend having Blue evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can perform an examination and evaluate his lungs and nose. Depending on these findings they can discuss the need for additional diagnostics and discuss possible treatment options. Hope this helps, good luck!

Hello. I’m sorry for your frustration, but some further investigation by a veterinarian is needed in order to determine what is going on. A thorough oral exam to look not only at the teeth but under the tongue, and all over the inside of the mouth for evidence of any growths, foreign bodies, etc would be the first step. This often requires sedation and dental X-ray may be helpful. Leo could also have something in his sinus or nasal cavity.....something stuck in there, a growth or polyp or just a deep seated chronic infection. Sedation to examine above his soft palate and then to flush his nasal passages would be recommended. If these things are not done to try to find the underlying problem, all you can do is continue to try antibiotics. If penicillin has been tried twice, it’s time to move on to a more broad spectrum one. However, I would be concerned that there is something more going on and the additional investigation would be best.

Bad breath is usually due to teeth and gum disease. If Precious has not had dental treatment before, then this is definitely a possibly. Here is a link to some information about dental disease: https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-every-dog-owner-should-know-about-dental-care/ Heavy breathing and snoring noises could be related. This often happens with breeds of dogs that have short/smashed-appearing muzzles. It can happen due to various structural deformities such as small nostril size, or an elongated soft palate. If this is something that suddenly started, then I would be more worried about laryngeal paralysis, or a polyp causing her to have obstructed breathing. Given the multiple possibilities and the likely need for treatment, I recommend you have Precious examined by a veterinarian. They can quickly narrow-down the cause of the bad breath and snoring. I hope that helps and all is well with Precious.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Fishy smelling breath can be from either dental disease or from GI disease. If she is having a hard time breathing, it could be either heart disease, primary lung disease (airway disoders, asthma, infection/pneumonia, etc.). She could also be breathing up from pain, especially if she has GI disease, this can make them have abnormal breathing as well. I would be fairly worried and would recommend bringing her to a vet right away. I would bring her to an emergency clinic if your vet isn't open. Best of luck with Luna, I hope she feels better soon!

Your dog may be suffering from severe allergies affecting his upper airways, or an upper respiratory infection caused by bacteria, a virus or a fungus. I strongly recommend you make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and appropriate treatment.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a chronic rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Poor Paisley! Coughing and mild respiratory sinus can be a symptom of allergies but the breath is not expected to change. I recommend to go ahead with your vet visit. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.