How to Clean a Puppy's Mouth After Eating Poop

Medium
5 - 10 Minutes
1 Day

Introduction

Sammy is a 16-week-old puppy who likes to take everything in her mouth. After all, it might taste good. One day on a walk Sammy comes across another dog's leavings, and while her human is distracted, Sammy has the poop in her mouth in a flash. Sammy’s human reacts in horror and she immediately drops the poop, startled and confused, as to why poop eating is not allowed! 

Now Sammy's human, who is rightly disgusted, needs to clean Sammy's mouth before letting her loose in the house where her children will soon be home from school. The children love Sammy, play with her constantly, and Sammy loves to show her affection by giving kisses. Sammy's human is not OK with her having a poopy mouth when she licks the kids!

Dog's Perspective

Dogs eat poop sometimes for various reasons. Where puppies are concerned, it may just be simple curiosity and investigation, trial and error, to see what tastes good. Whether it is another dog's poop, cow or horse poop, or the ever popular cat poop, you are going to want to clean your pup's mouth after they eat poop. Your puppy, on the other hand, may not be too cooperative. After all, they're not sure why you are reaching a wet funny tasting cloth into their mouth!

Did your dog not only eat poop but also roll in it? Book a Grooming service with a Pet Caregiver near you to get them nice and clean again!

The Quick Clean Method

Most Recommended
3 Votes
Step
1
Use cloth
Wet a face cloth or piece of gauze with salt water or coconut oil and wrap it around a finger. Hold your puppy and insert the cloth into the side of their mouth.
Step
2
Wipe mouth out
Wipe the gums, roof of the mouth, and tongue if puppy will hold still. Do not stick your finger too far into the mouth as you don't want to cause your puppy to gag.
Step
3
Use mouthwash
Use a doggy mouthwash, available commercially, added to water or wiped on a cloth in your puppy's mouth. Do not use people mouthwash.
Step
4
Give food and water
Give your dog water and food. Your pup will produce saliva when eating, which will naturally clean their mouth, and water will naturally rinse away germs and residue.
Step
5
Give dental chew
Give your dog a dental treat or stick to chew on. Saliva will naturally clean your puppy’s mouth and the dental treat will create friction to remove debris.
Recommend grooming method?

The Brush Teeth Method

Effective
1 Vote
Toothbrush
Step
1
Get an appropriate toothbrush
Use a doggy toothbrush if you have one available, as they are specially designed to get at all sides of your dog’s canine teeth. If you don't have one on hand, use a child's toothbrush.
Step
2
Use dog toothpaste
Apply doggy toothpaste to your brush. Do not use people toothpaste.
Step
3
Access teeth and gums
Lift your puppy's lip up and away from the teeth to expose the teeth and gums including the cheek flaps.
Step
4
Brush gently
Gently insert the toothbrush into the side of your puppy’s mouth and start to brush their teeth. If this is new to your puppy, you'll have to use patience and work slowly. Give your puppy treats and lots of pets as you go along to encourage them.
Step
5
Rinse
Wipe off excess toothpaste with a damp cloth wrapped on your finger.
Recommend grooming method?

Caution & Considerations

  • People mouthwash is not appropriate for dogs and can be toxic.
  • Do not gag your puppy by inserting your finger or a toothbrush too far into their mouth.
  • Use dog toothpaste, not people toothpaste, which can contain ingredients that are harmful to dogs.
  • If you get your puppy used to having their teeth brushed beforehand, it will be easier to use this method for cleaning their teeth when they get into something foul.

Conclusion

A puppy with a poopy mouth is pretty yucky to have running around your home, licking your children and mouthing, well, probably everything, since they are in the puppy stage. You will want to clean their mouth for your peace of mind. Brushing their teeth or wiping their mouth out with a cloth works well and will certainly make you feel better.

Keep in mind though that your dog's saliva is a natural cleaner that will break down germs and remove them from the mouth. Giving your puppy water, food, and chew toys or dental chews that make lots of saliva will go a long way towards disseminating germs. Remember, it's not uncommon for dogs to eat poop and your dog was designed with a self-cleaning system to handle that!

However, if your dog rolled in poop and needs a bath, book a Grooming service with a Pet Caregiver near you to get them smelling fresh again!

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

Grooming Questions & Answers

Question
Lily
chug
3 Years
0 found helpful
Question
0 found helpful
Lily
chug
3 Years

My pooch decided to climb in a bush and when I went to see what was happening she was eating fox poo. The runny kind. It was too late and I have OCD and part is to do with poo. Dog poo triggers me. So I am very funny about going near her mouth right now. It has been some hours will the poo still be in her mouth and the germs be around her mouth? She keeps trying to lick my hand and I keep having to yank my hand away because I don’t want her to spread the poop. I’ve already checked with people and she is fine in terms of the poo not affecting her. Thank you

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Question
Nala
Pit bull
1 Year
1 found helpful
Question
1 found helpful
Nala
Pit bull
1 Year

Earlier today my dog ate a piece of poop right after it came out her other end. After I saw she had ate the poop I gave her some water(no food though because i had just fed her before she ate the poop), and that was all. Will the water do an effective job at cleaning out her mouth, or will it do little to nothing. She also licked her snout right after she swallowed the poop, is this spreading it around her face, or is it just cleaning her face off

Darlene Stott
Darlene Stott
Dog Trainer and Groomer
0 Dog owners recommended

Hello, now is the perfect time to start introducing Nala to teeth brushing. Of course, you will encourage her not to eat the poop - and if she continues, take her to the vet. Eating poop consistently can be a sign of deficiency. In other cases, dogs grow out of the habit. Licking her snout is most likely cleaning her face. Take a look at this guide on brushing the teeth, a practice that will save you in dental bills as the years pass. Here you go:https://wagwalking.com/grooming/brush-a-stubborn-dogs-teeth and https://wagwalking.com/grooming/brush-a-dogs-teeth-with-toothpaste. NEVER use human toothpaste on a dog- it's toxic. Use a dog-safe product only, purchased from the vet or reputable pet supply store. Good luck!

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Question
Alfie
Cocker Spaniel mix Beagle
13 Weeks
2 found helpful
Question
2 found helpful
Alfie
Cocker Spaniel mix Beagle
13 Weeks

My dog ate poop and I don’t know how to clean his mouth. I am having trouble with Potty training, please give me some advice.

Darlene Stott
Darlene Stott
Dog Trainer and Groomer
0 Dog owners recommended

Thank you for the question. Alfie looks like a cute and clever guy, so don't worry he'll catch on to the potty training. This guide has excellent suggestions and some great information from a trainer at the bottom of the page. Take a look for helpful advice! https://wagwalking.com/training/go-potty As for cleaning Alfie's mouth, now is a good time to get him used to brushing his teeth. Use a dog-safe toothpaste (never human toothpaste as it can be toxic) and a small toothbrush to gently clean his teeth. Starting when he is young is a good idea! Here are instructions. https://wagwalking.com/grooming/brush-a-stubborn-dogs-teeth Good luck!

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