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Why does my puppy's breath smell like fish food after eating?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Bichon Frise | Male | neutered | 5 months and 6 days old | 7.8 lbs

How to get rid of your puppy’s bad breath? He currently eats Purina Pro Plan Chicken/Rice and has his teeth brushed with doggy toothpaste each night. Despite this effort he still has a lingering odor that smells somewhat “fish food” like especially after meals.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 22nd, 2018

I would guess that this is potentially food related, and if it is transient and he is doing well on his food otherwise there may not be anything to be worried about. If it bothers you, you could try changing his diet to another flavor or another brand altogether (I recommend sticking to foods by Purina, Hill's, Royal Canin, Iams or Eukanuba). You could also consider trying a probiotic supplement. Although Guido is young he could still also have a tooth problem and if the odor seems to be around all the time you may want to have your vet examine his mouth.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 10th, 2019
Sometimes dogs will have bad breath that is due to their diet, or occasionally it can be a sign of gastrointestinal disease. Even though his teeth do have minimal tartar in your photo he still could have dental disease - most dental disease is below the gum line in dogs. You may want to have your vet examine Oscar’s mouth closely for any signs of a problem if the tub breath is new.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Karly Macon, DVM, MS, CVA Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Veterinarian
Published on April 5th, 2017
Your dog is getting to the age where he is likely to have significant dental disease, since he is a small breed dog. I recommend scheduling a complete oral health exam under anesthesia so that a veterinarian can take dental radiographs of your dog's teeth as there are likely some that are rotting and require extraction and antibiotics--rotting teeth smell like old fish!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 19th, 2019
You may want to have your vet examine Bow to make sure he doesn’t have any dental disease or other oral disease causing his bad breath. If your vet has already examined Bow your best bet would probably be to brush his teeth using a dog toothpaste. You should acclimate him slowly to tooth brushing and try to make it a good experience by pairing with treats. Try brushing for a very short period of time each day and stop if he starts to get upset.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My 4-month-old puppy has fishy breath. Should I be concerned?

AS long as he is eating normally, I don't think you need to be too concerned. Has he been licking at his back end? Anal glands can smell "fishy," so that may be the issue. Yuck! :/ Its not urgent if he is otherwise normal, but get him in to your vet when you can so they can do an exam and make sure nothing is wrong. They can also check and express his anal glands if needed. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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My Pomeranian's breath smells like rotten fish. What should I do?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern! If you are smelling a bad odor coming from Prince's mouth, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine his mouth to determine if he has severe dental disease or not. He will likely need a dental cleaning and a course of antibiotics if he is dealing with severe dental disease, which is typical in small breed dogs. Some things you can do after you have his teeth cleaned would include Oravet chews, Plaque off and CET oral rinse. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

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Health & Wellness

Why does my puppy's breath smell bad if her teeth are clean?

It could be just normal puppy breath. Some people feel like it doesn't smell good. If she tends to eat poop, this could also be the cause. With her being so young, I would not expect her to have any dental tartar causing a smell. If it continues or it gets worse, I would have your vet take a look at the mouth to ensure there isn't an infection somewhere.

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My cat's breath smells like fish. Is this a sign of a health issue?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bad breath could be a sign of a bad tooth. Smelling like fish could be Iayl licking his anal glands (sacs inside the rectum). If these glands get full or infected, cats will lick the area. I recommend taking Iayl to the vet for an exam of his mouth and anal glands. He may need to have a dental cleaning or have the glands expressed. Good luck!

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My puppy's breath stinks again despite weekly Dentastix. What to do?

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.

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Why does my 6-month-old puppy have bad breath that smells like poop?

I would bring him in for an exam. There are related organ changes that can produce bad breath. Organ changes Ike be best evaluated with blood work and a good physical exam. Your dog is young so it limits my differential list. It makes me think more of something congenital or a basic nutritional deficiency

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Yes, this can be a sign that something is wrong with Daisy's mouth causing this smell, but it could also be due to something she is eating. Eating poop is common in puppies, and this will cause bad breath. I'd have her seen by a vet for this bad breath.

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