by Christine O'Callaghan

Created on: May 19, 2008   Last Updated: August 04, 2011

Your dog is suddenly sporting a new, distinctly unpleasant scent, capable of bringing tears to your eyes. Deciding on a course of action requires a process of elimination.

Dirty dog?

Many times, it's the obvious: a dog smells because he's dirty. He may have rolled in trash, eaten horse manure, or taken a swim in the swamp. In all of these cases, a bath should solve the problem. If a skunk sprays your dog, you can bathe him with apple cider vinegar diluted in water, tomato juice, or a commercial product for skunk odor. If your dog has long hair, his unpleasant odor may be due to feces trapped in his hair. Once you've cleaned the dog, you may want to keep the hair around the rectal area clipped short.

Check the dog's mouth

If your dog still smells after a bath, you need to take a look in his mouth. Are his teeth discolored? Is his breath worse than normal doggie breath? If either of these is the case, your dog should see the veterinarian for a dental checkup and any necessary treatment.

Check the dog's ears

If your dog's mouth is fine, the next step is to check his ears. A smelly dog could be suffering from an ear infection. Long-eared and floppy-eared dogs are more likely to have ear infections. Symptoms are red or sore skin inside the ear; a bad odor coming directly from the ear; or a dog's painful reaction when the ear is examined. If you suspect an ear infection, you'll need to visit the veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

Check the dog's skin

If your dog's mouth and ears are both okay, you should check his skin next. Does he have flaky dandruff or an oily, waxy feel to his skin? Does the skin smell bad? Do your hands feel slightly greasy after petting your dog? If so, he may have a skin condition called seborrhea. Your veterinarian can recommend a medicated shampoo, which will eliminate the odor with frequent bathing.

Check the dog's anal glands

Anal glands are the two small glands on either side of your dog's rectal opening. They are filled with a foul smelling fluid, and they can become impacted or infected. You'll need to see a veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment of an anal gland problem.

Prevention

Now that your dog smells sweet, there are several things you can do to try to keep him that way:
-Bathe your dog regularly.
-Clean your dog's teeth regularly.
-Check your dog's ears and skin periodically, and have a veterinarian check out any problems promptly.

Learn more about this author, Christine O'Callaghan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.