Pet health: Bad breath

Dr C N Sparks BVSc

INTRODUCTION
PERIODONTAL DISEASE
OTHER PROBLEMS
SYMPTOMS
TREATMENT
PREVENTION

1. INTRODUCTION

You get back home from work, kick off your shoes and flop down on the couch. Fluffy, your favourite dog, which followed you into the house, jumps onto your lap — wagging his tail and pushes his nose into your face as a welcoming gesture. This would be fine as you are very, very fond of the little creature — but there is one little problem…The little creature has the breath of a dragon that has just eaten something rotten. Fluffy gets escorted out of the house and you have lost all interest in supper.

Bad breath (also called halitosis) is one of the most common problems in dogs and cats. Although a small percentage of animals can have bad breath due to no specific cause, most of the animals with bad breath have underlying dental or medical problems. Kidney failure, diabetes, and tonsillitis are some of the medical problems that can cause halitosis. However most of the cases by far are caused by underlying dental problems which will be discussed in this article.

2. PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Up to 85 % of dogs over 4 years can have some or other dental problem. The most common dental problem in animals is periodontal disease. This is caused by plaque building up between the teeth transforming into tartar. The tartar is made up of a mixture of mineral deposits and bacteria. It eventually forms a hard shell on the outside of the tooth. The tartar can grow down the neck of the tooth, displacing the gums and loosening the tooth. This leads to infection of the gums (gingivitis).

This is the number one cause of bad breath in animals and is not only unpleasant for the owner but can also be detrimental to the animal’s health. In severe cases infection can spread from the gums via the bloodstream to other organs like the kidneys, liver and even the heart. Periodontal disease is more common in older animals but can be a problem in younger animals and certain breeds. Smaller breeds like Yorkshire terriers, Miniature Dachshunds and Maltese dogs are especially susceptible.

An example of a dog with particularly bad calculus before ultrasonic cleaning. See more pictures below.

3. OTHER PROBLEMS

Other dental problems that can be seen in animals are broken teeth (fractures), worn teeth and root abscesses. Fractures are more common in dogs and are normally caused by dogs chewing on hard objects such as rocks and bones, dogs fighting and trauma. Abscesses are caused when the pulp cavity gets exposed due to worn teeth or fractures. Infection migrates through the pulp cavity and root canal to the bottom of the tooth , where the abscess forms between the root of the tooth and the bone surrounding the root. This is normally a very painful condition and might cause visible swelling in the animal's face or jaw area.

4. SYMPTOMS

Signs of dental problems in animals are the following:

Bad breath.
Animal chewing with difficulty, chewing on one side only.
Animal scratching or rubbing its face.
Animal eating only soft food or not eating at all.
Discoloured teeth.
Bleeding from gums.
Loose teeth (can be normal in young animals — they lose their deciduous teeth between 4 and 6 months of age)

5. TREATMENT

If any of the above signs are visible, it would be wise to take the animal to a veterinarian for a proper examination. Tartar can only be removed under anaesthetic by ultrasonic scaling. This will be followed by polishing to prevent tartar build up. Fractured teeth might need to be extracted or referred to a specialist for a root canal treatment.

The same dog as above, but with all the calculus removed. Note the exposed roots.

Because of the severe exposure of the roots, most of this dog's teeth had to be extracted. This tragedy could have been prevented by timely intervention.

6. PREVENTION

There are products available to try and prevent plaque and tartar build up. Speak to your veterinarian about this. Some pet foods are formulated to prevent plaque accumulation. There are various chewing toys and chews available as well as toothpaste and toothbrushes for animals. Feeding large bones will help to keep the teeth clean but beware — they can also cause problems like fractures!!! Refrain from feeding sweets and cookies to animals. In some animals like Yorkies the deciduous teeth might be retained, which necessitates removal to prevent bits of food getting stuck between them, causing problems later on. Remember — prevention is always better!!!