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Why Does My Puppy Breath Smell So Bad has always been a huge query among new dog owners? The bad odors coming from a dog’s mouth can be something indicating any underlying disease. Usually, the main reason behind this stinky odor may be the formation of plaque, tartar, any dental issues, or any underlying illness. The puppy's mouth has a distinct sweet smell that disappears with time. The main reason behind this puppy's sweet breath is a mild milk diet from their Mom. Actually, the lactose in mother milk makes this breath smell so good.
Puppies usually go through a lot of changes in their childhood life like teething, adult teeth formation, and so on. Sometimes, the reason behind the puppies having bad breath might be parasites like tapeworm, roundworm, whipworm, etc. The most common symptoms that your puppy is carrying worms are vomiting, coughing, diarrhea, overweight and so more.
When Do Puppies Start Teething?
Between 3 weeks or approximately by 6 weeks, puppies go through their teething process. Firstly, teething of the incisors and the canine teeth takes place, and then gradually the premolars and molars. Soft freezing and teeth relaxing toys can act as an aid to this newbie's pain. However, regular brushing for puppies is a must for babies at nearly 6 weeks of age. Brushing two times regularly with the best enzymatic toothpaste can resist the formation of tartar, plaque, and other periodontal issues.
Within two or three weeks of age, teething of puppies dog just starts in
- At fifth to the sixth week, all possible 28 baby teeth have grown in
Within 12 to 16 weeks, the baby tiny and sharp teeth start getting replaced by the adult teeth
- At around 6 months of age, all 42 adult teeth would be present
Why Does My Puppy Breath Smell So Bad?
The most probable reasons for your puppy breath smelling so bad are enlisted below :
Intake of some stinky substances: Dogs and especially puppies like those stinky substances which humans irritate. Puppies explore the new world through the power of smell and they come at chewing. At the age of teething like 8 weeks to 6 months, puppies may tend to ingest things with a foul odor, dead animals, and poop. Maybe the intake of such stinky substances can be a reason for their sudden bad breath.
Ingesting foreign dust particles: Our pups more than often tend to roam around foreign dust particles and even ingest them. Ad these unsuitable foreign particles may also suck the intestinal tract along with the puppy's stomach. And also the grass or small dirt particles include various germs, bacteria, and insects. And thus your puppy to have a bad breath becomes more obvious.
Dental infection or tooth abscess: Dental infection near the tooth zone or the gums is actually what we term as the tooth abscess. This dental issue is not so common among puppies but however, if affected so, it may cause damage to canine teeth at any age. Having damaged teeth due to abscesses can also lead to a bad breathe in your puppy.
Dental ulcerations or oral infections: Puppies licking caustic substances are often found with mouth ulcers. Babies being too much curious may happen to lick or ingest chemically reacting substances like cleaning chemicals, soap, and laundry detergent, and so on. All these substances if licked or ingested can cause severe infections, wounds, and ulcers within puppy mouth.
Respiratory and underlying infections: Pneumonia or other respiratory parasites and infections may also end up leaving a nasty smell in your puppy's breathes.
Mouth bone and jaw issues: Oral issues are sometimes even so much severe as they can cause mouth trauma. These traumas also include jaw and mouth bone injuries and bad breath.
Puppy digestive problems: The digestive disturbance is a thing that the fur babies are too much familiar with. Its other symptoms may be vomiting, upset stomach, trying to eat grass, and so on. If such symptoms are noticed in dogs, it’s better to take them to the vet. But this problem can also be sorted by ensuring a proper balanced diet and hydration.
Key Points To Prevent Puppy Breath From Smelling
Now as the main reasons behind bad breath in dogs are severe, immediate action for such condition is also required to be taken. To cure these kinds of sudden odors from the puppy’s mouth, the owners often have a trial with the best puppy toothpaste. Vets also advise the same because the odor may also take place in the pup’s mouth because of foodstuff getting rotten inside the teeth gap due to irregular brushing.
When you observe that your puppy breath smells so bad that it needs to be corrected, the following tips might help:
Brushing puppy teeth on a regular basis: It is highly recommended to brush your pup's teeth when you notice their breath somewhat smells so bad. Using medicated toothpaste or the enzymatic ones with a vet's prescription may bring better results. If you have a stubborn puppy who won’t allow you to engage with his teeth, you may also provide him with
healthy enzymatic toothpaste dog chews. Moreover, researches also prove that regular brushing of dogs’ teeth can also help prevent them from the formation of plaque and tartar. With your puppy, you may initially start with some toothpaste in your hand. But for better cleaning, you need to gradually move towards the best
dog triple-headed brushes.
Providing the puppy with safe chew toys: Puppies intend to ingest toys that they are allowed to play with. These plastic and artificial materials when entering the stomach and intestine may cause severe side effects. But some dog-safe chewing toys are available popularly, the
Kong toy which is safe for your puppy.
Use of the most natural herbs: Some babies hate brushing their teeth even with the best toothpaste. However, bad breathe might also come into effect when your dog isn’t still mature enough for brushes. And so in such cases, some natural herbs like fresh parsley, cut mint and coriander might help to get that odor eliminated. Additionally, you can grind those herbs into a tea and add it to their drinking water.
Providing enough water: Water is a great refreshing agent for your dog’s stomach as well as the mouth at the same time. You also need to keep his eating and drinking bowl clean with water and protected from bacteria and parasites.
Ensuring healthy and high-quality dog food: Regular food is also another important fact to be taken into consideration. Purina is the
best dog food for puppies according to most experienced owners. A healthy digestive food supply can keep the inner part of your dog’s body safe and healthy, thus free from any kind of underlying disorder or bad breath.
Can I Use Baking Soda To Clean Puppy Teeth?
For adult dogs, the use of only a small amount of baking soda is allowed for teeth cleaning. Intake of direct baking soda isn’t that friendly with dog stomach. By mistake, if your puppy intakes baking soda, it would turn into a chronic infection. Baking soda is more alkaline in nature and so, if it’s swelled, it may result in infections and swell-ups within the digestive tracts and the stomach.
Ways To Freshen A Puppy's Breath In-Spite of Brushing?
Though brushing is always the best technique to prevent dog teeth from smelling and tartar formation. But we’ll never be behind the alternatives. Medicated chews with enzymatic pastes inside are a great substitute for toothpaste. These chews can both make your teeth cleaner and shinier as well as gradually strengthen the fangs over time.
When Its Actually Time For A Visit To The Vet For A Puppy's Bad Breath?
A sudden change of a bad breath in a dog is quite common and as a conscious dog owner, you shouldn’t get panicked about it because it’s very common for them. There may be the most common reasons behind this bad breath, like puppy teething, intake of poop and so more. But sometimes, this bad smell may also refer to something severe as periodontal disease. Some symptoms, your pup should be taken to the vet are enlisted below:
- Long lasting and unusual bad breath and odor
- Pain and swelling up of gums and teeth
- Initial retaining of puppy teething
- Sudden change in appetite and food intake
It’s most obvious on the part of the conscious owners to get tensed about why their puppy breath smells so bad. In a few words, it can be said that proper brushing, healthy hygiene, and intake of food are all and all the keys to a sound oral health. But it’s better for the dog owners to take their puppies for a visit to the vet before it’s too late.
