Why Does My Puppy’S Breath Smell Like Skunk

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… And then there’s sick puppy breath, meaning the puppy has something wrong creating an abnormal odor from the mouth.

Very young puppies have a distinct smell to their breath, lovingly called puppy breath. It’s usually described as a sweetish smell that many people like.

If you adopted your puppy at a very young age, like 6 weeks old, you are probably aware of this specific breath odor.

Puppy breath begins to wane by 8–10 weeks of age. Although I associate the strong puppy breath smell as something that is hard to smell after 12 weeks, some people think it can linger until 6 months.

Puppy breath that stinks like skunk

Skunk breath is caused by digestive enzymes that are only present in very young puppies. It is a normal thing for puppies to have but will fade when the enzymes develop into more permanent digestive strands.

Why I’m Not a Big Fan of Puppy Breath

Whether or not normal puppy breath is pleasant is controversial. Humans have a genetic predisposition to how their noses interpret the specific smells like puppy breath.

I, for one, don’t particularly care for it. My nose smells a heavy, sweet-sour, skunk odor that is not at all pleasant when adorable little pups try to lick my face.

Many other people experience a sweet, pleasant odor and are sad when the puppy grows out of the puppy breath stage.

In fact, if you do a search for “puppy breath” online, you’ll find lots of unscientific opinions that say puppy breath exists to make people fall in love with puppies and not abuse them. If only that were true.

The scientific explanation is also a bit unscientific.

While we don’t completely understand puppy breath, most veterinary dentists and experts conclude that a number of factors are responsible for puppy breath:

  • Sometimes referred to as milk breath, puppy breath is most obvious during nursing and just after the pup is weaned. This is an insufficient explanation, however, since puppy breath lingers for several weeks after weaning.
  • Puppy mouths are clean and healthy, harboring none of the oral bacteria common in older dogs.
  • The GI tracts of puppies contain different bacteria and flora than do those of adults.

    • Why does my 5 month old puppy breath smell like fish?

    Dogs have two anal glands bordering their anus—one at five and one at seven o’clock. When these glands ‘are expressed’ they empty out a very pungent fishy odor. As your dog proceeds to clean himself with his tongue, this odor transfers to their mouth. The scent is like a Twitter update for dogs.

    How long do puppies have skunk breath?

    If you adopted your puppy at a very young age, like 6 weeks old, you are probably aware of this specific breath odor. Puppy breath begins to wane by 8–10 weeks of age. Although I associate the strong puppy breath smell as something that is hard to smell after 12 weeks, some people think it can linger until 6 months.

    FAQ

    Why do puppies breath smell like skunks?

    As these hungry hounds eat their – cutlery included – meals, they are slathering sugars onto their gums, teeth, and hard to lick places. Dog bad breath is caused by the mouth’s natural bacteria that thrive off of the sugars in food consumed. The bacteria then turns these sugars into acids shields on the teeth.

    Why does my puppys breath stink?

    Bad breath, or halitosis, is usually caused by a build-up of plaque. To a much lesser extent, cancer in the mouth can also create a smell and puppy bad breath can be caused by bacteria getting into the gaps when baby teeth fall out. By far the most common cause of bad dog breath is the build-up of plaque and bacteria.

    Why does my dog’s breath smell like chemicals?

    In order to derive the necessary sugars, the dog’s body starts breaking down fat. This results in the dog’s body going into ketosis, and ketones are a byproduct of this. These ketones smell like acetone causing their breath to smell like chemicals.

    How do you get rid of stinky puppy breath?

    Here are ways that can produce instantaneous results:
    1. Brush Your Puppy’s Teeth. This is still the best way to keep plaque and tartar from building up. …
    2. Use A Quality Water Additive. …
    3. Try Dental Treats and Chew Toys. …
    4. Give Them a Proper Diet. …
    5. Visit the Vet Regularly.