Dr. Walt's happy tails: Why your stinky pet could be sick

Whether it's the time of the year or simply a very common (and annoying) problem, questions pertaining to the odours that our pets sometimes emit have dominated my e-mail lately. Here's a sampling, along with some tips on common odour sources and their control.

Dear Dr. Walt: We have a beautiful Canadian Eskimo/German shepherd dog mix who is male and 3 years old. Until now, he has always had a wonderful coat and never a bad smell. Recently, he has developed a ‘poop' odour that is with him all the time. He is otherwise clean, healthy, and happy. Can you suggest what the source of this odour problem may be?

Dear Dr. Walt: I have a question regarding my 10-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. This summer she developed a very strong smell after swimming at the cottage that persisted even after she had dried off. This smell has continued and is very strong -- it is at the point now that it is so bad, we don't even want her in the house (although we do let her in) because the odour permeates the entire house. Someone suggested that it might be due to her diet so we changed to a lamb-based diet but she developed gas -- I don't know which odour is worse! Any suggestions?

Dear Dr. Walt: I am dog sitting a Shih Tzu for a friend and am having a problem with an odour. The smell seems to come from his face but I can't identify the source. I have checked his ears and they are fine. He has a discharge from both eyes, which I have been told is normal for this breed, and I clean it everyday. The dog is very affectionate and wants to be near my face all the time, which is very unpleasant. Any ideas?

Well, its time to play odour sleuth -- just where is that smell coming from and what can we do to eliminate it? This is a common complaint and most pet owners, especially dog owners, find themselves in this position at some point in their pet's life. Assuming that there are no outward signs or external sources of the smell (e.g., having just rolled in that dead fish on the beach!), the common sources of pet odour are: flatulence (gas); dental disease; lip fold or other skin fold infections (pyoderma); ear infection; skin diseases (especially those resulting in seborrhea); and anal gland disorders.

Flatulence: This is easy to identify because it is intermittent, and a characteristic sound often precedes the odour! Generally, this is due to transient bowel upset, usually because of a dietary indiscretion and is therefore self-limiting. For some dogs, however, this problem can be persistent and in those circumstances is either related to the diet (principally the fiber source) or to underlying bowel disease. Short-term control usually means a period of fasting to give the bowel a chance to rest and recover from the upset. If it does persist, it is best to discuss this with your veterinarian to determine the best approach and any possible dietary alteration.


Page 1 of 3 -- Do you have a stinky dog? Find out what could be at the root of the problem on page 2.