Could there be something wrong if a puppy has unusually bad breath?

Question

My family & i found a stray dog, she is a puppy. But her breath is very bad, i was thinking at first she may have just been eating odd things since she came off the streets buts its been about a week and it is very bad. It is not typical dog breath, more of a stench. Could she be sick? Is there a way to get rid of it? I tried dental chews but they did not help at all.

Answer 1

Taking her to a vet is a good idea.  Your dog could have a health problem.  My vet gave me toothpaste and a special liquid to put into her water to help her teeth.  Most dental chews aren't for breathe, but for extra care of your puppy's teeth. Good luck!

Answer 2

Well, try asking the vet. and you should make sure she has all of her shots. I gave my friend's dog this baseball that makes your dogs breath minty fresh. My friend loves her puppy's breath now, so try that.  

Answer 3

My adopted Yorkie mix retained her baby teeth when her adult teeth came in. Nothing I did would fix her breath. She is having her extra teeth taken out today, probably as we speak :-(

Look at her teeth to see if you see two K-9  (canine, whichever) teeth at her K9s. If so, she is probably getting food stuck in between them. If not, then, there might be other issues going on that only a vet could diagnos.  

Answer 4

It could be a bacteria on the teeth, go to your vet, they will probably recommend a teeth cleaning, those dental chews are ok for preventive stuff, but if the stray has a rotten tooth it could cause the smell

Answer 5

Check out her teeth, does she have a lot of tartar on them or are they all sparkly white?  Puppies have "puppy breath" and it's pungent and not many people like it, I personally love puppy breath, this does go away when they are much older like between 6-8 months of age once their adult teeth have grown in.  If she has tartar then she'll need a dental cleaning to alleviate this problem.  If she's a doxie they have bad breath, it's a thing with Dachshunds don't know why but it is.

Try puppy mints or brush her teeth but not with human toothpaste that's toxic to humans and dogs.

What food is she on?  Sometimes cheap food or a poor diet will do this also, if she's been eating junk off the streets then it'll take a while for her system to "de-tox" itself, try feeding a nutritious food that is free from fillers.  Best thing really is to talk to the vet about it on her next visit.

Good luck

Answer 6

I've found my puppy's breath stinks because she eats her own poo.

Answer 7

Her teeth may be rotting. Take her to the vet to see if anything can be done.

Dr. Dog

Answer 8

It could be as simple as she ate something really smelly or it could be a sign that she is sick.  Have her checked by a vet to be safe.  If she gets a clean bill of health, try Bright Bites dental treats.  They are designed specifically to clean a dog's teeth and freshen her breath.

http://brightbites.com/

Answer 9

no, she dosnt need to go to the vets, alot of dogs have bad breath if you dont brush there teeth or take them to get a cleaning.  And you said that the puppy was a stray so her teeth werent given the proper care that they needed.  Your dog will be fine.  Just try to get her teeth cleaned or you can go to any pet store and get a tooth brush and some dog tooth paste.

Answer 10

Its most likely because the teeth havent been taken care of, what you can do is brush their teeth, a dogs teeth should be brushed at lest 2-3 times a week but dont use human tooth paste you can find it at any petstore, also  at a pet store you can find a breath spray that will also clean the teeth  

Answer 11

Take her to to the vet to get her teeth cleaned = ) or if money is a problem, they sell doggir toothpaste and brushes at Petco, plus alot of stuff for bad breath. But I would def check with the vet to make sure it's nothing serious.

Answer 12

It could have a rotten tooth. Get it checked as it can be so painful.

Answer 13

How old is the pup? If it's about 4-6 months old it may be teething breath which reallly is nasty smelling.

Answer 14

I'm with Juskidn on this one. My Aunt had a chihuahua and she always had what we called...S**t breath. It was that bad. We knew it wasn't what she was eating cause other dogs ate the same food. We brought her into the vet and found that she had a few rotten teeth. After they were removed her breath was normal dog breath lol

I would go to the vet to make sure of this before trying to clean the teeth. You could be spending money on things that are a lost cause.  

Answer 15

I would take her to a vet because she could have a problem with her teeth/gums.

Answer 16

Yes you found a stray dog, then you should go and get her checked by vet.

In general, stick to a good brand dog food and their recommendation. chicken necks seem to be good for teeth hygiene as well. I will also brush teeth as I brush my 7 month puppy regulary eventhough mine does not have the problem.

Answer 17

No nothing is wrong, you said she was a stray, strays must scavenge so it must have gotten into something bad i suggest, like most people here, to take her a vet and get her hair, nails, breath, everything done.

and yes dog breath stench does not just go away. my dog had bad breath for about a month.

Answer 18

you need to brush her teeth, at least once a week. i know it will be hard at first to brush her. because she is not used to it, especially the fact that she comes from the streets. if that does not work take her to the vet to have her teeth fully cleaned with a dental hygienist. most likely  she needs a deep cleaning .they normally charge between 60to90 dollars. or before you decide that will be you re last result ,try a mouth wash that you could put in her water. it is very safe. you will find that in pet smart and pet co, very reasonable price. so good luck and please don't give  up  on you re little puppy. they all deserve a loving home.

Answer 19

could have bad teeth.  could be a bad medical problem.  ask a vet.