Bad breath in dogs is not uncommon, and can be caused by a number of different factors. If your beagle has bad breath, it may be due to periodontal disease or an infection in the mouth, like gingivitis. There are also other reasons for bad breath such as eating spoiled food, or meat that’s still raw and has not been cooked thoroughly.

As a happy owner of two beagles, I’ve seen my fair share of bad breath. It can be pretty gross at times, but after multiple vet trips and a lot of my own research, I’ve figured out some solid ways to keep my beagle’s mouths smelling fresh and staying infection-free.

In this article, I will detail the most common causes of bad breath in beagles, any risks that can be associated with these conditions, best practices for fixing bad breath in beagles, and how to best take care of your beagle’s dental health to prevent bad breath in the future.

Causes of Bad Breath in Beagles

There are many possible causes of bad breath in beagles, both acutely and chronic. These include:

• Gum Disease (Gingivitis)

This is the most common cause of chronic bad breath in dogs and is usually caused by gum disease. Your dog’s gums will gradually recede, therefore exposing the roots of its teeth (enamel) to the bacteria that causes plaque. If your dog’s teeth are showing signs of plaque, it’s important to pay close attention to how much plaque is on its teeth at all times.

While some plaque is okay, if it’s not taken care of in a timely manner, it can build up to a point that causes decay, which is responsible for that gross ‘dead’ smell that can come from a lot of dogs’ mouths.

• Teething

Beagles like to chew on everything they can get their mouths on. Unfortunately, when they have their first set of teeth, this chewing can cause some pretty bad-smelling plaque. This is particularly common in first-time puppies. You should keep an eye on your beagle’s teeth and the condition of its gums as it grows, but also be careful not to handle its gums too much while it’s teething and very young.

Additionally, when teething some beagle puppies can get their baby teeth stuck, or lodged around their other teeth after it’s already come free. If a tooth is stuck in their mouth, it can start to decay and collect more food and plaque over time, contributing to more foul smells.

• Residue From Smelly Dog Food

If your beagle eats smelly dog food, some of that smell can get stuck in their mouth. Smelly food is usually fatty, salty, or otherwise ‘foul-smelling’, such as eggs or certain kinds of meats. These bad odors could be trapped in your beagle’s mouth for months if not properly looked after. This is particularly bad when your dog eats meat that’s still raw, or leftovers from the night before that have sat out for too long.

• Tooth Trauma

If your beagle has had a tooth chipped, there can be food stuck in the crack. In this case, the food gets infected and rots, so it smells really bad. This is also true for deep tooth punctures. It’s important to have these injuries sorted quickly as they can get more infected over time or become painful for your beagle to eat properly.

• Medical Issues Like Diabetes and Liver Disease

Sometimes chronic disease can have a serious impact on the health of a dog’s mouth. Diabetes can cause excessive tooth decay, while liver disease can be linked to gum disease. If your dog is showing signs of gum disease, it’s important to go see a vet right away. Other conditions like kidney disease can also impact your dog’s breath, because of lower levels of oxygen in their blood stream.

• Worms

Worms and other infections from foreign organisms can cause bad breath in dogs. There are many different types of worms that exist, each with its own specific criteria. A common worm that causes bad breath is called the roundworm. You’re more likely to get a roundworm from your dog if they play with other animals or eat dead animals (not food).

• Anal Sac Disease

This is an infection caused by inflammation of the anal sacs. The anal sacs are small, sweat glands located in the anus. In dogs, these glands produce a foul smelling secretion that beagles expel when they poop or bark.

If your dog has a build up of this secretion, it can create a pretty awful smell in their mouth (similar to the smell of sweaty feet). Dogs tend to clean themselves regularly with their own tongues, which is why this sour smell can be transported to your dog’s mouth, leaving a foul fishy smell.

Risks Associated with Bad Breath in Beagles

There are many associated risks with bad breath in beagles. The main risk is that teeth issues are sometimes harder to diagnose, and can cause your dog a lot of pain if unchecked for too long. Some of the risks that you should be aware of include:

• Tooth Decay and Loss of Your Dog’s Teeth

If your dog has bad breath, the smell could indicate increased risk for tooth decay and potential loss of teeth. As you can imagine, when your dog loses a tooth, it can no longer chew food, and this can lead to other issues like malnutrition.

