"My dog has bad breath and gas and it's just getting worse... Help!"
Does this sound like you talking about your dog? Bad breath and gas in dogs is a result of a number of causes, and our first thought is usually dirty teeth or too much food. But, there are hidden culprits that could be causing stinky breath and gas that may surprise you. As noted, bad breath is usually a problem with the teeth and gums, but, there are underlying issues that may concern you.
Determining Causes of Gas and Bad Breath
Determining why your dog stinks, has bad breath and/or stinky farts should be done in two stages. First, its important to determine that your dog is not experiencing a more serious health issue causing the stench. Second, the cure for bad dog gas and breath is by addressing the inner body.
Step 1: Eliminate the More Serious Concerns
- If you detect breath that smells like urine, that can be a sign of early kidney disease.
- If you detect unusually sweet or fruity breath, this could indicate diabetes. A correlating symptom of diabetes is frequent drinking and urinating.
- If you observe really bad breath accompanied by vomiting, lack of appetite, and the yellowing of the eyes or gums, this could signal a liver problem.
The above are not extremely common, but in all these cases, you should see your vet as soon as possible. If you have not seen these symptoms then you can move on to Step 2 which is the next likely cause to that of oral health.
Step 2: Improve Digestion
Weak, or poor, digestion is often a case of bad breath and gas in dogs. This is especially true if you see other symptoms such as:
- Loss of weight
- Diarrhea
- Increases in stool size and/or frequency of gas
Your dog may simply lack enough digestive enzymes to properly digest his food. This can be brought about by age, use of medications, genetic issues/predisposition, problems with the pancreas, or recent illnesses.
Example:
Situation:
Recently, we worked with a dog that had just suffered from a case of panosteitis (a bone inflammation condition that happens to relatively young dogs). The dog had lost quite a bit of weight and had very low energy. Then, one day, the dog had a sudden onset of halitosis (bad breath). An inspection of the teeth and gums eliminated an oral health cause. The halitosis persisted for a few days along with reportedly bad gas. Suspecting a digestive problem, we put the dog on two servings per day of Enzyme Miracle® and Probiotic Miracle® (The Miracle Pack). Within 3-4 days the bad breath went away. To stabilize and improve the overall health of the dog we kept him on both products at the regular dose.
Its also possible that the panosteitis (inflammation), also triggered the digestive problem causing bad breath or gas. In any case, however, knowing the signs and having the ability to address them quickly through the nutrition supplement protocol solved the problem quickly. If a dog has a deficiency in enzyme production, whether temporary or permanent, supplementing with a quality mulit-enzyme can make all the difference. If your dog has bad breath, accompanied by bad gas, he may benefit from Enzyme Miracle®.
Long term problems that affect the GI tract are well-addressed with Probiotic Miracl®e. This is a simple and effective way to improve digestive health in pets.