Why does your dog have a bad smell even after a bath?

When we take great pride in our pet's cleanliness, it is very frustrating and often embarrassing to find that he/she may have a bad smell even after a bath.  A healthy dog should have a pleasant or at least mild and tolerable scent when bathed monthly.  If this is not enough and the scent seems very offensive and strong, then we need to find out why to help eliminate the problem.

First of all, a bad scent may indicate a health concern.  Not all of these conditions are easily picked up by an owner, so a trip to the vet's office will help.

The vet will examine the skin, since fungal infections, secondary bacterial infections, skin allergies and some hormonal problems cause the skin to emanate a scent.  Once the condition responsible is diagnosed, treated and eliminated the scent will be removed.

Ear infections also contribute to an overall smell.  At the vet's office, the ear canal will be examined and properly cleaned.  An appropriate ear drop will be chosen to treat any problem which is observed, such as a bacterial infection or the presence of ear mites.  Talk to your vet about ways to keep the ear canal clean in-between visits without damaging it.

 

Bad breath, if severe enough can create an all-round bad odour.  Soft foods usually contribute to this problem by encouraging plaque build up and gum disease.  Early on in a dog's life it is better to introduce dry foods such as chow, since plaque buildup will be much slower.  If soft foods are fed, consider buying chew toys that encourage cleaning of the teeth, brush the teeth with flouride-free toothpaste and/or if severe enough, schedule a teeth cleaning visit with your vet.

Once your pet is examined and the cause of the scent is not due to any of the above reasons, then there are a few more things to consider as a pet owner to help reduce that "doggy scent".  If a dog becomes very excited or stressed during a bath, he/she may release a fluid from anal sacs, located around the anus.  This fluid is extremely unpleasant to smell and some may get on the fur and linger on long after the bath.  To avoid this pay special attention to washing the back area, around the anus.

Some breeds of dogs have lots of folds in the skin.  These areas must be carefully cleaned, even in-between the folds themselves as dirt may remain and encourage smelly bacterial infections.

 

Some dogs have a very thick coat.  After bathing, they must be completely dried so that the damp fur smell does not remain.  Very thick, long-haired dogs may be trimmed to make this process easier.  Dogs may be brushed to encourage drying, they may be towel dried or a hair dryer may be used on a LOW setting so as not to burn or irritate the dog's skin.

 

Lastly, your dog's lifestyle will determine the right frequency of baths for him/her.  If your dog loves to hunt and get dirty in the outdoors with unpleasant-smelling things like garbage or small dead animals such as birds, then there may be a need to bathe him/her more often.  Inbetween baths, a damp cloth may be used to clean small areas that may get soiled while playing.

Now that we have a better idea of the things that may contribute to a dog's scent, let's work together to help our canine companions get rid of any unpleasant smells.  Good luck! :)

"Frog" Poisoning/Toad Poisoning

We commonly use the words "Frog Poisoning" but in fact the poisoning is caused by a toad.  Toads have rough skin with glands that secrete the poison.  Typically, dogs and cats are exposed to the poison when they bite or lick the toad out of curiosity and the toad secretes the venom in fear as a defence mechanism.  However, the poison may also be absorbed to a lesser extent through damaged skin. Dogs and cats may even ingest the poison from their food after a toad goes into their food bowl.

The poison acts quickly as it is absorbed through the mouth directly. It causes head shaking, excessive drooling or frothing at the mouth, vocalizations, pawing at the mouth, retching or vomiting. The mucus membranes may become red. In severe cases, heart rhythm disorders occur, apparent blindness, seizures, collapse, and death within as little as 15 minutes!

To help prevent death, immediate action is needed!! Carefully wash the inside of the animal's mouth with large amounts of slow flowing water, such as from a hose, continuously for as long as 5-10 minutes.

Give your pet plenty of water to drink and call your vet immediately!! Depending on the severity of the case, your vet may want to keep your pet hospitalized on IV fluids. Other symptoms are treated as needed, such as the seizures and heart-related effects.

Once your pet has survived, as always, prevention is better than cure. Try to keep toads out of your yard so that your pets will not have access to them. Toads like dark, damp places, so remove any old pots, water containers or ground-level bird baths. Ensure the spaces in your fence are too small to allow them to enter. Remove your pets' food bowls after feeding. Ensure that water in your yard does not stand still so that toads will not find it attractive to habitat, for e.g., use a fountain or keep fishes in ponds.

Be on extra alert for toads during the rainy season!