Fighting Dog Halitosis

Article courtesy of Native Remedies
by D. Braun

Just about every dog I have come across has had bad breath. Sometimes it is mildly offensive while other times I want to run away screaming! It is no wonder that dogs have this problem since they cannot brush their teeth on a daily basis like we do. You might notice that your dog has bad breath only in certain circumstances like after they eat or right after they have woken up. Or, your dog might have bad breath all the time.

There are many things that can cause dogs to have bad breath. If they have tooth decay or disease in their gums then no doubt their breath will be terrible and this should be addressed right away. Many medications can lead to the mouth drying out and this is a big welcome committee for halitosis (bad breath). Bacteria growth in both the digestive system and mouth is probably the biggest cause for bad breath. Other causes include: viruses, too much protein in the diet, tonsillitis, liver problems, constipation, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory disease, digestion problems and viral infections.

You might brush your dog’s teeth on a daily or weekly basis and notice that it is still not helping like you would want it to. This is not only tiring and time consuming but with our busy schedules is something that would be nice to avoid altogether. You might have also tried some of the prescription medications that are geared toward knocking out bad breath. These tend to work well but have quite a few unwanted side effects.

There are some herbs available that are good at knocking out bad breath at the source. Cleavers, Apium graveolens and Foeniculum officinale can be used to detoxify and clean your dog’s body and improve their breath a great deal.

There are other things you can do to help keep bad breath at bay. Make sure your pet drinks plenty of clean water every day. Be sure that their diet is good and does not contain too much protein. There are commercial pet foods available that are balanced to help fight gum disease. Do not give your dog any sugar because this is terrible for their teeth and overall health. Add some rice to their food because it will help them digest their food better. Make sure that there is a chew toy available to them at all times since they are great at keeping their teeth clean.

If you decide to brush their teeth, make sure that you begin when they are still a puppy. Cover your finger with a piece gauze and pull the lip back. Brush in little circles while going back and forth along the gumline. Make sure that you use a natural toothpaste that is especially formulated for pets.

Natural products for your pet's health are available from Pet Alive, a branch of Native Remedies. Visit the site to learn more about how you can protect your pets' health and ensure that they live long and healthy lives. Click-here NOW!

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