Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. This dog is seriously unwell and requires a full assessment and treatment by a vet as soon as possible. The weakness and circling is a major concern; he may have a neurological condition or an abscess in or around his ear/skull causing the pain. He requires pain medication and a treatment plan for all underlying conditions urgently
How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :
Dogs with liver failure often have breath that smells like a dead animal. Some of the symptoms that are present in liver disease include: Vomiting. Diarrhea.
The most common causes of bad breath in dogs are bad oral hygiene and periodontal disease. Just like in humans, the build-up of plaque and tartar can lead to the development of the bacteria that cause bad breath.
Lethargy and reduced tolerance for exercise are the early signs of congestive heart failure in dogs. As the condition worsens, other symptoms develop, including loss of appetite, coughing, and rapid breathing. Treatment depends on how far along the condition is.
Fetor hepaticus occurs when your breath has a strong, musty smell. It`s a sign that your liver is having trouble doing its job of filtering out toxic substances, usually due to severe liver disease. As a result, sulfur substances end up in your bloodstream and can make their way to your lungs.
Substances that cause fetor hepaticus
Trimethylamine is also increased in many patients with cirrhosis and may contribute to the odor of the breath.
In general, gradual onset limps in dogs are caused by an underlying, chronic or degenerative condition, such as osteoarthritis or dysplasia. Sudden onset limps, on the other hand, are usually caused by an injury or trauma. Just because your dog has a gradual limp does not mean you should put off making an appointment.
The clinical signs of more advanced kidney failure include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and very bad breath. Occasionally, ulcers will be found in the mouth.
Give Your Dog Yogurt or speak with your vet about Probiotic Supplements. Some research has shown that the good, active bacteria found in yogurt and probiotics can help with stinky breath by killing odor-causing bacteria found in the mouth. Good bacteria can also help with digestive and other health issues!
Some of the signs of parvovirus include lethargy; loss of appetite; abdominal pain and bloating; fever or low body temperature (hypothermia); vomiting; and severe, often bloody, diarrhea. Persistent vomiting and diarrhea can cause rapid dehydration, and damage to the intestines and immune system can cause septic shock.
If your kidneys are not functioning properly, the toxins your body would typically expel instead build up in your system and those toxins cause your breath to smell. It is often called ammonia breath. The buildup of waste in the blood, uremia, can lead to halitosis.
yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice) vomiting blood. itchy skin. dark pee and tarry-looking poo.
Smelling of the breath is common after having certain food or in the morning, but with people suffering from fatty liver conditions, it remains throughout the day. The breath may have a distinct sulfur and musty smell throughout the day. It is an obvious sign of fatty liver disease and should not be ignored.
Potential causes of less sudden lameness in dogs include osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, inflammation of the bones, ligament disease and infections, all of which require veterinary attention.
Degenerative myelopathy (DM), also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy (CDRM), is a disease affecting the spinal cord, resulting in slowly progressive hind limb weakness and paralysis. The symptoms result from degeneration of the white matter of the spinal cord.
This is another question to ask yourself before knowing when to let your dog go. Most often, weakness and inability to move freely are clear signs that the animal needs urgent medical help or has declined to the point that it`s time to consider euthanasia or putting your dog to sleep.
Neuropathy is often mistaken for arthritis, however, both conditions can be present at the same time. Weakness in the hind legs is a common sign of neuropathies.
Severe Arthritis, Stage 4
During movement there will be significant lameness, and difficulty in rising from lying down or sitting. Range of motion will be limited and crepitus will be present, together with muscle atrophy. Radiography will reveal significant changes and signs of bone remodelling.
Dogs that have hip dysplasia will sit on the side with the affected leg extended to the side, instead of sitting square with both legs tucked under hips. Additionally, dogs with bad hips might also have trouble sitting normally and they usually just flop to the floor like they are very tired.
In hip dysplasia, the joint does not fit together snugly, causing instability. As a result, the joint will partially subluxate or move in and out of the socket. This may cause cartilage damage and severe arthritis in dogs as early as one year of age.
Kidney Disease
If your dog`s bad breath smells like feces or urine, it may be a sign that they have recently eaten poop (which is never fun for a dog parent) or a symptom of underlying kidney issues.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one possible cause of having an ammonia taste in your mouth, sometimes called “ammonia breath.” Some people describe ammonia breath as having a metallic taste, while others have reported that it smells similar to urine.
Excess carbohydrates and sugar → more tartar. More tartar → more bad bacteria, and bad breath. PLUS, the carbohydrates feed bacteria in the mouth that can nestle below the gumline (ew).
Are carrots safe for me to feed my dog?” While some of the vegetables we love are unsafe to feed our dogs, carrots are a perfectly safe and nutritious treat for your dog.
