Why Does My Pets Mouth Smell Bad?

Oral Health

  
March 2012
Dr Gerhard Steenkamp

Why does my pet’s mouth smell bad?

Pets have become part of our immediate families like any other child. They share our homes and even our beds. It is therefore logical that if they do not smell as good as they should that it can be offensive to us and it will affect our relationship with them. Halitosis (bad breath) is a sure sign that Fluffy will get the couch and not the bed tonight.

There are several causes for bad breath and I will try to elaborate on them in order for you to decide which one will be more applicable to your pet.

Halitosis due to what your pet eats

Halitosis due to substances usually occurs in younger animals. This can be due to eating of faeces (coprophagia), eating of rubbish from a rubbish bin or torn garbage bags (garbage disease) or pets may eat or chew objects when their diet is deficient in certain nutrients (pica).

The solution to many of the above mentioned problems lies in an appropriate diet therefore making sure there a re no deficiencies, particularly of micro-elements like Zinc, Iron etc. Furthermore you should closely observe your pets behaviour and see if coprophagia or pica is taking place. The best way to eliminate these behaviour patterns, after the diets has been corrected, is to remove faeces and any other objects like old bones, dead birds/mice that may be on your premises. Dogs, and especially puppies, like to eat cat faeces as this is rich in fats, as cat diets have a much higher fat content. Make sure any access to these are stopped. Clean the litter tray regularly or place it in an area where the puppy cannot reach it.

Another reason that can affect any age patient could be when the pet eats an object that gets stuck on the teeth, between the teeth of around the base of the tongue (wool in cats). These foreign objects act as nidus for bacteria and once they are removed, the halitosis should also disappear.

Periodontitis

Of all the clinical signs this disease may present with, halitosis is the most common. We all brush our teeth at least twice daily and floss regularly on top of that. All of this is done to remove plaque, a substance that forms very quickly on teeth and contains 80% bacteria. Bacteria live of the food particles in the mouth and quickly settle in the plaque biofilm on the teeth. If you drop of your dog in the morning at the vet and pick it up in the afternoon after it had its teeth cleaned and polished, plaque has already started forming again. Once plaque has been on the teeth for at least 24 to 48 hours, salts like calcium salts, get incorporated into it and the plaque starts to harden to form calculus. Calculus acts as a substrate for more plaque to accumulate more rapidly.

The bacteria present in plaque, as a by-product of their metabolism, produces sulphur, and it is this sulphur that creates the bad smell emanating from our pet’s mouths.

Lipfold dermatitis

In certain dog breeds like the spaniels, lipfold dermatitis (infection of normal folds in the lips), can give the same bad smell. Since it is the lower lip which is affected, we perceive this smell as coming from the mouth. An oral examination often reveals perfectly healthy teeth, but the lips are often sore, inflamed and very smelly.

Moist area around the lower lips of a spaniel with halitosis

The same dog as previous (opposite lip) after the hair was clipped. Notice the large red and inflamed area.

How can I resolve/prevent halitosis

Form the previous discussion it is clear that there are several reasons for halitosis and it is crucial to establish the reason/s for it in your pets. The steps to eliminate halitosis due to inappropriate eating habits have been discussed. Periodontitis and lipfold dermatitis are conditions where your veterinarian should guide you.

Periodontitis need not always result in tooth extractions. A thorough examination of your pets mouth, especially under general anaesthesia and once the teeth have been cleaned should be performed. There are certain criteria that we use to evaluate these teeth and depending on the score each tooth gets, we may be able to save all of them. Conversely, if the score for a tooth is bad, extraction is unfortunately the only option. All remaining teeth should then be polished and even fluoride treated to reduce the time for reconolisation of the tooth with bacteria.

Good oral hygiene consisting of daily toothbrushing should be followed. Your veterinarian will also advise you on other products like food, chews/toys and oral rinses or water additives that may help with the long-term treatment of periodontitis.

Lipfold dermatitis can usually be treated as any other skin infection by cleaning the area affected with an antiseptic solution obtainable from your veterinarian. Often it may be necessary to clean the area from the hair and this will need to be done under general anaesthesia. Should conservative treatment fail (the dog is presented more than 2-3 times per year with the same condition) cutting away (resection) of the lipfold is indicated.

Pets have become part of our immediate families like any other child. They share our homes and even our beds. It is therefore logical that if they do not smell as good as they should that it can be offensive to us and it will affect our relationship with them. Halitosis (bad breath) is a sure sign that Fluffy will get the couch and not the bed tonight.

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