Hello fellow dog lovers,

I have a pair of 7 year old Pekingnese dogs that I got from the SPCA last June. They have dry skin and do the itchy-scratchy thing that we are still trying to diagnose. Just finished the special super-expensive prescription dog food only 6 week trial, etc.

Although the itching is annoying, they don't seem to be doing any damage to their skin. I'm wondering now if it isn't just a nervous habit of theirs. The real problem is that they Stink!

I have spent probably close to $300 in shampoos, spray on deodorants, the supplement Dynavite (they love it and made their coat silky, but didn't stop the itching like it advertised) and all other various odor remedies found at Petsmart and online.

My husband thinks we are actually smelling their saliva getting spread around on their coat from the itchy problem. I think some dogs just smell. He is more sensitive to it than I am and since we don't let them on the furniture or bed, I don't care. He does and complains everday and is driving me nutz.

I am hoping you smart folks out there can make a suggestion for my doggies body odor problem. (We are bathing them once a week per vet's instructions w/prescription shampoo now - the stink is back by that evening.)

Thanks!

I would move on to another vet. Unless a dog has a health problem, if it is eating a decent chow and being brushed regularly, it shouldn't have an odor problem. My Lab Aster hasn't had a bath in almost 4 years and smell fine.

Emland, I agree with labman.

Too many baths dry out the natural oils in a dogs skin. Something doesn't make sense. Search out another vet.

My basset, stinks worse (you can prob. Smell him over the internet) I know that part of the prob is his ears the wax has to be cleaned out. Also my mother says it's because the anal glands need to be expressed. I am not making the connection there. But I have been told that hound just have a smell. You get used to it. Oh but when he is excited or sick (infection or virus) he really stinks it almost unbearable.

Emland, this posting is really bugging me for some reason. If your vet has "tried everything" and has charged you a fortune, I don't think the vet is doing the job you need of him/her.

Matt brings up some good points. Check inside their ears & smell them. If the foul odor is coming from there then you know the vet needs to examine them and figure out what is going on. The other thing is the anal glands as he points out. If they are full, that can smell pretty bad. The vet will need to express them. If it is as your husband suggests, from the saliva, it will be a lot more difficult to find. The food might not be appropriate for them and/or there is some sort of inherent deeper problem. Are they spade/neutered? If not, you might want to consider that.

The thing that I keep going back to in my mind is, with Pekenese, some do have odor issues. It can be caused by either one or a number of issues. An overgrowth of yeast or bacteria on the skin would create the odor, a skin infection, or they might be suffering from any number of inhalent allergies (mold, grass, dander), which also is associated with the breed. That might explain the saliva stench. Did the vet do an atopy workup --skin and/or blood test? Those should have been ruled out first. All this bathing won't get rid of something like that. If your vet has already done these things, then it would be time to find another vet and ask them about all of these possibilities. I just think your vet is missing something here.

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Originally Posted by Emland

Hello fellow dog lovers,

I have a pair of 7 year old Pekingnese dogs that I got from the SPCA last June. They have dry skin and do the itchy-scratchy thing that we are still trying to diagnose. Just finished the special super-expensive prescription dog food only 6 week trial, etc.

Although the itching is annoying, they don't seem to be doing any damage to their skin. I'm wondering now if it isn't just a nervous habit of theirs. The real problem is that they Stink!

I have spent probably close to $300 in shampoos, spray on deodorants, the supplement Dynavite (they love it and made their coat silky, but didn't stop the itching like it advertised) and all other various odor remedies found at Petsmart and online.

My husband thinks we are actually smelling their saliva getting spread around on their coat from the itchy problem. I think some dogs just smell. He is more sensitive to it than I am and since we don't let them on the furniture or bed, I don't care. He does and complains everday and is driving me nutz.

I am hoping you smart folks out there can make a suggestion for my doggies body odor problem. (We are bathing them once a week per vet's instructions w/prescription shampoo now - the stink is back by that evening.)

Thanks!

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I know what is wrong with your dog because my dog had the same problem.

You know how we smell underneath our arms after sweating, well dogs sweat in their ears and that's where the smell is coming from. Try cutting away fur from your dogs ears and keeping them clean. Dab warm water with a cotton ball and gently wipe out your dog's ears.

You can buy special cleaner for ears, its made to be extra gentle. I buy it in gallons.

I don't know what it is with some vets!!
Not all of them preform the necessary tests.

I had one miss a yeast infection that developed in the fold of my dogs skin on her lower belly. It persisted for months! They kept telling me it was a bladder infection or food allergies.
I took her to another vet which swabbed the area, looked at it under the scope, and treated her for it... Just like that the problem was solved.

My sister had a similar problem with her dogs ears. Vet told her for months that it was food allergies... After all the expensive prescription foods didn't work, she changed vets. They swabbed the ears and found a fungal infection, treated it and problem solved.

If you visit another vet, perhaps you'll get some different answers and hopefully better results...

Best wishes,
Kae

Forget all this guess work and find a better vet.

Thanks for all the advice. I am going to take them to a new vet for their annual checkup.

