DOGGIE ODOR

We love our dog, but sometimes he really smells. What can we do?

Dogs use various secretions to communicate with one another by scent. Typically, these odors are most prominent around the ears, paws and anus. Most people, especially pet lovers, do not find anything offensive about a dog’s “natural” scents, but there are cases when doggy odor makes it difficult to be around a pet. There are a variety of reasons why a dog can become unpleasantly odorous. For example, his skin and coat could have become very dirty, he could have rolled around in a smelly substance outside, he could have developed a skin condition, he could have an infection in his ear, or his anal sacs could have become impacted.

You should bathe the dog with an odor-fighting shampoo and clean the ears with an ear cleaner. This should clear up the odor problem. However if the odor persists, consult a veterinarian to eliminate any underlying medical causes, including an ear infection, or anal sac blockage.