Getting slobbery kisses from your pet dog is one of life’s simplest yet greatest joys. At that moment, you can really feel the outpouring of love from your pet. Unfortunately, that moment can be spoiled by your dog’s less than pleasant breath.
Your dog having bad breath is one thing. Is it still normal if the odor of their breath has a metallic quality to it? Find out if you should be worried about your dog’s metallic-smelling breath by continuing with the rest of this article.
Why Does My Dog’s Breath Smell Like Metal?
A dog’s breath is typically not going to smell like a fresh breeze of air, but it shouldn’t stink all the time either. If your dog constantly has bad breath, you should take that as a sign that there may be something wrong.
Subtle hints of metal in your dog’s breath are even more worrisome. It’s important to note that your dog having that kind of breath is not normal.
Detailed below are the different reasons why your dog may have metallic-smelling breath. Read up on them and see if any particular could explain what is happening to your pet.
Impacted Anal Glands
Are you familiar with anal glands? They are small sac-shaped organs that are located next to your dog’s anus.
Dogs rely on their anal glands to mark their territory. Those anal glands produce a unique scent that works as an identifying mark for a dog. Anal glands don’t produce pleasant smells no matter how unique they are. You may detect hints of metal in the odor they produce, but they may be mixed in with unpleasant smells.
Many dogs get to know each other based on the smell of those anal glands. Anal glands help explain why dogs have a habit of sniffing behinds.
Most of the time, those anal glands are emptied whenever your dog goes to poop. That may not happen sometimes because of other issues that your pet is dealing with. Instead of being emptied out, your dog’s anal glands may become impacted.
Impacted anal glands produce even fouler odors. Your dog may get their metallic-smelling breath from licking those impacted glands.
Dogs that are diabetic and/or obese are more prone to suffering from impacted anal glands. The issue could also be related to tumors or your dog’s diet. Some breeds are also more susceptible to impacted anal glands compared to others.
If you don’t do something about your pet’s impacted anal glands, their metallic-smelling breath may be the least of your worries.
Kidney Problems
Kidneys are in charge of removing any toxins that are floating around in blood. When your dog’s kidneys stop working properly, their blood could be flooded by those harmful toxins.
Your dog’s unusually foul breath is a potential indicator that something is wrong with their kidneys. If the metallic-smelling breath is accompanied by other symptoms like lethargy, sudden weight loss, and vomiting, then chances are that your pet is suffering from kidney failure.
Internal Bleeding
Blood usually has a slightly metallic smell to it. If you’ve ever smeared blood on your skin after sustaining some kind of injury, then you are probably familiar with that smell.
Notably, blood doesn’t have to be exposed to air for it to produce that kind of odor. It could still give off a metallic aroma even if the wound is inside your body.
Internal bleeding could explain why your dog’s breath smells slightly metallic. Dogs suffering from internal bleeding tend to become very weak. In this instance, the metallic-smelling breath is a symptom yet again instead of the main problem.
Dental Issues
Have you been keeping up with your dog’s dental hygiene? If you haven’t, your dog’s teeth could sustain serious damage.
Your dog’s teeth may end up covered in plaque because you don’t brush them regularly. Bacteria may start to take up residence in your dog’s mouth as the plaque pushes their teeth away from their gums. Resulting infections and other issues from the presence of the bacteria can lead to your dog developing their foul breath.
Weak teeth and gums are also more susceptible to damage. Once they’re damaged, they may start to bleed. The blood pooling in your dog’s mouth could be responsible for the foul, metallic odor.
What to Do if My Dog’s Breath Smells Like Metal?
Your dog having metallic-smelling breath is unpleasant, but that’s not the main reason why you should look to get rid of it. The real reason why you must take action is because that foul breath is likely a symptom of a more serious health issue that your pet is currently dealing with.
What can you do if your dog has that kind of bad breath? Let us detail your options.
Go to the Veterinarian
Metallic-smelling breath in dogs can be linked to impacted anal glands, kidney problems, and internal bleeding. Those are all very serious health emergencies. You must address them right away or else your pet’s condition could deteriorate further.
Schedule a visit to the veterinarian as you can. If your dog is already visibly struggling, you should go in for an emergency visit.
Treating those conditions in time could determine whether or not your pet will survive. Don’t hesitate to go to the veterinarian if you are facing those kinds of issues.
Change Your Dog’s Diet
Hopefully, you were able to get your dog treated before their condition became life-threatening. Still, you cannot let your guard down even if your pet is doing fine now. If you don’t change anything, your dog could end up having the same issues again.
The food your dog was regularly eating could have contributed to their metallic-smelling breath and their other health issues. Ask your veterinarian about new food options for your pet and try those out.
Clean Your Dog’s Teeth Regularly
Don’t forget to clean your dog’s teeth regularly once they are feeling better.
You can ask your veterinarian for pointers about cleaning your pet’s teeth. Ask them what products will work best for maintaining your dog’s dental health. While you’re at it, ask how you should approach the cleaning process if you’ve never done it before.