Halitosis is defined as an offensive odor emanating from the mouth, which is also called the oral cavity. In other words, “halitosis” means bad breath.Bad breath can be caused by a number of different, and largely unrelated, conditions. These include:Interestingly, smells coming up the esophagus from the stomach and normal air breathed out through the trachea from the lungs are not thought to contribute to canine bad breath. The primary cause of the actual malodor
Halitosis, or bad breath, is almost always obvious to owners of affected dogs. It is always abnormal and requires appropriate veterinary assessment and intervention.Bad breath is one of the most common complaints of concerned canine owners. The “symptom” of halitosis, obviously, is a foul smell coming from the dog’s mouth. However, it is important to identify the other symptoms associated with the specific cause of the condition. These will vary widely depending upon the underlying
Halitosis is easy to diagnose. However, it is more difficult – and much more important – to determine the underlying cause of the bad breath, so that the causative condition can be treated and, hopefully, resolved.Halitosis is diagnosed simply by sensory evaluation – that is, by leaning towards the dog’s muzzle and smelling its breath. Care should be taken not to startle the dog or approach its head suddenly and rapidly with direct eye contact
The goals of treating halitosis are to identify the cause of the condition and restore the dog’s breath to being free from any unpleasant or otherwise offensive odor.A thorough oral and throat examination and dental cleaning, under general anesthesia, are often the first steps in diagnosis and treatment. Oral hygiene is becoming increasingly important in domestic dogs, especially as they age. During the procedure, the veterinarian or skilled technician will look for, clean and treat