Kitten has bad breath: causes, possible diseases and advice from veterinarians

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The basis of a cat's diet is raw meat and fish. Contrary to popular belief, milk, and even more so soup, categorically does not suit her. Of course, with such a diet, it is difficult to expect something more refined. But putrid notes, with hints of acetone or ammonia, should alert. And if the smell from the mouth makes the kitten recoil, then you should immediately contact the veterinarian.

What could be the reason for this

In fact, in young cats and especially kittens, such problems are not very common. But that doesn't make it any less serious. The smell from the mouth of a kitten can sometimes baffle even a veterinarian:

1. The most common are problems with the teeth and oral cavity. Most often they occur in young cats from the age of one year, but occur earlier.
2. Pathologies of functioning of internal organs.

Of course, this is the answer tothe question is only in general terms. Normally, the smell from the mouth is present, but it cannot be called disgusting. These are just physiological features. If the kitten's breath has become heavy, and plus you are seeing a decrease in appetite, then it's time to worry.

Change teeth

Baby teeth begin to fall out by 4 months. This is a difficult period, during which inflammatory processes often occur in the oral cavity. Visually, you can notice a red border around the teeth. The appearance of bad breath in a kitten between 4 and 8 months of age is normal and does not require treatment. Everything will pass by itself when the molars grow. Just wait, but for your peace of mind, you can wipe your mouth with soft tissues.

Veterinary assistance may be required if a tooth cannot erupt on its own. Another point is if the milk tooth has not yet fallen out, and the root is already growing from below.

Tatar

Usually this problem affects older animals. But today, dental ailments are only getting younger. With malocclusion, congenital (hereditary) defects, serious violations in feeding and other concomitant diseases, a stone can form at an early age.

At first glance, not so critical. But this is not just a cosmetic defect. Plaque and stone disrupt the nutrition of the tooth, cause inflammation, which leads to the development of microflora. Of course, such processes are accompanied by smell.

Trash can with a lock

If a kitten has bad breath, you need to analyze what he could eat in a day. Pets love to check the trash can. If you throw out something edible (spoiled cheese, sausage, s alted fish), you need to tie the bag and it is advisable to immediately take it to the trash. After such a snack, the pet will not only smell bad from the mouth, but it may also cause digestive problems. And acute poisoning is completely fraught with dehydration. If you do not take action in time, you will lose the baby.

Feeding

Bad breath in a kitten can be the result of poor nutrition. It is very important to feed your baby in a varied and correct way. It must be protein foods, vegetables. Greasy trimmings or broth can cause indigestion, and this leads to a variety of problems, including bad smell.

Ready dry food is another possible reason. This usually applies to those cases when the kitten is given cheap economy-class food. Try to get rid of them right away. If you want your pet to live happily ever after, then choose only super-premium specialized food.

Foreign bodies

We continue to analyze the causes of bad breath in a kitten. There are quite a lot of them, so the veterinarian has to conduct a thorough examination, take an anamnesis, and sometimes prescribe an additional examination to find out where the problem came from.

It is very important to carefully examine the mouthpet's cavity, no matter how he resists. Often, a foreign body remains in it, which gets stuck between the teeth, in the gums or palate, and pharynx. Most often these are chips, bones. Accordingly, this leads to inflammation, suppuration and an unpleasant odor.

Viral diseases

These are the problems that are most often relevant for unvaccinated animals. Want to keep your pet safe? Then just take a course of preventive vaccinations, and the problem will be solved. Kittens become infected with calicivirus or rhinotracheitis. These are two diseases that, among other things, damage the mucous membranes of the mouth. As a result, sores and ulcers appear in the kitten's mouth. There is increased salivation, bacteria multiply in the mouth, which is why the problem develops.

Pathologies of the salivary glands

Understanding why a kitten has bad breath, you need to carefully observe him during the day. How does he behave, how actively does he play and eat, is there excessive salivation? The mucous membranes of the oral cavity are constantly covered with saliva. It protects and moisturizes them. While chewing food, its production increases. But there are various diseases of the glands, in which it is produced a lot or, conversely, little.

With a lack of saliva, food will injure the tongue, pharynx and esophagus. As a result, they become inflamed. But constant salivation also does not lead to anything good. And only to the fact that the chin will be constantly wet. So, wait for the development of bacteria, skin damage and, as a result, not only the smell,but also lack of appetite.

Systemic diseases

Most often this is characteristic of adult animals, when insufficient or incorrect work of one organ leads to a deterioration in the functioning of another. And so, along the chain, the whole organism is already losing ground. Here you can not do without a serious examination, and you can identify not one reason, but several at once.

It is clear that any disease affects the body as a whole. But there are also those that lead to the appearance of a smell from the mouth. If the kitten was born with serious genetic defects, the owner may face this problem quite early.

In diseases of the kidneys, when their ability to remove decay products is impaired, you can clearly smell ammonia. With diabetes, diseases of the liver, stomach or intestines, the smell is very sharp and rather peculiar. Proper examination, diagnosis and treatment will correct the state of he alth. In this case, the symptom will cease to disturb. In the chronic course of the disease, relapses are possible.

Tumors

Neoplasms are not characteristic of a young age. But in veterinary practice, there are times when they cause bad breath. Most often, in this case, doctors are faced with a tumor of the tongue. With its growth, the tissues disintegrate, bleeding is observed. The animal can no longer eat normally, it remains only to be euthanized.

What to do?

Does the kitten have bad breath? So you need to takemeasures! Watch him. If he frolics and plays, eats and sleeps well, then most likely your worries are in vain. Any deviation immediately affects the behavior of the pet. Moreover, at a young age, the problem is often associated with a change of teeth.

It will not be superfluous to carefully examine the mouth, feel the chin. Are there any wet areas, diaper rash, bones stuck in the teeth. Everything is fine? We recall what the pet was fed, what he could get himself while you were at work. If the garbage and waste are safely hidden, the feed is of high quality, then we also reject these options.

It remains to go to the veterinarian. He will examine the animal and, perhaps, notice what was hidden from your eyes. Then it will be possible to find a solution to the problem.