Is it his skin?If your pet’s skin smells reminiscent of rotting fruit or something freshly dug up from deep underground, it’s more than likely related to skin disease. Whether it happens year-round or seasonally, pets with skin conditions, like allergic skin disease and parasite infestations, and the secondary bacterial and yeast infections that can accompany them, can give off a serious stink.
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Severe periodontal disease. With some dogs, it smells as if you’re staring into the mouth of a whale when you get too near them. They simply have awful breath. That in itself is not a problem — for the dog, anyway. But if the odor is particularly strong and foul, and especially if it’s in conjunction with loose teeth and pus, the dog probably has advanced periodontal disease, which is a fancy way of saying that the gums surrounding his teeth have deteriorated to a significant degree, and perhaps the bone around his teeth, too. Once the bone erodes, it can no longer anchor the teeth, which is why they loosen — and potentially fall out. If the problem remains unchecked, even the jaw can weaken to the point that small blood vessels beneath the bone become damaged and bleed, allowing a pathway for bacteria to enter the bloodstream. You can avoid this cascade of events by brushing your dog’s teeth once a day, every single day, and by taking him for dental cleanings when the veterinarian suggests them. Older dogs, in particular, may need a professional cleaning once or twice a year to remove “gunk” that has accumulated under the gum line, where you can’t reach.
Skinfold pyoderma. A pyoderma is a bacterial infection of the skin, and, not surprisingly, a skinfold pyoderma is a bacterial infection that takes hold in the folds of a dog’s skin. A fold, which allows two adjacent skin surfaces to touch each other or be very near each other, provides the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive: warm and humid. The bacteria are native to the skin, but when they overgrow in that moist environment, problems start. Along with discharge, there’s often a telltale foul, or musty, odor. Wrinkly breeds like shar peis and English bulldogs are particularly susceptible, but any dog could end up developing skinfold pyoderma in the folds of the lip, the groin, or the “arm” pits. Sometimes it develops in female dogs between the mammary glands if they have had multiple litters. A female dog might also develop the condition above her vulva if she has a congenital condition called a recessed vulva, which means there’s a skinfold right above the tissue on the external part of the vagina. Treatment includes using a medicated skin cleanser on the affected area along with antibiotics, and sometimes surgery. Owners need to keep susceptible areas clean and dry to prevent recurrence.
Diabetes. When a dog (or person) has diabetes mellitus, he is not able to efficiently break down sugar to use as fuel for the body and so begins breaking down fat. Ketone bodies are then produced and accumulate in the blood. A dog works to eliminate ketones through respiration, which give his breath a sweet odor that’s perceptible to people.
A bacterial infection in a dog’s ear can also smell particularly pungent — or even somewhat sweet if the bacteria are of the relatively common pseudomonas variety. In bacterial cases, the discharge tends to present as a yellowish to green pus. To clear up the problem, the dog will need topical medication in addition to taking medication by mouth.
Note: Ear infections sometimes result from infestation by mites. The telltale sign is granular, dark brown material in your dog’s ears. Think: coffee grinds.
Body odors can indicate serious medical problems
Odd smells on your breath may be about more than what you ate for dinner. Istock
Many people feel self-conscious about body or breath odor and may wish to cover it up with deodorant, perfume or mouthwash. But by just masking smells, people could be ignoring serious health issues, according to medical experts.