• Dog breath should not be unpleasant.chocolate lab dog nose image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com
  
  A strong or unpleasant odor from your dog's mouth is a sign that something may be amiss. Like humans, dogs can develop bad breath due to a number of medical causes, and if left untreated, the results can be have lasting negative effects. Learning about the causes of bad breath in dogs is an important step when you want to cure this condition.
  
  

Poor Dental Care

• Dogs need their teeth brushed just like people do, and when they do not get proper dental treatment, pieces of food and debris can get stuck in their teeth and rot. Dental care includes brushing the dog's teeth, offering it hard kibble or a chew toy that will dislodge food matter and taking it to the veterinarian for a yearly examination.
  
  

Gum Disease

• Gum disease, also known as gingivitis, results from bad dental hygiene, where the soft plaque that builds up on the teeth hardens into tartar. The tartar irritates the gums and can even rot the teeth. Gum disease causes bad dog breath by causing an infection in the gums. Signs of gingivitis include gums that are red and swollen and a yellowish brown build up in the teeth.
  
  

Illness

• Some of the illnesses that can cause bad dog breath include kidney disease, gastrointestinal disorders or stomach cancer. Diabetes or a liver problem can also result in dog breath. These diseases can cause infection or bacterial decay inside the dog's stomach, and the malodorous gas escapes through the mouth
  
  

Foreign Objects

• When foreign objects become lodged in the dog's teeth, they can be held in close proximity to the gums, which in turn irritates the skin. A skin infection can result from the irritation, and the bacteria from a skin infection produces an unpleasant odor. Dogs with long or curly hair may get their fur caught in their teeth, and because the fur is rotting, this can produce a foul odor.