My senior dog has bad breath, licks floor, can't see. Is it just age?

Many dogs, especially small breed dogs, are prone to dental disease. Imagine what your teeth would be like if you never brushed them (or flossed). yearly dental cleanings are needed and beneficial to maintain dental health but they cannot be the sole dental care for an older, small breed dog. There are many things you can do at home to provide Nacho dental care and this will help with his bad breath. The first thing to do is have Nacho examined to make sure his bad breath is really just bad breath. An infected tooth, kidney disease and diabetes can also cause bad breath. A physical exam and detailed medical history will help to veterinarian to determine the underlying cause. Here are some helpful links about at home dental care: https://www.petcoach.co/article/dental-care-what-to-include-in-a-complete-program/ When brushing the teeth, pay special attention to the small teeth (the incisors) because this area is very prone to disease. Do make sure however to brush all the teeth. The licking could be due to a bad taste in his mouth but it can also be a sign of nervousness or a self soothing behavior. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Diego! The diarrhea could be due to a number of causes including dietary indiscretion (eating something he should not have or isn't accustomed to), bacterial imbalance in his GI tract, a parasite, or inflammation of his colon due to stress. The chronic swallowing problem is more concerning for gastroesophageal reflux, a problem with his lower esophagus such as megaesophagus, or even potentially cancer. His bad breath could be due to persistent bacteria in the mouth, a tooth problem, or potentially related to his swallowing trouble. I recommend having Diego evaluated by a veterinarian for these issues. A fecal test would help to determine the cause of his diarrhea and how to treat it. The swallowing problem is something that will require an oral exam and possibly x-rays of his neck and chest or a more advanced swallowing study with contrast material. Or, your vet may recommend some medications if reflux is suspected. I hope this is helpful and you can find some answers!

Hi there! I'm so sorry to hear about Mud Bud's troubles. Sometimes older dogs can actually acquire dementia over time. This could be the cause of Mud Bud licking everything. There is also a condition called, Pica, where animals will ingest odd things, due to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. I always recommend evaluating yearly lab work in elderly animals (7+ years old) to insure that they don't have any health issues that may cause this. I also think that sometimes if dogs lose vision at all to any degree, which can happen in older dogs, they may start to lick things more often for sensory purposes. I think it is best to have Mud Bud evaluated by his veterinarian. They can get some samples for lab work and give him a full physical exam, and make sure that he doesn't have any pressing health issues. From there, they can make recommendations for his behavior. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

Poor guy and sorry to hear about your mom passing. The weight loss was good for him and his health: however, his symptoms of increased drinking, urination and loose stool with accidents in the home are suggestive of possible diabetes or a urinary tract infection. His behavioral changes indicate he doesn’t feel well. I would highly recommend taking him to your vet for bloodwork and a urinalysis to check things over. Once we know what is going on internally then we know how we need to treat Elvis to get him wel again. I hope he feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.

Poor Felix! I agree, it definitely sounds like something is wrong inside his mouth. He may have a dental problem such as a broken or infected tooth, or may have a wound, a growth, or even some type of foreign body stuck there. I would strongly recommend taking him to the vet for an exam. He/she can do a thorough oral exam (with sedation, if needed) to determine what's wrong, and get him started on appropriate treatment depending on what is found.

This is a serious concern. Sonny likely also has lots of tartar on his teeth. The tartar as well as the area below the gum line is full of bacteria which are causing the severe gingivitis and the bad smell. The inflamed tissue will also facilitate that bacteria enter the blood stream and so can travel to the heart, causing heart disease, and to the kidneys causing kidney disease. This is also a highly painful process. The only way to remedy this is to have his teeth cleaned under anesthesia, removal of the tartar, cleaning below the gum line and removing any teeth that may be loose, infected or damaged. I suggest you schedule an appointment with your vet to assess the condition.

Poor Tango! It sounds like he has severe dental disease, which is painful for the dog in addition to causing bad breath. I would definitely recommend taking him to the vet for an exam as soon as possible, since he sounds quite uncomfortable. Many older dogs are able to have dental cleanings without any problems, if they are otherwise healthy - your veterinarian can help you decide is this would be safe for Tango or not. If it’s determined that anesthesia would be too risky for him, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe antibiotics and pain medication to help reduce the infection and make his mouth less painful.