kidney disease in dogs and bad breath
Halitosis or bad breath in dogs is a common symptom of kidney disease. High levels of urea tend to cause this bad breath to smell fishy. If your dogs breath strongly smells like ammonia, they may be suffering from kidney disease.
As kidney disease progresses into further stages in dogs, they may exhale bad breath. Toxins that build up in their gut are a common reason for this. It is a fairly common symptom and can be treated by following effective measures.
One spectacular way to fix this is for your dog to have consistent easy bowel movements so adding in some fiber, some pumpkins, etc. may help soothe things in their digestive system. The big solution to this is using probiotics. And by that, we mean using Good & Effective probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that help to get rid of kidney and uremic toxins. The more you give your dog, the better it is.
If youre looking for probiotics, the 2 billion to 5 billion range will not be of any help as its just not strong enough. You must get the ones with at least 25 billion or more. If youre looking to buy one, check this out!
We formulated a probiotic supplement called Kidney Restore for Cats & Dogs, which has 50 billion probiotics. Those probiotics are made up of varieties of strains that target the kidney toxins. It has other things in it that are great for the kidneys and improves kidney function for your pets.
Whatever you choose, this probiotic or one at the store, it is important to make sure that you read the nutrition facts and confirm that the probiotics are at least 25 billion or more. The ones that stores usually carry are between 2 to 5 billion and theyre just not strong enough to do the job.
If youre looking to fix that bad breath for your pet, using probiotics is a great way to solve that! Kidney Restore for Cats & Dogs is a probiotic supplement from Healthy Kidney Inc. which has had tremendous success in fixing bad breath in pets and improving many dogs kidneys.
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Kidney Disease in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment
Your dogs kidneys are essential organs that filter waste products from the bloodstream. When the kidneys are weakened, either by acute or chronic kidney disease, your dogs health could suffer. Because kidney disease progresses over time, its important to learn the common symptoms so tha you can recognize them. If you catch kidney disease in dogs early on, treatment can slow down the progression and allow your dog to live longer.
What Is Kidney Disease in Dogs?
Kidney disease in dogs is sometimes called renal or kidney insufficiency because it occurs when a dogs kidneys stop doing their job as efficiently as they should. The main job of the kidneys is to help clear and excrete waste products from the blood and convert them to urine, says Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC. If the kidneys are not working properly, these waste products can build up in the blood, causing detrimental effects.
Dogs can get either acute kidney disease, which develops suddenly, or chronic kidney disease (CKD), which develops slowly and worsens over an extended period. Both involve loss of kidney function, but they result from different circumstances. Acute kidney disease is a sudden attack or injury to the kidney, whereas chronic kidney disease is a slow, degenerative loss of kidney function, Dr. Klein explains.
What Causes Kidney Disease in Dogs?
Dr. Klein warns that kidney disease could be caused by a lot of things, including infection (such as with the bacteria that causes leptospirosis), trauma, genetics, drugs, toxins, cancer, mechanical obstructions (like kidney stones), and degenerative diseases (where the job and form of the affected body part get worse over time). Anything that decreases blood flow to the kidneys, such as dehydration or heatstroke, can cause the kidneys to fail.
Acute kidney disease in dogs can be caused by exposure to hazardous materials, including toxic plants such as lilies, certain drugs, harmful foods such as grapes or raisins, or antifreeze. Puppy-proofing your home and yard can keep your dog away from potentially harmful items or foods that could be toxic.
Chronic kidney disease in dogs is also associated with growing older. Because kidney tissue cant regenerate once its damaged, the kidneys can wear out over time. As small-breed dogs often live longer than large-breed dogs, they tend to show early signs of kidney disease at an older age10 years old or more, compared to as young as 7 for the large breeds.
What Are the Symptoms of Kidney Disease in Dogs?
The earliest signs of kidney disease in dogs are increased urination and therefore increased thirst. Other symptoms dont usually become apparent until about two-thirds of the kidney tissue is destroyed. So, in the case of CKD, the damage may have begun months or even years before the owner notices. Because of this, its common for the signs of kidney disease in dogs to seem like they came out of the blue when in fact, the kidneys have been struggling for a long time.
Other signs of chronic kidney disease in dogs to watch for include:
Dr. Klein says there are some rarer symptoms of kidney disease in dogs to be aware of, as well. On occasion, there can be abdominal painurinary obstructions or stonesand in certain instances, one can see ulcers in the oral or gastric cavity. In extreme cases, little or no urine is produced at all.
