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Your dog needs to go to the veterinarian or groomer every few months for dental check ups just like humans do to the dentist. They will clean the dog’s mouth to make sure there’s no problems with oral health. Oral hygiene can be a sign of impending internal issues you can ward off when done proactively!

Dogs Can’t Brush Or Floss

Dogs, like humans, have lots of bacteria in their mouth.  Fortunately, dogs have the cleanest mouths of domesticated animals- cats- the least!  A human can brush his teeth at least twice a day. Between brushing and flossing, you cut down on your plaque buildup between dental visits. Since your dog doesn’t brush or floss between visits, his buildup can turn to other dental problems, such as tartar or gingivitis.  Greenies can help, but they are not a substitute. Kibble warding off dental issues over wet food- there’s no cheating teeth brushing!

A Breath Mint?

Your dog is so proud to see you after being home all day alone. So, you kneel to give him a hug, and, “Whew, that breath is kicking!” You would almost believe he has been swimming  in a pond and eating fish. He could definitely use a mint!

Dental Problems

What can one do when dog breath smells like dead fish? No, he didn’t get into the cat food. The fish smell could be a sign of dental problems. A dogs dental problems can lead to damage around a tooth, causing it to fall out. Or worse, it can affect major organs.

Brush Your dog’s Teeth

Since animals don’t have equipment like humans to take care of dental hygiene, the bacteria can lead to toxins. These can get into the bloodstream and cause health problems. As his owner, you can learn the proper way to clean his teeth. No, it’s not getting a toothbrush and throwing some Crest on it and brush up and down. Human toothpaste isn’t healthy for dogs teeth. There are special toothpastes just for dogs. They make dental chews to help with their breath too. Once the dental problems have been solved, the fishy smell should go away.

Grooming

Sometimes owners can’t always afford to have their pets professionally groomed, so they just give them a bath themselves. However, grooming isn’t just going for a day at the spa. This is another possible reason for the fishy smell.

A Day At The Groomer

A professional groomer starts by combing out any knots in the dogs fur. This makes it easier to get the shampoo to lather and get all parts of his body clean. During the bath, the groomer checks for buildup in the ears and signs of infection. After he has dried, it’s time for a haircut if needed. Then, they trim the nails. If toenails get too long, it’s painful for the dog to walk. Dental hygiene is next, the groomer knows how important this is for the dogs health.

Old or young, dogs can get anxious during this time. The vet or groomer can sedate or give them cbd oil for dogs to calm your dog so it is easier to give all the necessary care. Also, during grooming, the dogs anal glands will be cleaned.

Anal Glands Impacted

Anal glands or anal sacs are located on each side of the dogs anus (butt hole). The stinky sweat from these glands is a scent marker. Each time your dog takes a poop, the anal glands are expressed lightly. Sometimes, they can become impacted. If you see your dog dragging his butt across the carpet, more than likely there’s an impaction. The vet can manually express the glands. It will be a thin line of brown, pasty material. If you smell something stinky on his breath, it’s possible there’s a problem with his glands. Blueberries every couple of days can help the glands naturally express themselves!

Diet

Diet can help the dogs anal sacs to be able to express themselves. If the dog has loose stools all the time, the poop isn’t hard enough to make the sac express. Also, don’t panic if your dog has eaten Omega 3 or Omega 6 fatty acids. They usually have a fish oil base, which can cause a fish odor.

 

This post was contributed by Kevin Gardner.

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