My senior dog smells really bad after a bath. What's going on?

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.

Could it be that the smell you are smelling is something other than urine? Or maybe Sassy has urinary incontinence? It is common in older female dogs that have been spayed. It can be a slow trickle, wet spots seen when she stands up, or mysterious wet spots around the house. You might want to have Sassy examined by a vet that can try to smell what you are smelling. There are some smells in dogs that are characteristic for some issues, such as a fritos smell means yeast and a fruity smell may mean the dog is in ketosis from unregulated diabetes. Urine smell generally means there is urine present.

This sign, if the smell is generalized and coming from the skin, could be caused by skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and eventually antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

It's likely Sahara has either a bacterial infection, a yeast infection or severe allergies. Less frequently, an underlying endocrine disease may also be the root cause. When bad odors won't go away with a bath, it generally indicates a problem. I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian so that she can have the correct diagnosis and receive appropriate treatment. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the itching and odor should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Sahara wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I am so sorry to hear that your pet has so many major issues that are debilitating and causing her to have a poor quality of life. I do think that if her condition cannot be improved with medications then it is someting you should discuss with your veterinarian. Humane euthansia, although it is probably not something you want to consider, should be considered if Sophie is not able to helped with medical management. However, there are pain medications that can be tried to see if they make a difference. You can discuss with your vet about trying Tramadol and/or Gabapentin to help with pain management. Probiotics can also be tried to help with her diarrhea, as well as a high fiber diet such as Royal Canin Gasrointestinal High Fiber (Rx). It sounds like she may have cancer involving her nervous system, which is why she can't maintain her mobitliy well. Poor girl. I hope that you can come to terms with her condition and maybe there is more you can try with her. Best wishes with Sophie. We are also available for a private consultation if you need to discuss more about Sophie's condition and futher care recommendations. Take care.

It could be that Big Ben has impacted anal sacs, which would lead to his rear end stinking badly. It could also be that he has a skin infection causing the smell. I would have him seen by a vet tomorrow. The vet can diagnose the cause of his smell, and can treat him for it. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Lucy could be smelling because she has a skin infection caused by yeast. My recommendation would be to have her seen by a vet. If she does have a skin infection, the vet can prescribe medication to clear it up so you can bring her inside. It's great that you are bringing her inside so she doesn't get heat stroke!