My Pet World: How to handle your dog or cat's bad breath
Dear Cathy,
We rescued our golden labs -- a 6-year-old brother and sister -- three months ago, and they are great fun, and just the best. However, they have horrible breath. Despite giving them a 'greenie' a day, it is still bad. We know and have kept other dogs and have never had complaints, like we have with Cookie and Clancy. We do not feed them junk food or food from the table. Our vet is stumped too. Do you have any ideas? -- Jo and Doug, Yorkville, IL
Dear Jo and Doug,
Bad breathe can be a sign of several diseases, from stomach problems to diabetes and kidney disease, but the main culprit is often poor oral hygiene. In fact, periodontal disease may be seen in dogs and cats as young as 3 years old.
Have Cookie and Clancy's teeth cleaned, and then brush their teeth a few times a week with a toothbrush and doggie toothpaste to reduce tartar and plaque build-up. There also are some great products like dental chews, breathe fresheners (sprays and treat bites), even some probiotics that can help maintain good oral hygiene. You can go old school and give them carrots, since it can help reduce plaque build-up, and add some chopped parsley to their food to freshen their breath.
Dear Cathy,
We're having a huge problem with our cat. We bought a new bed a few months ago, and she has peed on it five times. My poor husband washes the sheets and mattress covers, and we get the quilt cleaned. We had no choice but to keep her out of the room unless one of us is in bed. This has gone on for a couple of months. She was very unhappy, and so were we and our dog. We gave in, and that night she did it again. She has never peed on anything else. Any insight would help. -- Ellen, Mount Sinai, NY
Dear Ellen,
If you aren't extracting every molecule of urine out of the mattress, sheets, and quilt, your cat will return to the same spot to urinate -- no matter how much time has passed.
Purchase an enzymatic cleaner at the pet store or online to clean your mattress. An enzymatic cleaner "eats up" biologicals like urine and poop, thus eliminating any residual odors. These cleaners only work when wet, so you may need to wet the mattress and put a wet towel over the spot to activate. Repeat the process until the area is completely neutralized.
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