All You Wanted To Know About ‘Why Does My Dog’s Breath Smell Like Fish’

Why does my dog’s breath smell like fish? Is this the question that you keep asking yourself but can’t seem to find an answer to? Then keep reading for more insight into this.

Dog’s friendly nature and co-operation in many aspects make them be considered as suitable chums. However, there are instances when your dog may depict certain characters or in this case irritable breath that you cannot withstand. Fish smelling breath can be due to some varied reasons, while some may be health related, others may just be due to a habit like anal licking of the dog or something else that you as the owner need to identify.​

Where is the Smell of Fish Coming from?

​“Probably because the dog ate too much fish” that may be your thoughts, but the truth is NO! Well, at least not entirely; eating too much fish should not lead to constant fish smelling breathe.

Your dog might be suffering from blocked anal glands whereby they need to express. In this case, the dog is forced to lick the glands to relieve itself which in turn causes the foul fish smelling breath in the dog.

Also, the fishy breath might be coming out from cuts or wounds in the dog's mouth. Have you recently checked your dog’s mouth? Or has your dog been chewing and biting a lot these days? If there are any cuts or wounds in the dog's mouth, then probably they have gotten an infection which is where the fishy breath comes from.

Besides, the smell could be coming from infected gums. You need to check for gum infections in your dog as soon as you can.

What Causes this Foul Breath?​

How can you determine the reasons of the fish odor in your dog? Bad breath or halitosis could be the result of numerous factors. In most cases, persistent bad breath in pets usually, arises from health problems such as poor dental care. Poor dental care leads to a buildup of bad bacteria that cause bad breathe. In the worst case, the bad could be due to severe health problems in the kidney, liver or the gastrointestinal tract.

​Regardless of what could be behind your dog’s breath smelling like fish, the most important thing is understanding the cause in detail to find the most appropriate solution to it. Please, do not rush into looking for treatment for a problem while you have not identified the cause yet.

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Getting Rid of the Smell

#2 - Drink More Water

There are a good number of home remedies that help in getting rid of the fishy breathe in dogs. Before you opt for a particular remedy, identify the cause of the fishy breath and use it to choose the best home remedy to apply. The effectiveness of the remedy will greatly depend on it.

#3 - Dog Mints

You can as well use doggie mints and mouthwash which can be found here. These ingredients are important and simple remedies that can be used by just adding them to your dog’s drinking water bowl. They help in keeping away the bad fish smell breathe in your dog.

What to Do When the Case is Extreme

​If you are not sure whether a home remedy will be able to treat this problem or if the problem persists, seek doggie dentist assistance. If it goes on even after a series of medications, visit a qualified veterinary practitioner to carry out a thorough diagnosis.

​Veterinary specialists have the ability and knowledge to run an in-depth check-up so as to determine what the precise cause for halitosis could be. Your vet can also choose to run a lab test which could be vital and helpful in completing the investigation.

However, when you visit your vet, be ready and prepared to answer the questions with regards to the general well-being of the dog like its hygiene, diet and general habits. Such information might help the doctor in establishing a proper diagnosis.

Conclusion​

From the information above, you realize that there could be more than meets the eye to the fish smelling breath in your dog. But don’t worry, just follow the appropriate and necessary steps in identifying the cause and treating it. You should also take note of the following to avoid such cases in future​

​Lastly, if anyone asks you,’ why does my dog’s breath smell like fish?’ you can share this article with them.