Why does my dog's breath smell rotting

In the early morning, the sunlight filters through the window and spills into the room. The dog happily comes over wagging its tail. I was about to give it a warm hug and an affectionate stroke, but I was stopped by a pungent, putrid smell. That smell was as if rotten food was mixed with a sharp, sour stench, making one couldn't help but frown. Looking at the dog's innocent and confused eyes, a rush of doubt and worry welled up in my heart immediately. We couldn't help but wonder: Why does my dog's breath smell putrid? This unsettling odor not only affects our intimate interaction with the dog but also seems like a dangerous signal, suggesting that there may be something wrong with the dog's health.

From a professional medical perspective, oral diseases are the most common cause of a putrid smell in a dog's breath. Periodontal disease has a very high incidence rate among dogs. In the initial stage, it is manifested as the accumulation of dental plaque. After a dog eats, food debris will remain on the tooth surface and between the teeth. The bacteria in the mouth quickly decompose these residues, producing sticky dental plaque. If not cleaned in a timely manner, the dental plaque will gradually mineralize and harden to form tartar. Tartar will continuously irritate the gums, causing gingivitis. At this time, the dog's gums will be swollen, red, and bleeding, and it may be extremely painful even with a light touch. As the disease progresses, the inflammation will further spread to the periodontal tissues, leading to periodontitis. Periodontitis will cause the gums to separate from the teeth, forming periodontal pockets. A large number of bacteria will multiply in the periodontal pockets. They decompose food debris and necrotic tissues, producing volatile sulfur compounds with a putrid smell such as hydrogen sulfide and methanethiol, which is the main source of the putrid smell in the dog's breath. Just imagine how uncomfortable we feel when we have a toothache ourselves. The dog can't speak and can only bear this pain silently. Every time it opens its mouth and the putrid smell comes out, it is a distress signal it sends to us.

In addition to periodontal disease, diseases such as oral ulcers and oral tumors can also cause a putrid smell in a dog's breath. Oral ulcers may be caused by mechanical injuries, such as being scratched by sharp bones, or by infections, allergies, and other reasons. After the ulcer surface is damaged, bacteria will take the opportunity to multiply in large numbers, causing inflammation and producing a putrid smell. As for oral tumors, whether they are benign or malignant, as the tumor grows, the surface tissue will gradually necrotize and ulcerate. The stench emitted by the decaying tissue will make the dog's breath extremely unpleasant. When you find that the dog frequently scratches its mouth with its paws, is cautious when eating, and even shows a loss of appetite, combined with the putrid breath, the owner must be on high alert and take the dog to see a doctor in a timely manner, because these symptoms may hide serious oral diseases.

Digestive system problems are also one of the potential causes of a putrid smell in a dog's breath. When a dog suffers from gastritis or gastric ulcers, the gastric mucosa is damaged, and the secretion of gastric acid is out of balance. The food cannot be properly digested in the stomach, and it will ferment and produce an unpleasant smell, which will reflux into the mouth through the esophagus, resulting in a putrid breath. Intestinal parasite infections should not be ignored either. Parasites such as roundworms and tapeworms parasitize in the intestines, which will disrupt the normal digestive and absorptive functions of the intestines, causing symptoms such as indigestion and diarrhea. At the same time, the metabolic products of the parasites and the decomposed substances after their death will also produce an odor that will emanate from the dog's mouth. In addition, dysfunctions of organs such as the liver and kidneys will affect the metabolism and excretion of toxins in the body. When the toxins accumulate to a certain extent in the body, they will be emitted through the breath, making the breath have a putrid smell. These problems of the digestive system and internal organs are like "time bombs" lurking in the dog's body, not only affecting the dog's oral odor but also threatening its overall health.

Dietary factors have a direct impact on a dog's breath. If you feed a dog low-quality or expired food for a long time, these foods may contain a large number of bacteria and harmful substances. After the dog eats them, it will cause adverse fermentation reactions in the intestines, leading to a deterioration of the breath. Some owners also like to feed their dogs leftovers from human meals. The ingredients with high salt and high oil content are not only unfavorable to the dog's physical health but also will allow a large number of bacteria to grow in the mouth, producing a putrid smell. In addition, if the dog accidentally eats rotten food, poisonous plants, or if a foreign object stuck in the throat rots, it will also cause a putrid smell in the breath. Every time we are negligent when choosing food for the dog, it may become the cause of the deterioration of its breath. Thinking of this, we can't help but feel self-blame in our hearts. We just hope to be able to find the problem in a timely manner, adjust the diet, and let the dog have fresh breath again.

Facing the putrid smell in the dog's breath, the owner must not take it lightly. First of all, carefully observe other symptoms of the dog, such as whether there is swelling, redness, or bleeding of the gums, whether there is vomiting or diarrhea, and whether the mental state and appetite are normal. If any abnormalities are found, take the dog to the pet hospital for a comprehensive examination as soon as possible. The veterinarian will accurately determine the cause of the putrid breath through means such as oral examinations, blood tests, and fecal examinations, and then formulate a targeted treatment plan. If it is an oral disease, it may be necessary to carry out scaling, debridement, drug treatment, or even surgery; for digestive system problems, it is necessary to adjust the diet and use corresponding drugs for treatment; if it is a parasite infection, deworming treatment should be carried out.

Dogs are the most loyal companions in our lives. They accompany us throughout their lives and give us endless joy and warmth. When their breath has a putrid smell, we should not dislike them but should, with full of love and care, explore the reasons behind it and help them recover their health. Every careful observation and every meticulous care are manifestations of our deep love for the dog. We hope that through our efforts, the dog can have fresh breath again, throw itself into our arms with enthusiasm and give us sweet kisses without hesitation, and continue to accompany us through every wonderful day.