Halitosis or bad breath is a relatively common problem in dogs and can have different causes, it is important to know that this symptom is not normal, so your four-legged friend will need veterinary treatment, in this animal expert article we explain why your dog’s mouth smells like fish, ammonia or any other unpleasant smell.Causes can range from dental problems to systemic diseases or poisoning.We will also see how to avoid the appearance of this bad smell.
First, we must distinguish between timely halitosis and long-term halitosis, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms; It is common to notice the presence of halitosis if the dog ingests faeces, a behavior called coprophagia, or if it suffers from an episode of vomiting, regurgitation, rhinitis or sinusitis, in these cases the mouth of the dog smells of fish or garbage, due to the bad smell left by faeces, vomiting or regurgitated material in the oral cavity.
- In episodes of rhinitis or sinusitis the stench is due to the secretion it generates and the dog swallows.
- In these cases it is likely that our dog presents symptoms such as sneezing or discomfort and we should take it to the veterinarian.
- Coprophagia.
- The causes that stimulate it are unclear.
- So we should focus on its prevention.
- As ingestion of faeces from other animals can also cause parasitosis.
- To do this.
- We can consult an ethologist or canine behavior specialist and also review our article “Why does my dog eat faeces?”.
- In general.
- This behavior occurs more in puppies than in adult dogs.
- So if you notice that your puppy’s mouth smells like fish.
- See if it has coprophagia.
Ingestion of certain compounds such as phosphorus or zinc phosphate may explain why the dog’s breath smells of rotten fish or garlic, in these cases we may see other symptoms, such as seizures, diarrhea, shortness of breath, weakness, pain or vomiting.We suspect that our dog has been poisoned, we should immediately look for a trusted veterinarian.The notice will depend on the product ingested, the quantity and size of the dog.If possible, we should take a sample of the toxin to assist the veterinarian in diagnosis.
As always, prevention is our best ally, so we should not leave any toxic substances within reach of our dog.Food for human consumption is also not intended for human consumption, as some of our daily foods can be toxic to dogs.”Prohibited dog food” according to scientific studies.
When we think about why our dog’s mouth smells like fish or gives off some other unpleasant smell, periodontal disease will be a very common cause, among other causes.Oral disorders that emerge include:
It is an inflammation of the gums and can be very painful, pleasure accumulates in the points where the gum eventually separates from the teeth, in these places accumulate remains of food and bacteria that eventually cause infection in the gums, in addition to notice a bad smell in the mouth of the dog can be seen the red and bleeding gums and / or frequent abscesses, precisely because of this bleeding it is common to find that the mouth of the dog smells of blood, requires veterinary attention to not evolve to periodontic, that we will see
As gingivitis progresses, it infects the roots of the teeth, which can come out, this disease causes pain so in addition to realizing that the dog’s mouth smells bad, other symptoms are difficulty eating, eating, food falls out of the corners of the mouth.hypersalivation. The dog will need veterinary treatment with full dental cleaning or even tooth extraction and antibiotic administration.
It is an inflammation of the mouth that includes gums and tongue and that can have different causes, such as periodontal disease or foreign bodies, this will require veterinary treatment, since it is a painful condition that, in addition to the smell, brings salivation.difficulty swallowing and rejection of the manipulation of the red mouth and may even bleed.Stomatitis also occurs in systemic diseases, such as diabetes, kidney failure or hypothyroidism, hence the importance of a correct diagnosis.
Although not a disease, sharp objects such as bone fragments, hooks or ears can sometimes get stuck in the dog’s mouth and develop some of the pathologies mentioned above. If you notice that the animal is scratched with its legs or rubbed, has sialorrhea, nausea, or that a bad odor usually appears when the foreign body has been in the mouth for a day or more, it is common to think about this problem, when opening the mouth and examining it, you often see the object hanging behind the mouth.especially in the case of threads or the like that may envelop their base.Unless we see it very clearly, the veterinarian should remove it, in addition to prescribing antibiotic treatment.
We have seen some of the problems that may explain why our dog’s mouth smells like fish, now we will see some recommendations on the care of teeth that prevent the appearance of gingivitis or periodontitis, two very common disorders in dogs, and thus prevent oral odors.See the following tips:
All of these recommendations become more important for small dogs because they seem to be more likely to have oral problems.
Finally, sometimes we can explain why in the mouth of our dog smells of fish or ammonia due to certain systemic diseases, such as diabetes or kidney disease, in these cases other symptoms, such as an increase in water consumption and urine production, called polydipsia and polyuria, will be observed.
In the case of diabetes, in the early stages there is also an increase in food intake, although the animal does not grow and continues to lose weight, that is when the disease can develop vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, dehydration, weakness and progression of cataracts.. A strange odor can occur when breathing in case of diabetic ketoacidosis, which occurs when lipids are metabolized into energy in the absence of glucose.This is a consequence of the process of ketones that build up in the blood, causing other symptoms, such as weakness, vomiting or breathing problems: this is a vital emergency that requires immediate veterinary assistance.
In case of kidney failure, the dog may also suffer vomiting, dehydration, apathy, anorexia, weight loss or mouth sores; this disease can occur acutely or chronically and in both cases halitosis is noticeable.In the face of any of these symptoms, our veterinarian will determine, through a blood test, if your dog has any of these diseases and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest taking your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to Dog with Fish Breath, we recommend that you visit our Other Health Problems section.