Get Rid Bad Breath

Your vet is very correct on your dog needing a teeth cleaning to greatly improve the bad breath. But if money is the problem (which going to a vet is always an expense, JUST the office visit alone seems to cost $35!), have you considered a low-cost clinic, or a non-for-profit organization? Especially since your little (maltese?) is a rescue in the first place.

I had adopted my chihuahua as a rescue. When I took him to a mobile spay/neuter clinic, we also got his teeth done (vet quoted over $150 to do), but this clinic did it for me for JUST $5.00!! He was already under for the neutering, but even then, that was under $40 itself.

I don’t know your specific situation, and maybe you are already going to a low-cost clinic. In the meantime, we get a lot of (usually little dogs) that have very rank breath (I even have to wear a mask when grooming them). Typically it’s because the owner puts the dogs on soft wet food for their meals, gives soft treats, table scraps, etc. (Giving a wet food diet is the worse thing you can do, as it very quickly causes bad breath).

When the majority of the things that dogs eat or chew on are very soft (such as canned wet food), there is more particles of food left in the mouth, which decompose and create conditions where oral bacteria can thrive. These bacterial grow to form plaque, which is a combination of bacteria, mineral and decomposed food. Plaque and associated oral infections give the pet’s breath that rank odor. Plaque also clings to the base of a tooth (teeth), causing the gums to become inflamed and recede. Inflamed gums leak blood serum which combines with the increase amount of plaque. This plaque or calculus is visible as a hard yellowish coating on the outer base of the teeth.

“These problems are most severe in toy and smaller breeds of dogs and in purebred cats. Maltese have the highest rate of tooth and gum disease of all breeds.”

I’d recommend feeding dry food. Wet food isn’t needed unless you’re trying to add medication, supplments, or you have a picky eater. But even then, there should be just enough wet food to entice eating, it shouldn’t be the main dish. Give small but hard bones. My chihuahua loves the tiny rawhide sticks. Or real bones that they can naw on, really strengthening their teeth. Once a week I give my chihuahua a frozen raw turkey neck or bison bone from Nature’s Variety. (I give him the smaller pieces.. and what he can’t finish, I let the doberman eat the rest of it). Keep in mind, the bones/meat given is not cooked.

Also keep up with teeth brushing. I brush both my dog’s teeth about once a week at least, if not more. Make sure you use doggie toothpaste, as it’s designed for dog use, so that it won’t be toxic to swallow like human toothpaste will (be toxic to a dog). Only use a pea size on the toothbrush. Remember that the whole point is not to spread the toothpaste everywhere, but the actual act of brushing the teeth.

You can also purchase from the vet clinic, a pet store, or grooming salon, a chlorhexidine spray or mouthwash that contains enzymes that dissolve plaque and help reduce bacteria. The spray/wash isn’t as effective as brushing the teeth, but it is an alternative if the teeth brushing isn’t taken too easily by your little dog.

As for the type of dry dog food you feed, look on the ingredients on the back of the bag. To start, you do not want to feed your dog that has any of the following ingredients:
– meat meals.
– poultry meals.
– meat and bone meal
– by-product meals.
– Corn

It’s also a good idea (unless you feed a raw meat diet) to seek a dry dog food that is grain-free, such as Nature’s Variety Instict or Evo.

…Hope this helps.

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