health · 6 min read

why your dog's breath smells bad.

Q: Why does my dog have bad breath?

The most common cause of bad breath in dogs is periodontal disease, bacteria and plaque building up on the teeth and gums. Persistent bad breath can also come from broken or infected teeth, or from systemic conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes. Occasional mild dog-breath is normal; a constant strong smell is not.

Q: Is bad breath in dogs a sign of illness?

It can be. Most often it signals dental disease, which is itself an infection worth treating. But specific odors can point elsewhere: a sweet or fruity smell can indicate diabetes, and a urine or ammonia smell can indicate kidney disease. Sudden or severe bad breath should be checked by a vet.

Q: How do I get rid of my dog's bad breath?

Treat the cause. For everyday prevention: brush the teeth, offer a daily dental chew, use a VOHC-accepted water additive, and keep regular vet checkups. Home care reduces mild odor but can't remove hardened tartar below the gumline, that needs a professional cleaning.

Q: Is it normal for dogs to have bad breath?

Mild, occasional dog-breath is normal. Persistent, strong, or worsening bad breath is not, it's the earliest and most noticeable sign of periodontal disease, which affects more than 80% of dogs by age three. Don't write a constant bad smell off as just 'dog breath.'

Q: Can dental chews help with dog bad breath?

Yes, as daily prevention. A firm chew mechanically scrapes soft plaque off the teeth before it hardens into tartar, which is where the smell starts. Chews support the routine between professional cleanings, they don't replace brushing or a vet's cleaning of established tartar.

a little dog-breath is normal. a smell that clears the room usually isn't, and it's almost always starting at the teeth.

the navan team · sep 2026

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the short version

a little dog-breath is normal. a smell that clears the room usually isn't.
the most common cause by far is periodontal disease: plaque hardens to tartar, gums inflame, bacteria smell.
more than 80% of dogs show signs by age three, and small dogs get hit hardest.
some odors point elsewhere: sweet or fruity can mean diabetes, urine or ammonia can mean kidney disease. see a vet.
home care (a daily chew, brushing, a VOHC additive) controls plaque before it sets, but only a vet cleaning lifts hardened tartar.

why does my dog have bad breath?the most common cause of bad breath in dogs is periodontal disease, bacteria and plaque building up on the teeth and gums. persistent bad breath can also come from broken or infected teeth, or from systemic conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes. occasional mild dog-breath is normal; a constant strong smell is not.

the usual suspect: periodontal disease

most bad breath starts in the mouth, and follows a predictable cycle.

the uc davis school of veterinary medicine points to one source: the bacteria in the biofilms coating the teeth, tongue, and gums. from there the cycle is predictable. bacteria form soft plaque, plaque hardens into tartar, tartar inflames the gums (gingivitis), and untreated gingivitis becomes periodontal disease, where the infection moves below the gumline and destroys the structures that hold teeth in place.

bad breath shows up as plaque hardens into tartar. catch it at the plaque stage, before it sets.

80%

of dogs show signs of periodontal disease by age three (AVDC)

5×

extra-small breeds are up to five times more likely to be diagnosed than large ones (The Veterinary Journal)

small jaws crowd the teeth and trap plaque, so if your dog is small, bad breath is a signal to take seriously, and early.

when bad breath means something more

most bad breath is dental. now and then the kind of smell points elsewhere, and that deserves a vet visit, not a mint.

what your dog's breath might be telling you
the smell	what it can mean	what to do
rotten / foul, ongoing	plaque, tartar & periodontal disease	dental care + vet checkup
fishy	anal glands or dental disease	see the fish-breath guide
sweet / fruity	possible diabetes	see a vet promptly
urine / ammonia	possible kidney disease	see a vet promptly

none of this is a diagnosis. it's a reason to book an exam. broken or infected teeth, oral inflammation, and, rarely, oral tumors can all drive a strong smell too.

what you can do at home

home care controls plaque before it hardens. it can't lift tartar that's already cemented below the gumline, that part needs a professional cleaning.

a daily dental chew. a firm chew scrapes soft plaque off the teeth mechanically, before it mineralizes into the tartar that smells. the lowest-effort daily habit that actually does something.
brushing. the gold standard, if your dog tolerates it. even a few times a week helps.
a water additive. look for the VOHC seal, and treat it as a helper, not a fix.
regular vet checkups & cleanings. the only way to deal with tartar that's already there.

A small dog happily chews a natural single-ingredient rabbit-ear chew on soft linen — the daily chew is the easiest habit to keep up.

bad breath isn't a personality trait. it's the first thing your dog's mouth tells you.

of everything on that list, a chew is the easiest to keep up. navan makes single-ingredient dental chews for small dogs: one part, slow-dehydrated, nothing added, built to be the daily mechanical habit that keeps plaque from becoming the tartar that smells. it supports the routine between your vet cleanings; it doesn't replace them.

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the navan take

here is the fact we'd underline: plaque stays soft for roughly 24 to 72 hours, then it mineralizes and nothing you do at the kitchen table touches it again. that one number decides everything about dental care at home. it means a thorough brushing on sunday is worth less than something ordinary done every day, and it's why we sell a daily chew instead of a weekly treatment. the smell is just the part of that process you happen to notice.

frequently asked

why does my dog have bad breath?

the most common cause of bad breath in dogs is periodontal disease, bacteria and plaque building up on the teeth and gums. persistent bad breath can also come from broken or infected teeth, or from systemic conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes. occasional mild dog-breath is normal; a constant strong smell is not.

is bad breath in dogs a sign of illness?

it can be. most often it signals dental disease, which is itself an infection worth treating. but specific odors can point elsewhere: a sweet or fruity smell can indicate diabetes, and a urine or ammonia smell can indicate kidney disease. sudden or severe bad breath should be checked by a vet.

how do i get rid of my dog's bad breath?

treat the cause. for everyday prevention: brush the teeth, offer a daily dental chew, use a VOHC-accepted water additive, and keep regular vet checkups. home care reduces mild odor but can't remove hardened tartar below the gumline, that needs a professional cleaning.

is it normal for dogs to have bad breath?

mild, occasional dog-breath is normal. persistent, strong, or worsening bad breath is not, it's the earliest and most noticeable sign of periodontal disease, which affects more than 80% of dogs by age three. don't write a constant bad smell off as just 'dog breath.'

can dental chews help with dog bad breath?

yes, as daily prevention. a firm chew mechanically scrapes soft plaque off the teeth before it hardens into tartar, which is where the smell starts. chews support the routine between professional cleanings, they don't replace brushing or a vet's cleaning of established tartar.

not sure where to start?

build your dog's dental protocol in 60 seconds.

answer a few quick questions and we'll match the single-ingredient chews that fit your dog's size, mouth, and needs.

take the dental quiz →

sources: UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, halitosis in dogs; VCA Animal Hospitals, halitosis causes; American Veterinary Dental College & AVMA, periodontal disease in >80% of dogs by age 3; The Veterinary Journal / Mars Petcare, extra-small breeds up to 5× periodontal risk; Veterinary Oral Health Council, accepted dental products.

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