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lostisland · Adult Chi

HELP!!! Hurley has poopy breath?

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

lostisland wrote:

OK, I know this is gross but Hurley has the worst breath! It smells like he has been eating his poo but I pick it up as soon as it comes out:) It bugs me when he steps in it... I thought it might be because he was on soft food when I got him but he is now on dry and it is still there...ICK!!! I love to get kisses from him but YIKES! He is eating the same thing as Nadia and her breath is fine? Anyone have any ideas?

Well, I'd keep a REALLY close eye on him for a day and see if he is snatching Nadia's poop if he's not eating his own. If you are 110% sure he hasn't eaten any and his breath still smells that bad, I'd take him in and have his teeth looked at. I'm betting he's gotten into poo though. You don't have cats do you? They will happily eat kitty crunch out of the cat box too.

lostisland · Adult Chi

He and Nadia are in seperate exercise pens and the only time they are together is when I am there to supervise. She is a maniac and I'm afraid he will hurt her:) I keep him in his pen or with me 24/7 so I know he isnt getting the cat cookies...Litterbox is upstairs and the only dog that sneaks up is Nadia. Little stinker loves to sneak a bit of kitty food whenever she can!

Hopefully he is taking a nibble of his own whenever I am not watching and that is all it is:)

bluebrookchis · Senior Chi

Oh wow, this one I am unsure. I know I have some older ones I have to watch will try to eat there poops. Ewwww lol, Maybe he just has bad breath like some people do lol. Wonder if certain foods can effect them in certain way?

Radar_Love · Moderator

Radar has HORRIBLE breath also. He had it when we bought him and he still has it two years later. But, I think Radar's bad breath comes from his teeth. They are pretty brown close to the gums. The people that we bought him from wasnt to keen on their dogs' upkeep. I don't really have any advice, but I'm sure someone here can help you out.

Island_Girl · Senior Chi

Mine have had bad breath before too. Merrie gets it often....but it is almost always from eating brown cheezies bleh

, but while she was teething, it was hard to tell which end of the dog I was sniffing it was so bad! My moms chi was like that too when she was teething....both had retained baby teeth, and I guess food gets inbetween and smells bad. But I think I remember reading that your little guy is really young still, so I would assume it isn't from teething?

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Okay I am not an expert but my dogs seem to have bad breath too.It seems to stem from their dog food. I have even taken them to the vet for it. All 3 of the chis I have had at one time or the other. It seems when they are not digesting well it is worse or when they have gas.Right now Abby and Roxie are both dragon breath ladies.But Roxie has an upset tummy. The Eukanuba I feed gives mine stinky breath too from the ingredients but it is such a good puppy food. Also when their anal glands need emptying and they lick back there that can cause stinky breath too. But if Nadia is eating the same food and her breath is ok maybe its not the food. I just face it.. my babies have bad breath and we have even tried the doggie breath mints..lol Since he is a pup I might be a little more concerned though and keep a close watch.

bluebrookchis · Senior Chi

Hmm, if Hurley is eating any of the example puppy food it was Eukanuba?? But maybe its getting in his teeth. That was good info. There was a few reasons there, Thanks!!!

lostisland · Adult Chi

Thanks guys:) He was on soft food when I got him but I have switched him to Science Diet and I give him Nutrical every night, which he hates..? I wonder if its not the anal gland thing already, ICK... His poops are a little hard and he scoots more than Nadia ever has. What do you think? Does the Nutrical seem to constipate?

I'm so glad I have you guys to ask these questions, how embarrassing....I feel like I have babies again talking about poops, privates and food:)

On another subject if you dont mind...Nadia is about 4 1/2 months and I have been free feeding her from day because I was afraid of they HYPO - G!!! She will down about 1 1/2 cups of dry puppy food before 1:00 every day and she is starting to look like a beast...Is that normal? I give her a little Nutrical each night too...

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

If he is scooting that is a sign that he needs his anal glands emptied. At Nadia's age I don't think she needs the nutrical.It is just putting weight on her. If he is eating really well he probably does not need the nutrical either unless your vet has recommended it. If he does not eat then give him a little. Nadia is eating a good bit it sounds like to me. How much does she weigh ? Mine do good to eat 1/2 cup a day of dried. A cup would be a great amount for them. I free feed also but if Nadia is eating that much you may have to fed her portions 3 times a day. Divide what she is suppose to have into how many times a day you want to feed her. Then watch her weight to make sure she is doing okay with that amount. You want her healthy but not tooo fat.

lostisland · Adult Chi

Thanks NanaBecky:)

The anal gland thing makes a lot of sense. Would he already have problems with that at 9 weeks? He is eating fine now so I will take them both off the Nutrical and I'll try feeding Nadia 3 small meals a day and see how that works. She is a pig! But she is getting meaty so I know she is not going to starve:) Thank you so much... Hurley sees the vet again in a week should I wait till then or take him in before that for the anal glands?

