When it comes to your pet’s oral health, you want to make sure that their teeth are clean and healthy. But when it comes to their breath, most people don’t give much thought until their dog startles them with a foul-smelling lick.
Sharing your home with a dog with bad breath can be unpleasant, especially if you enjoy snuggling up on the couch. Fortunately, there are ways to tackle bad breath, and one of the easiest is to have your dog’s teeth cleaned by a professional.
What Causes Bad Breath in Dogs
Bad breath in a dog is usually caused by oral diseases, such as gingivitis and periodontitis. These diseases are characterized by inflammation of the gums and the periodontal ligaments—the tissues that connect your dog’s teeth to the bone above them. When these tissues become inflamed, they become painful and start to bleed. If the infection goes untreated, bacteria can multiply in the gum line, leading to the development of bad breath.
How We Treat Your Dog’s Bad Breath
If your dog has bad breath, we use a variety of methods to tackle the cause of the problem and give your dog the best oral care possible. Our doctors will gently clean your dog’s teeth to remove any plaque and tartar buildup. For particularly severe cases, we will also use specialized equipment, such as an ultrasonic oral cleaner, to help remove stubborn tartar, plaque, and food remnants trapped in the gum line. This procedure will not only improve your dog's oral hygiene but will also help to prevent future bad breath episodes.
After the cleaning, your dog will receive a comprehensive oral health assessment to evaluate their current dental health and determine the best treatment plan for their specific needs. This will help us determine the best steps to take to keep your dog’s oral health in optimal shape, including any necessary preventative care and treatments. If your dog shows signs of developing gingivitis or periodontitis, we may recommend additional treatments.
For some dogs, bad breath is just a phase that they go through, but in other cases, the cause may be more serious. To make sure that you are doing everything you can to keep your dog's mouth healthy and smelling fresh, get in touch with The Animal Doctors team to book a dental cleaning appointment.
The Animal Doctors services the entire San Francisco Peninsula, including Atherton, Cupertino, East Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, Stanford, and Woodside.
