My puppy smells like vinegar. Is this normal or a sign of illness?

Hello there, what a cute puppy. Odor from the face can be due to a number of things, but based on the history and age of the dog, i suspect it may be coming from the discharge from the eyes or from remnants of pet food around the lips or whiskers. Try using warm water and cotton balls to wipe the eyes and face daily while monitoring the odor. If the odor is still present and the puppy is acting completely normal, mention it to your veterinarian during your next routine visit. It could be normal and something that you will have to get used to. Obviously, if you see any health issues of any kind, please schedule a veterinary visit sooner. Happy to visit with you further during a consultation. Thank you, Dr Steve Popish

Yes, this can be a sign that something is wrong with Daisy's mouth causing this smell, but it could also be due to something she is eating. Eating poop is common in puppies, and this will cause bad breath. I'd have her seen by a vet for this bad breath.

It could be just normal puppy breath. Some people feel like it doesn't smell good. If she tends to eat poop, this could also be the cause. With her being so young, I would not expect her to have any dental tartar causing a smell. If it continues or it gets worse, I would have your vet take a look at the mouth to ensure there isn't an infection somewhere.

Different odors have different causes. A foul odor may indicate a bacterial infection. A yeast infection sometimes smells like Fritos. A fruity smell can indicate ketones created by diabetes. Dental disease also has a strong smell. Anal gland "juice" smells fishy. If you can't figure out where the odor is coming from, I would have Muffin examined by the vet.

I really don't think it is anything to be worried about. I am not sure why he would have this smell. Usually a sweet smell of the breath is in relation to diabetes but her sure is young to have that, but it is not impossible. I suggest you just keep monitoring him and if the smell does not resolve or you start noticing her is drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot more he should see a vet.

It's likely a normal smell for puppies at this age. This "puppy breath" is very strong and unpleasant smelling, but goes away and turns into dog breath around the time they are 3-4 months old. If the pups are otherwise normal, then I would not be concerned. They are due for their first vaccines between 6-8 weeks of age, so you can have the vet check the breath when you take them in for that. They usually do a thorough "first puppy exam" when you initially take them in at that time. I hope that helps and all the pups stay healthy.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to a scent in the environment that has the odor. Also, it is quite common for puppies and dogs in general that they roll on something that may have a scent such as urine in the grass from another dog for example. I would recommend that you go outside with your puppy to see where he is getting that scent. Best of luck!