What Are the Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease in Dogs?
Kidney disease in dogs is measured in stages. Many veterinarians use the IRIS scale, which has four stages. Blood work measurements like creatinine and SDMA (biomarkers for kidney function) allow your vet to assign your dog to a particular stage which will determine the exact treatment.
Dr. Klein explains, The stages determine how well the kidneys can filter waste and extra fluid from the blood. As the stages go up, the kidney function worsens. In the early stages of CKD, the kidneys are still able to filter out waste from the blood. In the latter stages, the kidneys must work harder to filter the blood and in late stages may stop working altogether.
How Is Kidney Disease in Dogs Treated?
Dialysis (a medical procedure that removes waste products and extra fluid from the blood) is far more common in humans than in dogs, although peritoneal (kidney) dialysis can be performed in some cases. On rare occasions, surgical kidney transplant is possible in dogs.
But Dr. Klein specifies that depending on the type and stage of kidney disease, the main treatments for CKD are diet changes and administration of fluids, either directly into the veins (intravenous) or under the skin (subcutaneous). The balancing and correction of electrolytes are extremely important in the management of kidney patients, he explains.
Proper nutrition is needed, and there are many available diets formulated for cats and dogs with kidney issues, some by prescription only. Your veterinarian can help guide you to the most appropriate diet for your pet.
Because kidney disease, particularly in the late stages, can cause a dog to lose their appetite, it can be difficult to encourage your dog to eat enough. Dr. Klein advises, There are medications used as appetite stimulators available, such as the prescription drug mirtazapine. Capromorelin has recently been FDA-approved for dogs to address appetite in chronic kidney disease.
When Do You Need to Call Your Vet?
The prognosis and expected life span for a dog with kidney disease depend on the type of disease, the speed of progression, and underlying conditions present in the dog. However, the more serious the disease, the poorer the outcome. Thats why its so crucial to catch the illness early on.
According to Dr. Klein, In chronic kidney disease, there are methods, such as diets and medications, that can be used to lessen the burden of work the kidneys need to do and may help slow down the progression from one stage to the next. In acute kidney disease, there is less time and fewer choices available to prevent further damage to the kidneys and to try to jump-start the kidneys to get them to function normally.
Regular veterinary exams, including bloodwork, are an excellent way to spot kidney problems before the outward symptoms become apparent. And if you notice any of the above signs, dont hesitate to get your dog to the vet for further testing. It can make a huge difference in preserving kidney function and your dogs well-being for as long as possible.
5 reasons for bad breath in dogs (and how to treat it)
Bad breath in dogs isnt the most pleasant of conditions to be dealing with as a pet parent, especially if your canine companion loves nothing more than to smother you with kisses the minute you walk through the door.
While there are plenty of tips to keep dog teeth clean and healthy, its important to figure out why your beloved bundle of fluff is experiencing bad breath in the first place so that you can then choose the most appropriate form of treatment, which may be as simple as buying the best toothbrush for dogs.
Although we often just write off a dogs bad breath as part and parcel of owning a pup, its worth noting that while a certain degree of stinky breath is to be expected from time to time, a foul and persistent odor is often the sign of an underlying health issue.
Learning how to brush a dogs teeth can certainly be a useful skill when it comes to preventing plaque and tartar build-up, but other more serious conditions, such as diabetes in dogs, kidney disease, and liver disease, are all potential health issues that can cause bad breath and require specialist intervention.
Below, youll find everything you need to know about bad breath in dogs, including the most common causes, how to treat it and what you can do at home to reduce the risk of it occurring in the future.
What causes bad breath in dogs?
Doggy dental practices have come a long way in recent years with checkups and teeth cleaning becoming a routine part of those annual vet visits. Preventative dental care options are also now widely available and a dogs mouth is playing a more important role in the early diagnosis of a range of health issues.
While you may be tempted to dismiss the foul odor coming from your canine companion's mouth as just normal stinky dog breath, its something thats worth paying attention to as theres likely a very good reason behind it. Some of the most common causes of bad breath in dogs include:
1. Oral health issues
Poor oral hygiene practices and periodontal disease are the most common causes of bad breath in dogs. Just like humans, dogs who have crowded, crooked or misaligned teeth are more at risk of plaque and tartar buildup, but even pups with a perfect smile are likely to suffer from dental calculus or gingivitis at some stage in their life.
