Bad breath

Anyanka · Master

Bad breath

greyflintstone · Master

I would be interested to hear any replies to this - both Freddy & Wilma stink to high heaven, particularly the big man! He's had his teeth cleaned, been given bones to gnaw on and still smells!

Siouxsie · Enlightened One

I would tend to err on side of caution when dealing with bad breath, and get it checked out with the vet just to have my mind put at rest - only because many causes of bad breath aren't always clear for us to see and sometimes need a professional looking into it.

Anyanka · Master

Thanks Siouxsie - but before posting my question, I asked Kyra (teen daughter) if it's normal for greyhounds to breathe so foully. She told me that all 40 dogs at her weekend job reek like this!

Sunny girl · Master

Sunnys breath was really bad when we got her. After a check up by the vet he said she needed her teeth scraped and cleaned. It turned out the poor dog had really bad gum disease and needed anti-biotics. It soon cleared it up and no more dog breath We now brush her teeth every week with a dog tooth paste from the vet and lots of dental chews and bones. When she gives us a kiss now we don't pass out

I learnt from other people on the forum that it is common for greyhounds to have bad breath or teeth problems due to poor diet when they are young or in training. If it gets worse I would get your vet to have a quick look, and buy some dog tooth paste. Brushing greyhounds teeth is great fun!!!!!!

I'm sure i read on another link that a little fresh parsley can help, or Mint Boneos (although im finding it hard to get these at the moment don't know if they are stopping making them) But I would get her checked first as these will mask the smell and might cover up the real problem.

Hope you get it sorted.

Landess, Sunny and Zoe

-- Edited by Sunny girl at 09:32, 2006-05-29

Anyanka · Master

Thank you! I've just started adding parsley to the dogs' dinners, and it does seem to bring instant improvement. Still smells like dogs' breath, but doesn't make us heave anymore!

Have checked Piper's teeth and gums - they are in excellent condition. Will set no 1 daughter on her with a toothbrush in regular intervals anyway, though. She is already in charge of Bonnie's gnashers (see below)

Always good fun - most of the struggle occurs not because Bo tries to get away, but because she wants to lick the toothpaste (poultry flavour - earghh) off the brush...

Calatria · Master

Had Belle at the vet for her booster yesterday, so asked about her bad breath (which the vet couldn't have failed to notice anyway ). He said she has a bit of tartar on her teeth but not enough to need cleaning yet. He also said her digestive problems probably contribute to her less than fragrant mouth. In other words, there's nothing anybody can do.

Just as well we love her.

Suzanne · Guru

LOL - Murf tries to eat the toothpaste too so teeth brushing is always entertaining & bloomin hard work/messy sometimes. I brush once a week with them - I know I should do it more often - will try harder .... their breath never smells tho

Murf likes to make sure Im regularily kept up to date on how his breathe is smelling by coming over to my face for what looks like a kiss, only to belch a big rift. That way I can always tell what hes had for dinner & what state his teeth/guts are in. How very considerate eh!!

JENNY · Big Cheese

Ziggy has shocking breath/teeth. He had extensive dental work when I got him and has only just finished a second course of antibiotics as he had infected gums again.
The vet says he will be needing periodic courses of antibiotics to keep the infection at bay. This is despite regular brushing and eating crunchy food.