5 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Bad Breath in Dogs

Before you find out how to get rid of dog's bad breath, you should know what causes it. Generally, dog's bad breath is caused by anaerobic bacteria that prosper in a mouth that is filled with tartar, or some kind of infection. The most obvious cause of bad breath in dogs is poor dental care. However, there are causes for bad breath besides teeth, and a dog can have bad breath even after teeth cleaning. Let's see the possible causes:

• mucous
• some kind of infection in the ear, lungs or tonsils
• gastrointestinal problems
• oral yeast infection: in such case the dog's breath should smell yeasty
• poor diet: too greasy, or too much canned food
• too little water consumption
• metabolic kidney disease
• diabetes
• some dog breeds are more inclined to halitosis, especially those with a small, flat face such as bulldogs. Those dogs require a lot more dental care than other dogs
• puppies normally suffer from halitosis when they are teething
• and of course, dental problems: 3/4 of dogs have some kind of dental problem, and food typically gets stuck in their teeth, producing bad breath

Before we talk about the home remedies to get rid of bad breath in dogs, let's talk about the good habits that will prevent dog's bad breath from appearing.

First of all, dogs must drink plenty of water, and water has to always be available for them to drink. The water, as well as food bowl, must be washed with soap everyday to prevent bacteria build-up that will cause bad breath.

Diet can greatly help you get rid of bad breath in dogs: a balanced diet includes other foods besides meat, and has a not too high fat content. Of course the best food you can give your dog is homemade: a mix of whole and white rice with meat, vegetables, fish... But nowadays it is often impossible to find the time to prepare it. That is why you should buy good dry food, made from the very best ingredients, and with a balanced combination of veggies and proteins, if you want to get rid of bad breath in dogs.

Another healthy habit is giving your dog a bone to chew, because while chewing, plaque build-ups will disappear.

Then, the tricky part: washing your dog's teeth! Yes, it is time consuming, and dogs do not like it. But if you try the homemade toothpaste recipe included in our article on coconut oil for dogs, we guarantee your dog will want more and more teeth cleaning! If you have a dog with a small, pushed in face, you need to clean its teeth everyday with the help of a children's toothbrush. Otherwise, once a week will be enough to get rid of dog's bad breath.

Let's now see the home remedies to get rid of bad breath in dogs.

Lemon and apple cider vinegar are both great home remedies to get rid of bad breath in dogs because they freshens up the mouth. Lemon's citrus, and vinegar's anti-bacterial properties kill the bacteria that cause halitosis.

How to use it:

Just squeeze half a lemon in your dog's water and let it drink it.

Add a few drops of apple cider vinegar to your dog's drinking water.

Coconut oil for bad breath in dogs is becoming more and more popular. Coconut oil contains anti-bacterial properties that improve your dog's bad breath. Moreover, coconut oil has countless benefits for the overall health of your dog.

How to use it:

• brush your dog's teeth with coconut oil, or
• let your dog chew a toy with coconut oil on it, or
• add a very small amount of coconut oil to your dog's food.

Essential oils for bad breath in dogs are very effective. But you need to be careful and make sure the essential oil you buy, or make, is edible. Not all of them are, so ask your herbalist about it. A good one for bad breath in dogs is definitely peppermint oil.

How to use it:

Just mix a drop of your preferred essential oil in your dog's food.

Parsley for bad breath in dogs is extremely effective.

How to use it:

• add parsley to your dog's food, or
• boil parsley in a little water and add a few drops of the parsley water to your dog's drinking water.

Probiotics help with digestion, so they indirectly help get rid of dog's bad breath by reducing the amount of hydrogen sulfide.

How to use it:

• you can either buy probiotics powder and mix it into your dog's food in the recommended quantities
• or simply mix some natural yoghurt into your dog's food once a day.

A sixth home remedy to get rid of bad breath in dogs is a little more tricky because not all dogs love it, but you can try. Just give your dog a piece of apple after eating. It will freshen up its mouth nicely.

Let us know how the home remedies to get rid of bad breath in dogs worked for you!

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