
if you have a dog that is allergic or has an intolerance to some type of food or environmental influence, it can be terribly hard, and time consuming, trying different foods etc, to determine exactly what is causing the reaction. Fortunately, we now have the benefit of having an Allergy test available, and itis the only allergy test available that will measure the proteins found in your dog's spittle, and report on 100+ items that may be affecting your dog. So easy to do and in the comfort of your own home. Do have a look at our website for further information. www.muttmix.co.za
This allergy test is the only allergy test available that will measure the proteins found in your dog’s spittle and report on 100+ items that may be affecting your dog. www.muttmix.co.za
This allergy test is the only allergy test available that will measure the proteins found in your dog’s spittle and report on 100+ items that may be affecting your dog. www.muttmix.co.za
Why your dog may still stink after a bath, or have a lingering smell
Scotty Valadao - Friends of the Dog - Canine Behaviourist
Scotty Valadao - Friends of the Dog - Canine Behaviourist

We all love how gorgeous our dogs look and smell after a bath, however this is not always the case, and some dogs still have that lingering doggy odour after you have washed them. Even after changing shampoo, the odour is still there, just not as strong. What is going on – looking at him, there does not seem to be anything wrong?
There are normally 3 common causes of that lingering odour, and those are normally found in the skin, the anal glands, and the ears, and we have given you a bit of information below.
If you do suspect an allergy, speak to your vet and tell him what you have noticed, which could well help in the diagnosis and your dog can get the medical help he needs. Having an Allergy test done, will help you to identify exactly what it is that your dog is reacting too.
Skin
Not all dogs have an immediate and very noticeably allergic reaction to a substance. According the VetDerm Clinic, in some dogs it is instantly noticeable, however, in other dogs the progress of a full-blown allergy can be very slow and actually take some years to develop. As the allergy increases and grown in momentum, the dog will become less responsive to treatments that may have been used in the past, and the symptoms tend to increase in intensity.
What you now need to determine, is whether there is a mild allergy present that you have not been aware of. When your dog is lying quietly, look under the armpits, under the back legs, and in all those places you normally don’t see as often, and you may notice some skin that seems to be flaky, or even slightly red.
If at all possible, try and smell these areas – there may be a slight odour that could be described. as being a little musty or even yeasty. If you are not sure what either musty or yeasty smell like, see if you can smell anything that is either sweet or sour smelling, or a smell that is a bit like beer. While yeast is normally found on the skin and ears in small amounts, a dog with allergies doesn't have normal skin defences.
While you are having a close look at these areas, see is there is any Flea Dirt, or evidence of fleas or mites which may be contributing towards the odour.
Also pay close attention to whether there is a bit more scratching than usual, especially if the dog is scratching in specific areas – the scratching may not be excessive, but by paying close attention to your dog, you may well pick up that he is scratching a bit more than before.
Ears
While you are inspecting your dog, do have a really good look in the ears. As the inner ear becomes inflamed and produces a discharge, this discharge tends to have a yeasty odour or smells like really smelly cheese.
The odour could also be coming from a build up of ear wax which is causing the unpleasant smell, although it will not be as strong as the yeasty smell, which can signal an infection, you will be able to notice the odour, or perhaps ear mites. A completely healthy dog does not have any odour in the ears. Also have a look to see if you can see any redness inside the ear, and if there is a wax build up.
While you are still carefully observing your dog, and after looking in his ears for any signs of redness, discharge or excessive wax, have a look if you can see any of the following when it comes to the ears:-
Some breeds are often more prone to ear infections than others, the most common being Chinese Shar Pei, Beagle, Golden Retriever, and dogs with pendulous ears, such as the Basset Hounds.
Please do take your dog to the vet if you notice any of the above, an ear infection is not something we should try and take of ourselves at home, and just cleaning the ears will simply not be enough, if an infection is present.
It is always a good idea to know what your dog’s ears do smell like when they are healthy.
Anal Glands
If you have never had a dog with anal gland problems, you may not know what these are. Dogs have two anal sacs, which are also known as anal glands, and these are located on the lower sides of his anus. These glands, produce an excretion which has a scent, and it is this scent that identifies him to other dogs. You will see that dogs will often smell each other in the anal region and will happily smell the stools of other dogs found when on a walk (the anal glands excrete when the dog passes a stool). This is because the scent coming from these, gives the other dog information as to other dogs sex, - male or female, and we would presume if sterilized or intact, the other dog’s approximate age and information on its health.
Anal glands can become impacted, and this seems to be more prevalent in dogs that are fed kibble or soft food. Commercial dog food very often results in very soft, and often big stools. and many of the commercial manufacturers have a lot of high fibre in the food that helps to combat the very soft stools, however, if the dog is on a raw diet that contains the correct percentage of bone content, the stools tend to be smaller and firmer, and anal gland issues are less likely to occur. The reason for this is that the firmer stools are really effective at pushing against the anal glands when the dog is passing a stool and are causing the anal glands to empty – the stools of dogs on a proper raw diet, are a lot less likely to be stinky as well. Some signs your dog may have anal gland issues are.
In general, we do recommend to our clients to know their dogs really well – what is a normal stool like, what is the colour, what is the consistency? How often does dog urinate a day, is the stream of urine short – is it long – does it have an odour – what colour is it? What do the ears look and smell like normally? What is the colour of the gums normally and so forth.
The more you know what your dogs when it is healthy, even looking at respiration and general habits, the more aware you will be if you see something away from the norm and be able to take immediate action.
There are normally 3 common causes of that lingering odour, and those are normally found in the skin, the anal glands, and the ears, and we have given you a bit of information below.
