Few
things are guaranteed to brighten my day more than a huge furry cuddle with my
dogs, and I admit that I love that fresh, clean dog smell. But if your canine
pal smells far from fresh, the last thing you want is a display of pet
affection, so what do you do when your dog (to put it politely) stinks? Bad
odor can be a symptom of many different conditions, and determining the cause
is key to finding a cure.
One of
the simplest, and often overlooked, causes of a smelly dog is their curious
nature. Has Buddy been rolling in something you’d rather not think about?
Perhaps that dead squirrel in the garden? Or has a skunk been on the defensive?
Luckily, as foul as these may smell, they are easily treated by a good bath and
no medical intervention is needed. A tomato juice bath is widely reputed to
remove skunk smell.
Other
smells may be signs of an infection. For example:
- Bad breath may indicate gum disease or dental
decay, or a more serious condition such as diabetes or kidney problems. - Stinky ears can be a sign of mites,
allergies, or some other chronic infection. - Smelly skin may be the result of a bacterial
(pyoderma) or fungal (dermatitis) infection. Bacterial infections,
sometimes accompanied by hair loss and pimples, are usually easily
treated. Bubbles’n’Beads
, a shampoo and conditioner, contains antibacterial tea tree and
lavender oils to remove the odor and replace it with something more
nose-friendly. - Yeast infections, on the other hand, may be caused
by allergies or a reaction to steroids or antibiotics. Finding the
underlying cause is an essential part of treating the infection.
Then of course, there are those
smells that are released from your dog’s other end.
- There is little mistaking the strong smell caused
by blocked anal glands but a vet can show you how to safely empty them. - Flatulence can also cause problems. Some gas may
be normal but frequently occurring emissions can be caused by food
allergies, in which case a change of diet will help. Some Dog Smog
Remedy , a breath freshener and digestive solution added to your pet’s
drinking water can aid bad breath or gas by neutralizing digestive
enzymes.
Once the source of the odor has
been found, you can work on getting rid of it. In the case of infection or
allergy, it may take some time for treatment to work or a change of diet to
take effect, but there are still steps you can take to help reduce the bad
smell in the meantime. Dry Dog Instant Clean , a spray on bath
replacement or dry shampoo, offers an alternative to frequent
washing, and Fur Breeze can be used to help remove smells or whenever
your dog wants to smell a little fancy.
Sometimes just giving your dog
a bath does the trick. If you didn’t take a bath for 3 months you might be
smelly too! There are lots of opinions on how often you should bathe your
dog but if you’re like me, I sleep with my dog, so I prefer to wash my dogs
weekly. Many people shy away from it for fear of drying out their dog’s coat.
But there are many high quality dog shampoos available that will not dry out
the coat so it’s probably worth the wash to avoid the unbearable doggie smell!
Serious dog odor shouldn’t be
ignored (and most of us can’t ignore it for long), but once the underlying
cause has been discovered, there are plenty of treatments and products
available to ensure that you are soon enjoying cuddles with your pet again.
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