• Zoonotic Disease

This is a term used to refer to disease that has spread from animals to humans or people, but can be considered a form of wildlife transmission. Certain conditions that cause breath in dogs can also cause problems in humans, so it’s important to take precautions to prevent transmission between dogs and people.

• Damaged Immune System

If your dog has a severely damaged immune system, then they are susceptible to getting infections much easier and they may smell worse for longer. Infections that start in the mouth are particularly dangerous, because they can spread to other parts of the body.

• Gum Disease

Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in dogs. It’s important to take your dog to the vet if they have bad breath, but also make sure that they’re not causing damage to their gums by chewing on other things.

Dogs’ gums are exposed to a lot of different types of matter and bacteria, which can cause inflammation and damage to their gums. If this becomes a serious enough issue, some dogs will have to have teeth extracted as a last resort.

• Heart Disease

Many people don’t know this, but tooth decay can actually contribute to heart disease if left unchecked. This is because the decay can cause inflammation of the heart, which can lead to damage over time.

• Obesity

This is a serious condition that can be linked to bad breath in dogs. If they eat more food than they need and don’t exercise enough, their bodies can get really big and the risk of obesity increases.

This is important to keep an eye out for because it makes the risk for other conditions like diabetes much higher. Beagles are also more prone to be obese as they have poor appetite control.

How to Fix Bad Breath in Beagles

There are a few different steps you can take to improve your dog’s oral health and reduce risks of bad breath. Some of the best practices that you can follow include:

• Brush Your Beagle’s Teeth on a Regular Basis

The most important way to prevent bad breath is to get your dog’s teeth and mouth as clean as possible. This is especially important for dogs with gum disease. Most vets recommend that you brush your dog’s teeth at least once a week at minimum.

They also make special prescription toothpaste that can be useful if your dog already has an infection or inflammation that is making their mouth more sensitive, as you’ll want to minimize any pain on their part during a teeth cleaning.

If your beagle is too unruly to let you brush their teeth on your own, vet’s offices do occasionally offer affordable teeth cleaning services, and many groomers also include this service for those that visit regularly. However there are a lot more tools on the market that have helped make this process easier to do at home, which I’ll get into later in this article.

• Use Treats That Help Reduce Bad Breath

There are a few types of treats that you can use to help reduce your dog’s bad breath. These treats work by reducing any mouth odor that your dog is producing, and also help to freshen the mouth as well.

The most common type of treat that helps with bad breath in dogs is called a ‘dental chew’. These treats are used to help reduce bad breath by breaking up plaque, which causes it to harden and stick to your dog’s teeth. (See below).

• Monitor Your Beagle’s Diet

As mentioned earlier, some of the worst culprits for your dog’s bad breath are things like fatty foods, salty foods and foods with strong odors. Beagles have a relatively shallow mouth, so it’s easy for them to get stuck food in places where it can build up and rot.

Many dogs will try to eat grass or chew on items around the house to get that smell out of their mouths. It’s important to be aware of what your dog is chewing on when they have bad breath.

Some beagles are also prone to eating poop, dirt, and even human hair. You should try your best to monitor what non-food items they’re also trying to eat, as that will help you protect them from swallowing something that could be contributing to their sour breath problem.

• Floss Your Beagle’s Teeth

Flossing is something that is fairly simple to do and can help keep your dog’s mouth clean of debris, plaque and bacteria. If you’re not sure how to floss a dog’s teeth yourself, there are a lot of great videos online.

It can be an easy process once you get the hang of it. There are products on the market that are specifically designed for your dog’s mouth that offer a similar experience, while also being hygienic and gentle enough for use on your dog’s mouth. Check out this great tutorial on how to use a Waterpik for flossing below:

Recommended Products to Cure Bad Dog Breath

1. Water Flossers

Let’s face it, flossing a beagle’s teeth is even harder than brushing them, but it doesn’t have to be. As you saw in the video above, using a Waterpik is a safe and effective way to clean up toward your dog’s gums, without causing them any pain or risking getting yourself bitten.

