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

Dental disease: Gum disease can result in gum infections and deeper oral problems, such as tooth root abscesses. Usually you will notice discomfort with eating food or playing with toys and there will be a red/inflamed appearance to the gum, obvious plaque accumulation on the teeth, and discomfort when handling the mouth area. Correction is via treating the underlying dental disease. If identified early, home care (e.g., brushing your pet's teeth) might correct the problem and this is definitely the best approach to prevention. If the condition is more advanced, a professional dental cleaning by your veterinarian and/or the removal of the infected tooth may be required.

Lip or other skin fold infections: When two areas of skin come together to create a fold it may trap moisture and debris resulting in a skin infection (pyoderma), which can be odorous. Common locations are the lower, middle gum line (especially in retrievers and other breeds whose upper gums overlap the bottom lips), face (common in the brachycephalic or ‘flat face' breeds [pugs, boxers, bulldogs] with excessive facial skin), and around the vaginal opening (especially if the pet is overweight). These can be controlled through local hygiene. Employ an antiseptic soap (be sure to rinse well to avoid irritation) or hydrogen peroxide, together with an antibiotic cream and keep the area dry.

Ear infection: More common in breeds with floppy ears and those that swim a lot, they will often be observed scratching more frequently at the ear and the ear may be sore to touch. Generally there is an obvious ear discharge or black discoloration to the inside of the ear. Ear cleansers and antibiotic ointments are generally curative although oral (systemic) antibiotics and an ear flushing under anesthetic may be required in more advanced cases.

Seborrheic skin disease: When the skin is irritated, it can produce more oils in an effort to relieve the irritation. These oils often lead to an oily feel to the hair coat and a generalized body odour. The key to treatment is eliminating the skin irritant and the use of specialty shampoos designed for dogs with seborrhea. If you think this may be the cause of your pet's odour, discuss the condition further with your veterinarian.

Anal glands: The anal glands are paired glands that are located at the “10 and 2 o'clock” positions under the skin at the sides of the anus. They are small -- about the size of a pea -- and are not normally visible to the eye although someone trained in locating them can feel them. They produce and contain a smelly liquid that, during the course of the dog's evolution, was used to mark territory when a small amount of this liquid was released as the dog had a bowel movement. These glands still exist today, in both dogs and cats, although the need for territorial marking has become less through domestication. However, these glands continue to produce this foul smelling liquid and are prone to problems. Scooting, the act of a dog or cat dragging their bum along the ground (usually on your favourite carpet!) is a symptom of anal gland problems. Having them expressed periodically by your veterinarian (not the highlight of our day!) will help to control this odour source. Hope these clues help to identify and correct the source of that odour!


Page 2 of 3 -- How to get rid of the smell of cat's urine from your home, PLUS a secret skunk-removal remedy that really works on page 3.