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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Can I take my dog to the vet because he smells funny?

39 replies

IStandWithPosie · 15/10/2018 20:00

For the last few days I’ve noticed this horrible smell off my dog. It isn’t a farty dog smell. He hasn’t rolled in anything. I’ve checked him all over and there are no cuts or anything clinging to him. The smell seems to be coming from his head but I can’t pinpoint where from exactly. It doesn’t appear to be from his mouth or ears. It’s just there. I can’t exactly describe other than to say it doesn’t smell healthy.

OP posts:

Stormwhale · 15/10/2018 20:03

Could it be a skin yeast infection smell?

Wolfiefan · 15/10/2018 20:03

Is he otherwise well? No lumps or bumps? Eating ok?
Teeth or ears would be my first guess.
Age and breed?

Haint · 15/10/2018 20:06

Is it his flea treatment? Ours always honks after he’s been de flead

Original poster

IStandWithPosie · 15/10/2018 20:06

He’s an 8 year old golden retriever. Eating and behaving as normal, doesn’t appear to be in pain when walking or eating, or chewing his toys. I can’t feel any lumps. His skin is harder to see under all his fur but I haven’t noticed any scratching.

OP posts:

Original poster

IStandWithPosie · 15/10/2018 20:08

He had his flea treatment (advantage spot on) last weekend but it’s the same one he always gets and ive never noticed this smell before.

OP posts:

Sleepthief · 15/10/2018 20:09

Like Haint, my dog always smells unpleasantly weird for a few days after the flea treatment...

Wolfiefan · 15/10/2018 20:09

Hairy in ears? Could be an ear issue?

BiteyShark · 15/10/2018 20:12

Why not just ask for a general check up and explain why. Given that dogs can't tell us when there is something wrong and the only things we can go on are subtle signs like this I don't think any vet would think it was strange plus at his age it can't hurt to have a bit of an mot.

Original poster

IStandWithPosie · 15/10/2018 20:14

Yes I think I will bitey it won’t hurt to give him the once over.

OP posts:

Disfordarkchocolate · 15/10/2018 20:14

Could be their teeth. Our dog had no sign of illness but an awful smell. £800 vets bill later, teeth needed removing.

Original poster

IStandWithPosie · 15/10/2018 20:15

Eeep £800!

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 15/10/2018 20:16

Could even be something stuck up nose.

Disfordarkchocolate · 15/10/2018 20:17

@IStandWithPosie We had to pay some in installments!

Original poster

IStandWithPosie · 15/10/2018 20:17

If I was to guess wolfie, I would say its that “something’s stuck somewhere” smell. It’s horrible.

OP posts:

GreyHare · 15/10/2018 20:18

Is it a strange fishy smell as it could be anal glands, it's a really unpleasant foul rotten fish type smell, my bitch has issues and pongs but the vet gives them a quick squeeze and she's all back to normal.

bobstersmum · 15/10/2018 20:18

Could you be pregnant op? My sense of smell goes crazy when I'm pregnant and I smell things no one else can!

Wolfiefan · 15/10/2018 20:18

Yuck. Best get it checked out before serious infection sets in then. If only they could talk.

totallyliterally · 15/10/2018 20:19

Our spaniel has a really hideous smell from her head. Couldn't locate it but thought eats inside and got some ear stuff from the vets.

After an evening of mainly squirting it around the living room trying to get it in her ears I left it.

Spent a weirdly long amount of time sniffing her again and it wasn't from inside her ears but realised it was the bottom & under of her long ears where she swims and then they are dragged about in god knows what on walks.

When I bathed her I shampooed her fur and hair (I had always avoided them and her head) and that solved it. For us was just the build up of grot and then lake water not getting air under her ears to dry and just getting grim.

No issues since then

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 15/10/2018 20:22

Check: ears ( get a good sniff!) Lip folds ( common source of smell!) Breath/ teeth (dogs will eat even with the most rotten teeth)

Is it a fishy smell? Could be anal glands!

I'm a vet and I get lots of "funny" smelling dogs presented to me! Always a challenge . Your vet will be used to it!

Original poster

IStandWithPosie · 15/10/2018 20:26

It’s not fishy. I can’t even say what it does smell like. Other than when my DC get that “i’m Going to throw up in the landing at 3am” smell that makes me say “oh great”. It’s a bit like that. But stronger.

I’m definitely not pregnant. (Goldie boy is the only man for me )

Thanks platypus i’ll have a good check around him.

OP posts:

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 15/10/2018 20:47

Oh, and I've also seen some rotting bits of stick stuck between teeth! Quite intrigued now....

FinnegansWhiskers · 16/10/2018 01:45

I have a cross breed. I haven't yet come across any stinky whiffs or physical or physiological problems. Thank goodness for cross breeds eh? (Awaiting backlash from those with purebreds who bought them from a lovely couple, living in a lovely, tidy home. Because, you know, breeders who introduce their puppies in a show home are the best..... 🙄

BiteyShark · 16/10/2018 06:08

FinnegansWhiskers odd thread to try and start an argument about pedigree versus non predigree dogs. Typically people who don't notice odd whiffs don't tend to post about whiffy dogs.

ThisIsTheFirstStep · 16/10/2018 06:19

I'd take him, it could be teeth, ears,nose or some kind of skin infection.

In the case that it's not anything like that and it's just a general dog aroma, we have started giving our dog coconut oil in his food (a teaspoon a day) and it works really well to keep him unstinky. I don't really know why, but it stops his coat getting matted too.

SharpLily · 16/10/2018 08:08

I would take him to the vet - our dog cut his foot and while it seemed to heal well, it turned out he had an infection inside which was moving up his leg and made him quite ill. He's a bit of a hard nut so wasn't showing us the pain but my husband and I both noticed his smell was different. It was hard to define in what way but we just knew he didn't smell the same as usual. We knew when the infection had passed for sure when he got his old smell back.

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