If my dog had extremely bad breath I would be looking for a cause rather then something to cover it up. Not sure how old your corgi pal is but dogs can get cavities, abscesses and have other dental issues that may cause their breath to be unsavory. Healthy mouths usually do not have a bad odor.
He's 5 months old...I just brought him home last Friday, so I'm adjusting as well :) His breath smells sort of fishy I guess, it's hard to describe..when I walk into the room he's in, I can smell something unpleasant...maybe it's from the food I feed him? I feed a grain free food that I think has some fish in it, although not much. I also add in a little bit of chopped carrots and celery. His breath isn't wretched to the point of gagging, but it isn't pleasant either, hehe. I'm sort of wondering why the smell doesn't clear up a couple hours after he eats...should I brush his teeth after he eats?
Has he been checked for worms or done with all of his deworming? I would think if they have parasites that it could turn their breath from the upset tummy. Hope you are able to solve the mystery. He is so cute.
Thanks! His breeder said he has been wormed, but I'm going to ask her if he's done with his worming. On his health record, his fecal sample was negative on May 21st. He's going to the vet on Saturday, so I'll bring up whether he should have more done. Sometimes I see him burp or make a sound like he's burping. I never thought that that was why his breath might smell bad. I hope he's okay!
On a side note, I just took him to the local park for the first time today and he was so happy running in the grass :) I love my little Owen!
I hope he is ok too...doesnt hurt to ask. If I recall correctly when we got Lance (almost 2 years ago) his breath didnt smell right to me. He did end up having worms. Good Luck, let me know what you find out.
At 5 months, he is right in the middle of losing his puppy teeth. When a puppy tooth comes out, his gums will bleed a little bit...that may be what you're smelling. If he has any retained baby teeth (the adult tooth is coming in, but the baby tooth is still there), food can get stuck between the teeth and smell.
If you haven't gotten him used to having his teeth brushed, I would start now. Brushing his teeth regularly his whole life will cut down on the number of times you'll have to take him to a vet for professional cleaning. Be very gentle brushing his teeth while he is teething though...you don't want him to associate the toothbrush with any pain.
Ahh, that's a good point! I did brush his teeth just with a toothbrush the other day and he seemed okay with it. He just sat there and let me brush. I noticed some pinkness on the brush, but I thought it was from his food :P It must have been the bleeding from his gums.
Also, which toothpaste do you use? I feel bad using the dog toothpaste that I got because it has sorbitol and other weird chemicals in it and he's going to be ingesting it...Is there a more natural toothpaste that I can use? Perhaps something with baking soda?
I use Petrodex Poultry Flavor. Charlie loves it! It does have sorbitol, but I think that may be what keeps the tartar from building up. I think baking soda might upset their tummy.
We started brushing when Charlie was about 3 months old, even though he was going to lose all those baby teeth. heehee! I started early so he wouldn't think it was a weird thing to do. : - )