My dog smells terrible even after a bath. What's causing it?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
My 12 yo fox terrier has become really smelly. Even after a bath it is not long before she has a strong odour again.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on May 18th, 2017
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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on April 25th, 2017
That may be his "pack" smell. He may also have (good) bacteria in his skin that produce this smell. The more you bathe him, the drier his skin gets and the more fat the skin will produce to moisten it, and the more he will smell. A lot of the smell can be alleviated by taking him outside for walks to "air him out". You may also want to try a change of food. Some foods make dogs smell, especially cheap dog food such as Ole Roy
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Training & Behavior
My foster smells terrible. We gave him a bath with medicated shampoo which improved the look of his coat, be he still itches and bites at his rear and the odor is quite bad. Since he is a foster, I am hesitant to spend on remedies sold by non-profe
There are various causes for the bad smell and they will need to be investigated by a veterinarian. 1) your dog (I am assuming it is a dog, you do not say anywhere what type of animal he is) may have a particularly stinky type of bacteria in his anal sacs. This could be remedied by emptying them and flushing them with an antibitic that kills off all bacteria and then hopefully a new type of bacteria will take up residence. 2) Your dog may have particularly smelly bacteria in his skin that emit a bad smell. Certain antibacterial shampoos can alleviate that 3) your dog may have a mite infection. Sarcoptes mite infections have a typical sweet smell. Sarcoptes mites can be killed with avermectins or a Bravecto chew. 4) He could have a fungal infection (treatable with fungicidal shampoo and/or tablets) 5) If you have other dogs in your house he may have a particular pack smell. 6) He may have a skin condition such as seborrhea which invites certain bacteria who can cause a bad smell.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
what to do for a chuhuahua (teacup) that smells like something dead and rotting even after a bath
That could be commonly due or to extreme mouth and teeth disease (severely infected) or possibly to bacterial infection of the skin (pyoderma). both of them would require a check up a clinical examination at your local veterinarian to be confirmed and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed (even in a shampoo formulation -like Malaseb dog shampoo) 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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is stinky, I bathe in it, I take it to petshop nothing works. What can it be?
Luck may have an underlying skin infection. Have himn examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. He may also be rolling in something outside which is an activity some dogs enjoy. Have his anal glands checked for impaction or infection as well. Especially if the odor is a fishy, metallic odor. Frequent bathing may upset the balance of bacteria on the skin and coat. Bathe no more frequently than once every 6-8 weeks if necessary.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
What can be used on a dog, that sweats excessively? She even sweats after being bathed, and starts to stink again.
Hi there. Dogs don't sweat through their skin, only their paw pads - so if Mollie has a persistent odor, this is likely due to some other problem such as a bacterial or fungal skin infection, impacted anal glands, an ear infection, or some other issue. I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam to determine what is causing the odor. He/she should be able to prescribe a medicated shampoo or other treatment for the underlying problem, depending on what is found.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
Sahara has a bad odor and constantly scratching. I gave her an oatmeal bath and like hours later she has the smell again. What can it be?
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
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I just got a dog today and she is 10 weeks old. When we bought her she smelled really bad so we decided to give her a wash tonight and we sprayed her with dog spray but she still smells? How do I fix this?
Congrats on your new dog, but I'm sorry Belle is smelly! The smell could be caused by a skin infection, which a bath and a spray won't treat. I would have her seen by a vet first thing in the morning. The vet can diagnose if she is suffering from a skin infection, and can prescribe medication for it.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
After I give my dog a bath a couple of days later he stinks why is that. He stinks like I just didn't give him a bath and I use butter,sprays,leave in conditioner. I don't think he has anything wrong with skin vet said he is fine.
That may be his "pack" smell. He may also have (good) bacteria in his skin that produce this smell. The more you bathe him, the drier his skin gets and the more fat the skin will produce to moisten it, and the more he will smell. A lot of the smell can be alleviated by taking him outside for walks to "air him out". You may also want to try a change of food. Some foods make dogs smell, especially cheap dog food such as Ole Roy
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My older dog smells like bowel movements constantly. Even an hour after a bath. What could be causing this?
He could have some kind of skin condition that causes the smell. Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. It is important to have the problem checked by your vet to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly. In pets of all ages, fleas, food allergies and exposure to chemical irritants such as cleaners and soaps can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin. Check for fleas with a flea comb. Look for fleas and/or tiny black granules, like coarse black pepper. This is flea feces, consisting of digested, dried blood. You may find tiny white particles, like salt, which are the flea eggs.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
MY SON HAS 3 DASHTONS DOGS N THEY REALLY STINK N THEY GET BATHED CONSTANTLY N THEIR BLANKETS WASHED ALOT N THEY REALLY STINK. THEY CONSTANTLY LICK EACH OTHER N CANT GET THEMTOSTOP....IS THIS WHAT MAKES THEM STINK SO BAD N ALL THE TIME...WHAT CAN I D
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling with your dachshunds’ odor. Do they have any underlying skin, dental, or anal gland issues? Any of these could contribute to what you are smelling. I would recommend they have a thorough physical with a veterinarian to determine if there is an underlying issue contributing to the odor, and get any suggestions on a shampoo that may help. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Any advice on smelly dogs? Bella is a French bull mastiff, she gets a bath usually twice a week because of her horrible odor, once I bath her, she smells alright for about a day and a half, and then right back to smelling bad. I want her to remain an
One of the most common reasons that dogs will produce a "doggy odor" quickly right after a bath is if they have an overgrowth of a normal yeast on their skin called malessezia. This is more common in dogs that have skin problems or allergies, but is very common in mastiffs. Often, the first place you start to notice the smell is the face because yeast loves the moisture of the eyes and mouth, so it will often start to overgrow there first. There are a number of prescriptions antifungal shampoos that you could use as well as wipes that you can use for the face. A non-prescription option might be to use Zymox shampoo which can help prevent yeast from regrowing as quickly after a bath.
https://www.zymox.com/zymox-shampoo-itchy-inflamed-skin-12-oz
If that does not seem to help or Bella becomes itchy, then I would certainly have your veterinarian evaluate her skin for a recommendation.
Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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