What to Do If Your Dog Smells Bad

 

What To Do If Your Dog Smells Bad

Of course, you love your dog, but there are times when it is hard to be around her. It’s hard to love the way she smells at times. Sometimes she smells like dead fish at other times she smells like she rolled herself in goose poop. Maybe she smells awful for another reason. Will the best smelling dog shampoo fix the problem?

Well maybe it will and maybe it won’t. It all depends on the reason why your dog smells. There are some reasons that a shampoo, no matter how good, will not fix. What are the reasons your dog smells bad and what can you do about it?

Reasons your Dog Smells Bad

So what causes these bad smells from your dog? There are a variety of reasons.

• Illness or disease
• Ear infection
• After bath or swim
• Skin infection
• Bad Breath
• Gas/Anal Glands
• Diet
• Lack of Grooming

What to do about it if your dog’s smell is related to any of the above reasons? Let’s take a look.

Illness or Disease

There are some medical conditions that can cause your dog to have a bad smell. Some of them are related to the skin, others are related to serious internal issues. We are talking about more than an infection. Some of the medical conditions that can cause an odor include:

Skin conditions

Mange: there are a couple of types of mange that dogs contract. Mange is an inflammatory disease that can be sarcoptic or demodectic. The disease itself used to be fatal and is not so much these days, but it is critical to address it as soon as you can. Both types of mange are caused by mites too small to be seen with the human eye.

Sarcoptic mange causes an agonizing itching for the dog. This itching can cause lesions that can become infected. This results in a really bad odor and the possibility for hair loss that is permanent and potential scarring. Not only does this form of mange cause a terrible stink, but it can also still be fatal if septic shock results.

Demodectic mange can also cause an awful odor but it is the less serious variety and usually causes only one or two places where there is hair loss. It is still an itchy condition and you have to keep your dog from scratching. It is the infection that causes intense odor.

Both forms of mange will require regular bathing with a good medical dog shampoo.

Kidney, Bladder, Diabetes

All of these conditions can cause bad breath and some can cause skin odors. Check with your veterinarian.

Ear Infection

This is a major cause of dog odor if your dog has long or floppy ears. They can get a yeast infection or bacterial ear infections. The bacterial infection smells much worse than the yeast infection. If your dog has allergies, she will be more prone to ear infections. Keep your dog’s ears clean and dry. The worst-case scenario with ear odor is the possibility of cancer in the ear canal.

Wet Dog Syndrome

This can cause a really bad odor and it can happen after your dog takes a swim, goes in a muddy or dirty body of water, or believe it or not – has a bath. How can your dog smell bad because he had a bath? There are microorganisms – bacteria or yeast –that live in your dog’s coat. When the coat is dry there’s no odor, but when water hits it, the smelly compounds are released and you get “wet dog syndrome”.

You can use waterless shampoos can be used with these dogs. A small amount of cornstarch or power can also be used. However, it needs to be a small amount.

Skin Infection

Dogs with wrinkles and/or folds can contract skin conditions that smell pretty bad. Before this happens make sure you check skin folds or wrinkles on a daily basis and dry or clean them as needed. Shar Pei, Pekingese, Bull Dogs, Spaniels, Blood Hounds, and Pug are just some of the breeds that are susceptible to this.

Any dog can get a skin infection from a cut, long term dampness or allergies. This will smell as well. There are medications and dog shampoos to deal with this.

Bad Breath

Your dog’s breath can be one of the largest reasons for an obnoxious odor. There can be many reasons as well for this bad breath. It can be dental or it can be medical. Usually, it is from periodontal or gum disease. In a few cases it can be even more serious – a tumor or kidney disease. So check with your vet.

The build-up of tartar or plaque on the teeth can also cause bad breath, so make sure you have good dental hygiene habits with your dog. Your vet can clean your dog’s teeth and you can use tartar and plaque buildup with dental chews.

Gas/Anal Glands

If your dog passes gas, it can be an awful smell, but it will not last too long. You will want to know why it is happening though to be sure there is not a serious gastrointestinal issue.

Dogs who need their anal glands expressed can have a bad odor until they are. Aks your veterinarian.

Diet

Your dog’s diet could be the cause of either bad breath or gas. Food allergies cause inflammation which causes oil gland secretions that can smell bad. Processed foods and high carbohydrates can cause yeast infections and odor. Ask your vet for recommendations on a change of food. Feed high-quality food, perhaps without grain.

Lack of Grooming

Regular grooming, brushing and bathing – especially if and when your dog chooses to roll in something stinky – will keep the doggy smell down if it is not a health issue. Unless you have a breed that should not be bathed much, you should bath your dog at least once a month. Dogs with long coats and double coats may need a bath with a good dog shampoo more often than that.

Comb or brush your dog regularly. Dead skin cells and dead fur can cause odors.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why your dog might smell and there are just as many ways to fix it. Start with one of the best smelling dog shampoos. If that doesn’t work, check these other reasons.