If you do suspect an allergy, speak to your vet and tell him what you have noticed, which could well help in the diagnosis and your dog can get the medical help he needs. Having an Allergy test done, will help you to identify exactly what it is that your dog is reacting too.
Skin
Not all dogs have an immediate and very noticeably allergic reaction to a substance. According the VetDerm Clinic, in some dogs it is instantly noticeable, however, in other dogs the progress of a full-blown allergy can be very slow and actually take some years to develop. As the allergy increases and grown in momentum, the dog will become less responsive to treatments that may have been used in the past, and the symptoms tend to increase in intensity.
What you now need to determine, is whether there is a mild allergy present that you have not been aware of. When your dog is lying quietly, look under the armpits, under the back legs, and in all those places you normally don’t see as often, and you may notice some skin that seems to be flaky, or even slightly red.
If at all possible, try and smell these areas – there may be a slight odour that could be described. as being a little musty or even yeasty. If you are not sure what either musty or yeasty smell like, see if you can smell anything that is either sweet or sour smelling, or a smell that is a bit like beer. While yeast is normally found on the skin and ears in small amounts, a dog with allergies doesn't have normal skin defences.
While you are having a close look at these areas, see is there is any Flea Dirt, or evidence of fleas or mites which may be contributing towards the odour.
Also pay close attention to whether there is a bit more scratching than usual, especially if the dog is scratching in specific areas – the scratching may not be excessive, but by paying close attention to your dog, you may well pick up that he is scratching a bit more than before.
Ears
While you are inspecting your dog, do have a really good look in the ears. As the inner ear becomes inflamed and produces a discharge, this discharge tends to have a yeasty odour or smells like really smelly cheese.
The odour could also be coming from a build up of ear wax which is causing the unpleasant smell, although it will not be as strong as the yeasty smell, which can signal an infection, you will be able to notice the odour, or perhaps ear mites. A completely healthy dog does not have any odour in the ears. Also have a look to see if you can see any redness inside the ear, and if there is a wax build up.
While you are still carefully observing your dog, and after looking in his ears for any signs of redness, discharge or excessive wax, have a look if you can see any of the following when it comes to the ears:-
- Any pulling away from you if you rub the ears, Don’t just rub or stroke the top of the ears, rub all the way around the base. Any discomfort and avoidance of you rubbing these areas could indicate a possible problem
- If your dog is rubbing his head on the side of chairs on either you, the floor, or against a couch, there could be a problem – if you notice this, see if he rubs one side more than the other, which could indicate that the problem is only in one ear – but do check the other ear as well!
- Shaking of the head – some dogs will have a tendency to shake their heads from one side to the other, almost as we do if we have been swimming and got some water in our ears.
Some breeds are often more prone to ear infections than others, the most common being Chinese Shar Pei, Beagle, Golden Retriever, and dogs with pendulous ears, such as the Basset Hounds.
Please do take your dog to the vet if you notice any of the above, an ear infection is not something we should try and take of ourselves at home, and just cleaning the ears will simply not be enough, if an infection is present.
It is always a good idea to know what your dog’s ears do smell like when they are healthy.
Anal Glands
If you have never had a dog with anal gland problems, you may not know what these are. Dogs have two anal sacs, which are also known as anal glands, and these are located on the lower sides of his anus. These glands, produce an excretion which has a scent, and it is this scent that identifies him to other dogs. You will see that dogs will often smell each other in the anal region and will happily smell the stools of other dogs found when on a walk (the anal glands excrete when the dog passes a stool). This is because the scent coming from these, gives the other dog information as to other dogs sex, - male or female, and we would presume if sterilized or intact, the other dog’s approximate age and information on its health.
Anal glands can become impacted, and this seems to be more prevalent in dogs that are fed kibble or soft food. Commercial dog food very often results in very soft, and often big stools. and many of the commercial manufacturers have a lot of high fibre in the food that helps to combat the very soft stools, however, if the dog is on a raw diet that contains the correct percentage of bone content, the stools tend to be smaller and firmer, and anal gland issues are less likely to occur. The reason for this is that the firmer stools are really effective at pushing against the anal glands when the dog is passing a stool and are causing the anal glands to empty – the stools of dogs on a proper raw diet, are a lot less likely to be stinky as well. Some signs your dog may have anal gland issues are.
- I am sure you don’t want to smell your dog’s butt, however, do see if there is a fishy type of smell – often it is hard to ignore! If your vet decided to empty the anal sacs, and you are in the same room, the smell is really gross! Never try to empty the anal glands yourself, this must be done by your vet, as you, or even your groomer, can cause unnecessary trauma in that area.
- If your dog is licking or nibbling the anal area more than normal, or even licking or nibbling around its lower back – is often a sign of anal gland problems. Have a look and see if the anal areas is red, swollen, has a bit of blood or even a discharge.
- Scooting – this is when your dog will plonk itself on the floor, lift up its back legs and produce to rub its butt along the floor.
- If your dog seems to be a bit constipated, and may even look like he is in pain while passing a stool, this could also be a sign of anal glands being impacted.
- Some dogs will be doing something else, and suddenly turn around quickly going to the anal area, ,or some dogs will sit down very quickly as if uncomfortable.
In general, we do recommend to our clients to know their dogs really well – what is a normal stool like, what is the colour, what is the consistency? How often does dog urinate a day, is the stream of urine short – is it long – does it have an odour – what colour is it? What do the ears look and smell like normally? What is the colour of the gums normally and so forth.
The more you know what your dogs when it is healthy, even looking at respiration and general habits, the more aware you will be if you see something away from the norm and be able to take immediate action.