Oral tumors or advanced dental diseases that cause an influx of bacteria into the mouth can make the dog`s breath smell like garbage or sewers. It gives off an extremely foul odor. In extreme cases of negligence, these oral tumors may bleed and give off an unpleasant metallic odor due to blood iron content.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Q. Bad breath mouth hurts tired more back end strength lacking favoring to right side not as strong on that thigh small spots hair missing
ANSWER : A. This dog is seriously unwell and requires a full assessment and treatment by a vet as soon as possible. The weakness and circling is a major concern; he may have a neurological condition or an abscess in or around his ear/skull causing the pain. He requires pain medication and a treatment plan for all underlying conditions urgently
Read Full Q/A … : Dog Diseases and Symptoms: A to Z
Q. Russian blue mix cat – usually velvet soft coat but hair on back hind qtrs. is thinning, remaining hair seems less velvety than normal
ANSWER : A. Changes in coat appearance can be caused by a number of things. In older cats, hair loss or changes in coat and skin confirmation may indicate a metabolic issue such as thyroid problems. Cats can begin to lose hair and may also show other changes such as weight changes or appetite changes. Blood work is usually done to check for this, and most pets do very well with a daily medication treatment.
Hair loss can also be caused by mites on the skin, external parasites or even skin and fungal infections. These may cause red bumps or sores to appear on the skin in addition to the hair loss and coat changes. Your vet can take a skin scraping of the area to check for mites and infections, and a preventive flea treatment can remove any external parasites. If an infection or mites are present, your vet can also prescribe an antibiotic or topical cream to treat.
After any treatment it may take a month or two for completely bald patches to grow back in. This is normal as the skin and follicles need some time to heal prior to beginning the hair growth cycle again.
Read Full Q/A … : Black's Veterinary Dictionary – pt.scribd.com
Q. Do not know about his teeth but his breath is bad
ANSWER : A. Small dogs often develop tartar on their teeth, causing bad breath and inflammation of the gums. Your dog needs to have an exam with your vet to determine the cause of the bad breath. If it is indeed bad teeth/dental disease, he will also need bloodwork to determine his ability to handle anesthesia. If his bloodwork is good, he should have a dental cleaning and possibly extractions. Leaving his teeth as they are means that the inflammation and infection causing the bad smell will continue, and the bacteria in his mouth has a direct route to infect heart valves, a condition called vegetative endocarditis. Most dogs recover quickly and do great after a dental and extractions and live longer, healthier lives as a result.
Read Full Q/A … : Signs of Dental Disease in Dogs, and What to Do – Petful
Q. My dog has just developed a terrible breath order what causes this and what can I do about it.
ANSWER : A. The most common reason of bad breath in cats are dental problems. You should take your cat to your vet for mouth examination and possibly teeth cleaning. If his/her mouth looks fine your vet will be looking for other causes of bad breath like infections or stomach problems.
Read Full Q/A … : Bad Breath in Dogs: Causes and Cures – WebMD
Q. I have a border Terrier that I show and someone pulled his mustache hair out two years ago. Do you know of anything I can use to get the hair to grow
ANSWER : A. These hair grown in similar way to other dog’s hair. It takes long time to grow back as they are very long but they should be back as they used to be eventually.
Read Full Q/A … : Yorkie Head Hair DOs and DON'Ts
Q. My cat is lossing a lot of hair she is 13 yrs old and been to the vet twice and had antibiotic and the next time steroid and advantage plus . I’m at
ANSWER : A. There are many possible causes of hair losss as I’m sure your veterinarian has explained to you. At 13 years old, your cat is in the right age-range for diseases of the thyroid gland to develop. Itchiness and hair loss can sometimes be a symptom of thyroid disorders. It may be necessary to have a full senior blood work up to check the thyroid levels and overall health of your senior cat. Other causes of hair loss include allergies to fleas and contact dermatitis (allergic to some chemical in the enviroment such as scented cat litter, air freshners, laundry products, floor cleaners, etc). Hair loss is a symptom of a larger problem and can be frustrating to treat. Try to get to the underlying cause.
Read Full Q/A … : My dog's skin is turning black. This started on the tip of …
Q. Dachshund has symetrical hair loss since aged 6 mth now 1 treated for mange had testicle removed from abdo still no better what’s next best step ?
ANSWER : A. Has hormonal disease like hypothyroidism been ruled out? That is a hormonal disease that is common causes of symmetrical hair loss, and it can be genetic, so you would see it in a dog that’s very young like yours. I agree that treating for mange was also a good idea, since that can cause hair loss as well and sometimes we can’ actually find the mites on a skin scraping.
Was a biopsy performed on the testicle? Because intra-abdominal testicles frequently turn into Sertoli cell tumors, which also cause symmetrical hair loss. If a biopsy was performed you should know for sure whether that was the cause of the hair loss or not. If the testicle wasn’t cancerous and removing it did not resolve the hair loss then the next step is a skin biopsy, unfortunately. Sounds frustrating – good luck.
Read Full Q/A … : My dog's skin is turning black. This started on the tip of …
Q. My puppy has a bald spot were it looks like his harness rub some of his hair away will the hair come back. Is there any thing I can do
ANSWER : A. As it’s a puppy hopefully the hair should grow back without a problem when the adult comes through. Don’t use the harness unless absolutely necessary.
Read Full Q/A … : My dog has a bald patch? – Questions & Answers