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Yes he can already have that problem. Is he scooting a lot ? If it really seems to be bothering him I would drop by and one of the vet techs can do it for you without the vet having to see him even. Mine charges $8.00 to do it. Then I got some latex gloves and learned to do it myself when I got Roxie as a puppy. The puppies are easier to do. If you are brave you can give it a try yourself. There are websites that show you how to do it if you want to give it a try. But..the stuff you express does stink. Abbys is thick and whew bad. Roxies not so thick and smelly bad. I usually bathe mine after I do it. Wish I could help you more. Just give your vet a call and see what they think about waiting is what I would do. I would hate to steer you wrong on the waiting thing.

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

Scooting at nine weeks, I'd guess worms before anything else. Take a stool sample in to the vet when you go. Or drop a sample off and have it checked before your appointment if you want to know quickly.

bluebrookchis · Senior Chi

Hmm, that is weird, he was vet checked twice already and clear of worms. Maybe could be anal gland? I never knew they could even have it that early but better safe then sorry. I would call and see what they say also.

lostisland · Adult Chi

I just had him to the vet and they checked too and he was clear so I dont think it was worms.

He doesnt scoot a lot at all just after doing his business so if it is his anal glands I dont think they are bad. I will keep an eye on him and look it up on the internet to see how to do it myself also.

My daughter had a guinea pig rescue and I learned all kinds of stuff about their privates online! They get compactions because they drag their bottoms so I had to manually extract the feces on 3 of the males...Talk about a lovely smell:) I also became quite the expert on sexing them thanks to the a couple of very good sites!

So if Hurley has to have them emptied I can probably figure it out eventually...

bluebrookchis · Senior Chi

Yeah you can do it. I bet he is fine. I think somethimes they do that after potty. Gets it of there potty, and if his poop is pretty hard maybe hurts a tad??

lostisland · Adult Chi

Thats what I'm thinking? He licks himself after doing the "poo", like you said because it is a little hard and maybe hurts a bit.

Thank you so much everyone!!! I'll let you know if he gets minty fresh breath once I figure this out:)

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

How's Hurley doing now ??? Becky

lostisland · Adult Chi

HEY!!! Thanks for checking:) He is actually doing better, I have been paying more attention to the scooting and licking and it only happens after he poops, and even then not every time. I'm not too worried about his glands but I will still probably ask the vet when we see him just in case.

My mom has a shitzu that actually got really swollen because he was so constipated when we put him on solid food. He had to have a corizone shot and it took a few days to heal but he is fine now. Taking care of him has caused me to be overly cautious with hard poo:)

Hurlys havent been that hard but you can tell it bothers him to go potty so I think that is what is causing him to lick himself, which is causing the poopy breath!

He sees the vet in a little over a week so I'll post again after we get back:) Thank you for thinking of us:)

bluebrookchis · Senior Chi

Yeah he sounds fine. Can't wait for new pictures lol

lostisland · Adult Chi

HEY BLUEBROOK:)

I know, you would think I would have a digital camera, huh?LOL...My daughter has pix of him on her camera, maybe I can get her to download them tomorrow and I will send them to you and post them here...

lil luvs · Senior Chi

you might also want to give him more water - try to increase what he's taking in. Too little water can cause constipation and hard poopies (boy what a wonderful conversation LOL). And i agree - if he's eating well there's no need for nutrical - the major component in most of them is corn syrup (or a corn syrup base) and that tends to cause constipation.
You can always just try some water in his food to increase it

My cj had extremely stinky breath - turns out he had retained baby teeth that were getting food stuck in between them and causing bacterial buildup which can cause a horrible stench

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Sue, that is right, A little water on the dried food does help with the liquid intake and the hard poops. While it might not be the most wonderful or funniest conversation it can worry the pooh out of you when one has that end with a problem. I was just worried when Lost I first posted that it was the anal gland and I know if they go too long that they can get infected and rupture in older dogs. But since hers is a pups it should be fine. Might need a little gentle squeeze. We started doing Roxies at about 8 weeks I think and I just always do it at least once a once a month or more if I see them doing the boot scoot boogie. Abbys has always been worse. Cash never had a problem with his at all. Once every 6 months and he was fine. Seems these girls need it more. Anyway I am glad Hurley is okay. Sounds like you have going your way now. Goodnight for now.

lostisland · Adult Chi

Thank you everyone! You are all so nice to help Hurley with his "little problem":) I honestly had been racking my brain to figure it out and come to the end of my rope until Nana Becky mentioned licking themselves! I cant believe I didnt think of it before, so thank you for all of your help, advice and patience with my babies poo:)
God bless, Tina

lil luvs · Senior Chi

Nana_Becky wrote:

I just always do it at least once a once a month or more if I see them doing the boot scoot boogie. Abbys has always been worse. Cash never had a problem with his at all. Once every 6 months and he was fine. Seems these girls need it more. Anyway I am glad Hurley is okay. Sounds like you have going your way now. Goodnight for now.

boot scoot boogie LOL - i love that "terminology" Becky. Thankfully, i've never had to do mine - now - if you want to talk about a stinky problem - come to my house with my 3 bigger dogs "butt burp" (as my son likes to call them LOL) problems LOL.