Cats and dogs, just like us humans, can experience bad breath problems. However, this problem that can seriously affect the lives of our pets is often overlooked. In fact, mouth odor (bad breath), which can be a sign of various illnesses, ranging from simply inadequate mouth(oral), teeth, and gum care to problems in vital organs, It is a problem that should not be underestimated. If pet owners cannot overcome this problem at home, it is a concern that must be checked by a veterinary specialist.

As mentioned in the paragraph above, it is not correct to attribute bad breath to a single cause. So, let’s look at the reasons for bad breath in cats and dogs that may have multiple causes in a list:

– Inadequate maintenance and hygiene of the mouth.

– Some viral diseases caused by viruses.

– Bacterial infections caused by bacteria.

– Internal parasites that settles in the digestive system and harms the digestive system.

– Some metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

– Disorders in organs such as the liver and kidneys.

– Dental and gum problems.

– Problems due to improper feeding.

What should pet owners do to prevent bad breath?

In fact, what pet owners need to do to prevent bad breath in cats and dogs is to be careful about the reasons mentioned in the list above.

İn order to prevent these factors, attention should be paid to oral care, avoiding incorrect feeding, and not neglecting internal parasite applications.

The main reason for bad breath may occur due to nutrition. Actually This may cause the tooth tartars and bacteria that form on the teeth, which occurs by the foods from our own table that we give to our pet, by saying, “It won’t do any harm.” outside of dry food, which is the basic foodstuff recommended by veterinarians and also the wet food that we feed in large quantities because it is loved so much. The use of dry food, which is the basic foodstuff, causes abrasions on the tooth surfaces, reducing or preventing the formation of tartars over time.

Continuous and regular brushing of teeth, if our cat or dog allows it, is one of the preventive measures we can take at home to prevent the formation of tooth tartars and bacterial infections (known as gingivitis, for example).

In addition to these measures, the internal parasite application that you can have applied regularly in clinics is also among the substances you should pay attention to in order to prevent bad breath.
Pet owners should not forget that when the practices they have done to prevent bad breath do not work, they must consult a veterinary specialist.

This blog post has been verified by Doctor of Veterinary Medicine ELİF KENAR.