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Why does my dog still have a bad odor and itch after a bath?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | 12 lbs

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?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on September 13th, 2019

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 health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Sahara wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 11th, 2020

    Typically the cause of the odor is a skin yeast infection. Some dogs are just more prone. It is best to bathe with a medicated shampoo that contains ketoconazole and/or chlorhexidine as the active ingredient. I don't know where to direct you to buy something like that in your country. You would have to bathe every 2-3 days for the first few weeks to get the problem under control and then you would probably have to continue doing so at least once a week for maintenance. Lather the shampoo, leave it on her for 10 minutes and then rinse. You may also want to consider changing the diet as that can influence skin pH and cause yeast overgrowth.

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