I have a jack Russell and he has really bad breath, he has not always had it just since he had surg.?

Question

When I first got him 6mo ago. my 120# mixed bread attacked him
and broke his jaw not intentionally he just played to rough so I gave my big dog to my son to take care of. Now my jack russell has really bad breath and i don't know if the surg had anything to do with it or not. Does anyone know of any remidies for bad breath. I already tried the chew bones,green chews, I tried to see in his mouth but he has a crooked jaw ( just a little,and enough to be cute) but he is so afraid of anyone tryng to mess with his jaw,I'm afraid the only way to find out if there is a tooth rotting or bone fragmant or something else is to take him to the vet and incurr a really large vet bill just to see so I thought maybe my yahoo friends may have some ideas to try first.

Answer 1

I agree with the other people who say it could be a post-surgical infection. But it could be a host of other things too. Our 10 yo JRT had REALLY bad breath, so I bought him rawhide chews to clean his teeth, he LOVED them and all was well for a while, then the bad breath came back and soon after that he got really sick. We almost lost him before we could get him to the vet. He had pancreatitis (sp?) and now has diabetes, we have to give him 2 shots of insulin a day. If I had know that the bad breath was a sign of his out of whack blood sugar, I would have been able to get him help sooner and not risked his life by thinking he needed his teeth cleaned.

Answer 2

I've had JRT's for many years, and agree it's a good to get his mouth checked out, but also get his anal glands expressed. If it has never been done, it is probably contributing to the smell.
Don't worry, it's just part of the whole terrier experience. Not a big deal. If you aren't too squeamish, it's something you can do after someone shows you the right way.
No point in trying to cover up the odor, it's better to find out now rather than have bigger problems later. I'm sure you will feel better, too.

Answer 3

If it has been just since the surgery, I would really be worried about infection!! I think you should take him back to your vet for exam. An exam shouldn't be too much $ and if there is infection or the vet can't see in the mouth and needs further workup, they should be able to provide you with a couple different estimates from being conservative to going all out. Good luck!!

Answer 4

You may think that bad dog breath is normal and just something you must live with. Not so! Here is some important information that may not only help your dog's bad breath problem, it may also ultimately save his/her life.

Dogs can’t brush their teeth. But bad breath and yellow-brown teeth are not only unappealing, they could indicate a serious gum disease. And that can lead to other health problems.

Periodontal disease affects nearly 80 percent of all dogs over the age of three. It starts as bacteria and plaque on teeth and progresses into a disease that can cause tooth decay, bleeding gums, tooth loss and even damage to the heart and other internal organs," says Dr. Steve Holmstrom, past president of the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS) and a spokesperson for the Pets Need Dental Care, Too™ campaign sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the AVDS and Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc."

Without proper dental care, 80 percent of dogs show signs of oral disease by age three. In fact, oral disease is the No. 1 health problem diagnosed in dogs. The AVDS recommends a three-step program to help prevent oral disease:

1. A dental exam and, if needed, a dental cleaning by a veterinarian.
2. A home dental care routine that includes regular brushing and nutritious diet.
3. Regular follow-up veterinary checkups.

Veterinarians and dog behavior experts also highly recommend dogs be given approved chewing material on a regular basis.

Chewing a natural behavior and most dogs will find “alternate” items to chew if not provided with healthy and safe bones and chews. Dental chews should be a part of your dog's routine dental care. Not only will chews greatly reduce the incidence of periodontal disease, they are a great way to let your dog entertain himself.



I recommend Breath-a-Licious bones above all other edible dental bones for the following reasons: Breath-A-Licious bones contain sodium tripolyphosphate to help remove tartar buildup, Chlorophyll, Peppermint, parsley, dill and fennel to help freshen breath. Not only do these herbs freshen breath, they also aid in digestion, alleviate gas and sooth upset stomachs. Above all, these bones contain only natural ingredients. No other dental bone has all that!

Answer 5

Your dog may have an infection from the surgery you need to take him back to your vet and get looked at before it gets bad if that is actually what the problem is.
Hope not but it's better to find out now right!

Answer 6

Give him more fluids (water and gatoraide), sometimes people and animals get bad breath when they dont drink enough to wash the bacteria out of their mouth. He may also be hyperglycemic, which can cause bad breath. Try brushing the dogs teeth and tongue with doogie toothpaste sold at wal-mart. Hope this helps!

Answer 7

Doggy Tooth Paste and Brush from Pet Smart it works good. If nothing else take him in to the vet.

Answer 8

go see your vet, it could be infection or the vet may suggest some dog toothpaste or dog tooh-cleaning food.

Answer 9

THEY HAVE DOGGY MINTZ AT THE PET STORE. I HAVE TO USE THEM FOR MY JACK RUSSEL ALSO.