Treating Bad Breath In Dogs and Cats

Treating bad breath in dogs and cats is important since it often indicates a bigger problem such as dental plaque or tooth decay. In fact, bad breath or halitosis is a common complaint for many pet owners. A pet with halitosis can lead to embarrassment for the pet owners during family events, parties, and special gatherings.

What are the causes?

Bad breath in dogs and cats can be caused by a poor diet. If pets are unintentionally fed a diet that includes spoiled foods, bad breath can result. More commonly, pets that are fed kitchen scraps can develop halitosis since the food is sometimes left for an hour or more before the pet eats it.

Even pets that are fed a diet of dry pet food or a combination of dry and wet pet food can develop bad breath. If cats and dogs do not receive dental care, it is possible for plaque to build up on their teeth. This is known as calculus buildup, and it is this buildup that can lead to breath problems.

The presence of teeth that are decaying can also lead to bad breath. Decaying teeth are often the result of poor dental care for the pet. If the decaying tooth is not treated, not only can it continue to cause bad breath, but it can also lead to health problems for the pet.

Occasionally, awful breath is actually caused by a pet who insists on eating things that they should not. Coprophagia or feces eating is actually quite common in dogs. While this behavior may not appear to be normal, certain studies have suggested that dogs eat feces as a way of identifying the animals that have produced it. Coprophagia has also been blamed on poor diets and underlying health conditions. Whatever the reason behind a pet's indulging in a bit of feces eating, it can lead to terrible breath when it occurs frequently. Unfortunately, coprophagia is known to become an habitual behavior in canines and so it is quite difficult to cure even with persistent effort.

Halitosis can also be caused by an underlying medical condition such as kidney and liver ailments. If your pet shows other signs of physical disorders, it is extremely important that you visit the veterinarian. Moreover, if you attempt to treat your pet's bad breath but do not see any signs of improvement, you might want to visit the veterinarian and get a full physical to determine the status of your pet's health. Of course, I always recommend a holistic veterinarian.

Treating Bad Breath in Dogs and Cats

In addition to preventing your pet's objectionable breath by feeding your cat or dog a proper diet, it is important to provide dental care. A number of dental products for cats and dogs are available for the prevention of calculus buildup and bad breath. To avoid toxins and harmful ingredients, it is important to use a dental care product for pets that has been formulated with natural ingredients. Look for a dental care product made with grape seed extract and grapefruit seed extract for the best results in preventing plaque buildup, oral infections, and bad breath.