I got my WP-660 on sale at Amazon.com, and because it comes with different attachments, I can use it for my dog and myself! This feature definitely makes it worth the price in my opinion.

Canine Tooth Brush

There are a lot of different products out there that can help you get your beagle’s mouth clean. The BC Pets – Premium 3-Sided Dog Toothbrush Set is one of my go-to products from Amazon for regularly brushing my beagle’s teeth. It’s a simple but effective product that includes three different types of brushes to use on your dog’s teeth.

There’s a soft silicone/rubber toothbrush, a small metal brush and a dog-safe toothpaste. It’s easy to clean and it does an excellent job of getting your beagle’s mouth as clean as possible.

It also comes with a convenient travel case for when you’re ever on the go with your dog, or just if you want an easy and convenient place to store your dog’s toothbrush in your home.

Dog Breath Supplements

ActiveChews’ Probiotic Dog Chews are an excellent way to combat bad breath. They are one of the best-selling dog breath products on Amazon and the reviews speak for themselves. I would recommend sticking to these if you’re looking for a more natural way to help get rid of bad breath in your beagle.

These treats contain a natural blend of ingredients that can help freshen your beagle’s breath and also help improve their overall gut health as well. The added benefits of probiotics for dogs can help counteract any digestive issues that could be contributing to your beagle’s breath problem.

Special Chew Toys

If your dog is being stubborn about brushing their teeth, giving them a special chew toy can help get clean their teeth without needing to use a brush. For example, you can use Cutiful Large Toothbrush Toy as an easy way to let your dog take out their biting and chewing energy, while getting their teeth cleaned at the same time.

You can add some toothpaste into the bristles of the toy, and let them play with it for a few minutes – they’ll be practically brushing their teeth on their own!

Canine Mouth Wash

If you’re looking for an easy way to help clean your beagle’s mouth thoroughly, then Canine Mouth Wash may be the best solution for you. You can use this solution to run through their teeth and gums right before meals, or even in between when you’re quickly trying to freshen up their breath.

I prefer the Nylabone Advanced Oral Care version, as you can simply mix it in with their drinking water, and safely allow them to clean their own mouth without having to worry about them swallowing any dangerous chemicals.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another soothing solution that you can use to reduce the bad breath in your beagle if they’re showing signs of having a persistent odor. You can put it into a spray bottle and spray it into your dog’s mouth after brushing their teeth, or simply let them drink some with their meal.

This solution will also help to keep your dog’s teeth clean by freshening their breath with the natural cleaning minerals in Apple Cider Vinegar. If you choose to mix it with their meal, keep doses small, just a tablespoon or two, as it can upset their stomachs in large quantities.

How Often Should You Brush Your Beagle’s Teeth?

Some veterinarians recommend that you brush your dog’s teeth at least once a week, up to 3 days per week, but it all depends on their individual needs. If your dog already has a lot of gum inflammation or tooth decay then you might want to brush their teeth more than once per week.

If you’re struggling to get into a routine of brushing your dog’s teeth with a toothbrush and paste, I suggest considering other methods, such as flossing or using special chew toys. If you’re worried about your dog being too unruly for you to do it on your own, some vets will offer this service at a cheap price. But if you’re okay with doing it by yourself, then there are also many options that are designed to help make this process easier.

If you want to floss your dog’s teeth, you’ll want to invest in a product that’s specifically designed for this purpose. These products are generally safe and non-toxic, so they won’t cause any issues for your pet. You can also get more information about how to do a proper dog flossing here.

Final Thoughts

If you have a beagle that has an issue with bad breath, there are some simple steps that you can take to help alleviate the problem. Just like a lot of other dog health problems, if you pay attention to your beagle’s health and use good hygiene practices like brushing their teeth regularly, there should not be any serious impact on their overall health.

Most importantly, make sure that you’re keeping an eye on your beagle’s overall oral health. This will help make sure that your dog isn’t experiencing any pain or discomfort from gum disease, and will also reduce their chances of having other infections, cavities or tooth decay in the future.

When it doubt, it’s always smart to consult with your vet first for any questions related to your beagle’s oral hygiene.