Too much plaque and tartar can actually result in the gums being pushed away from the teeth, which exposes new areas that bacteria can set up camp in. If left untreated, the gums can become inflamed and infected, and the teeth themselves may even begin to fall out. Needless to say, all of this can lead to some very nasty-smelling breath.
2. Poor dietary habits
Lets be honest, as much as we love our canine companions, sometimes the things they choose to consume are downright disgusting. From why do dogs eat poop to how to get a dog to stop consuming garbage scraps, many a pet parent has found themselves despairing over the things their beloved bundle of fluff puts in their mouth when theyre not looking.
Unfortunately, that unsupervised snacking on anything from feces to household objects can lead to rotten smelling breath which can be further exacerbated if your pup is frequently vomiting up all that foreign material that their body isnt able to digest.
3. Diabetes
A serious but treatable condition, diabetes in dogs is fairly common, affecting around 1 in 300 pups. Along with symptoms like an increase in thirst and urination, bad breath that has a sweet or fruity smell to it is another key sign of the condition.
If you notice this or any other symptoms, its important to make an appointment with your vet straight away so your dog can get a full examination.
4. Kidney disease
A healthy dogs kidneys work to regulate hydration, remove toxins, maintain a normal balance of electrolytes and release hormones required to produce red blood cells.
When the kidneys arent working properly, either due to an underlying disease or kidney failure, toxins start to build up in the blood and these can cause your dogs breath to smell like urine.
If you notice your dogs bad breath has an ammonia-like quality to it, get your pup checked out by a vet as soon as possible as kidney disease and failure are both serious issues that require immediate treatment.
5. Liver disease
Alongside the kidneys, the liver acts as a filtration system that removes toxins from the body. If your dogs breath is truly awful and its accompanied by other symptoms such as yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), weight loss, poor appetite and vomiting, liver disease could be to blame.
Just like with kidney disease, liver disease is a serious condition that can lead to seizures, coma, and even death if left untreated. Make an urgent appointment with your vet or emergency clinic if you suspect your dog may be experiencing liver problems.
How to treat bad breath in dogs
If your dog has bad breath, the first thing you need to do is to get to the bottom of whats causing it. Youll want to schedule a dental exam with your vet who will be able to give your canine companions mouth a thorough checking over and assess whether the issue is related to poor oral hygiene or periodontal disease or whether there might be something more serious going on.
For foul smelling breath thats been caused by a build-up of plaque and tartar, your vet will be able to book your pup in for a good teeth cleaning and you should notice an improvement in their breath fairly quickly after that. Theyll also be able to remove any loose or damaged teeth and provide advice and guidance on how you can look after your dogs teeth at home to prevent further problems.
If your vet checks your dogs mouth and finds their teeth and gums to be in relatively good condition, theyll likely run further tests to rule out diabetes, kidney or liver disease. Whatever the cause, your dogs bad breath should go away once the underlying issue has been treated and resolved.
Preventing bad breath in dogs
When it comes to preventing bad breath in your dog, there are several simple things you can do at home to keep those pearly whites in tip-top condition.
1. Regular brushing
Just like we humans need to brush our teeth every day to keep them healthy and looking their best, the same is true for our canine companions. Daily brushing with a specially formulated toothpaste for dogs is the most effective way to prevent plaque and tartar from forming.
Now, a word of warning - your dog probably wont like getting their teeth brushed at first, but dont worry, thats to be expected. Youll find that over time theyll get pretty good at tolerating this and it will simply become a part of their daily routine.
To help make it easier, be sure to start off slowly. Spend a few days showing your dog the toothbrush and touching their fur with it without attempting to put it anywhere near their mouth. Let them sniff it and get used to this new object.
Next, pop some toothpaste on the brush and let your dog investigate that. Repeat this for several days, once again without attempting to brush their teeth. After youve done this, try popping a bit of toothpaste on their gums so that they can get used to the taste and feel of it.
Once your dog seems comfortable with all of this, you can gently try brushing their teeth for the first time, being sure to reward them with lots of verbal praise and a treat afterwards.
2. Dental treats
The best dental chews for dogs dont just help remove plaque and tartar from your pups teeth while they chew, they also make for a great treat. Chewing is ideal for keeping the teeth and gums healthy, so be sure to provide your canine companion with plenty of chew toys and dental treats.
3. Special oral health diet
One final way that you can care for your dogs teeth at home is to swap them over to a special dental diet. The best dry dog food has a range of kibbles that have been designed with a coarse texture that will sweep away plaque and tartar while your dog chews.