I will post what the new vets says when they get their annual checkup in early May.

You know, my dog stinks too. He just always smells like a dirty dog. No matter how often he gets a bath.
I have found if I get him professionally groomed, though, the smell doesn't come back as quickly.
I also feed him a good dog food that is made to improve his skin and coat. (we had an issue with dry skin this summer) and it did wonders for him.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Emland

Hello fellow dog lovers,

I have a pair of 7 year old Pekingnese dogs that I got from the SPCA last June. They have dry skin and do the itchy-scratchy thing that we are still trying to diagnose. Just finished the special super-expensive prescription dog food only 6 week trial, etc.

Although the itching is annoying, they don't seem to be doing any damage to their skin. I'm wondering now if it isn't just a nervous habit of theirs. The real problem is that they Stink!

I have spent probably close to $300 in shampoos, spray on deodorants, the supplement Dynavite (they love it and made their coat silky, but didn't stop the itching like it advertised) and all other various odor remedies found at Petsmart and online.

My husband thinks we are actually smelling their saliva getting spread around on their coat from the itchy problem. I think some dogs just smell. He is more sensitive to it than I am and since we don't let them on the furniture or bed, I don't care. He does and complains everday and is driving me nutz.

I am hoping you smart folks out there can make a suggestion for my doggies body odor problem. (We are bathing them once a week per vet's instructions w/prescription shampoo now - the stink is back by that evening.)

Thanks!

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My golden has this same problem. I have cured it once using the products from this site - NZYMES.COM: Instructions for Using NZYMES with Yeast Problems AT

She now has it again and I'm treating it again. It's a long process, but it works.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Emland

Hello fellow dog lovers,

I have a pair of 7 year old Pekingnese dogs that I got from the SPCA last June. They have dry skin and do the itchy-scratchy thing that we are still trying to diagnose. Just finished the special super-expensive prescription dog food only 6 week trial, etc.

Although the itching is annoying, they don't seem to be doing any damage to their skin. I'm wondering now if it isn't just a nervous habit of theirs. The real problem is that they Stink!

I have spent probably close to $300 in shampoos, spray on deodorants, the supplement Dynavite (they love it and made their coat silky, but didn't stop the itching like it advertised) and all other various odor remedies found at Petsmart and online.

My husband thinks we are actually smelling their saliva getting spread around on their coat from the itchy problem. I think some dogs just smell. He is more sensitive to it than I am and since we don't let them on the furniture or bed, I don't care. He does and complains everday and is driving me nutz.

I am hoping you smart folks out there can make a suggestion for my doggies body odor problem. (We are bathing them once a week per vet's instructions w/prescription shampoo now - the stink is back by that evening.)

Thanks!

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Stink usually comes from dogs EARS, or DENTAL disease. Try a product called "Odor Mute" and see if the stink still comes back. Are they rolling in something outside? Smell all their toys and see if they stink.

***UPDATE***

Hubby took the dogs to the new vet today. They got their annual checkup and shots and all that stuff and she had pretty much the same advice as the last vet, except she suggested bathing them only to a month and use a mane/tail shampoo first to remove dirt and then do the prescription shampoo for the itchy skin.

She said we pretty much are going to have to find what works for us. So back to spending a fortune at Animal Jungle, I suppose.

Labman - what is your opinion of brushing my beasties' teeth?

Hello Em:

I think they stink to let you know they don't like the line of clothing you've chosen for them. They're French, you know.

excon

PS> (edited) Chinese, maybe even??

Pekingnese are Chinese - or I have always thought so. Heck, I'll find them some Doggie Dior if it will cut the stink.

I am sorry the vet couldn't be more constructive or helpful Emland. If your dogs will allow you to, you can brush their teeth. It can't hurt to give it a go. Plaque build up can cause odor problems along with gum disease. Some dogs are more prone to it than others and do need brushing along with getting their teeth professionally cleaned by the vet. So, if it isn't a major struggle, try it. If the vet ruled out any skin disorders, I have a feeling it is allergies. That can result in huge odor problems. You might want to try chalemartin's suggestion. It can't hurt.

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Originally Posted by RubyPitbull

I am sorry the vet couldn't be more constructive or helpful Emland. If your dogs will allow you to, you can brush their teeth. It can't hurt to give it a go. Plaque build up can cause odor problems along with gum disease. Some dogs are more prone to it than others and do need brushing along with getting their teeth professionally cleaned by the vet.

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A very good idea. Last year I spent over 1000$ to have 12 teeth removed from my dogs mouth (don't worry he still has plenty.)

Brushing my dogs' teeth is one of those things I should do but don't. Another thing on the large list is taking a picture of 13 year old Aster's teeth and posting it to the net. They are still in very good shape. She has never had real bones to chew and always was fed dry dog food, not that she ever bothered to chew it much. She started on regular Purina, but has eaten Pro Plan chicken and rice most of her life.

I still feel a healthy dog eating a good diet, will not have an odor problem if brushed regularly. I don't include dogs with ear or dental infections in healthy dogs. Those are things a vet should find. You need nothing more sophisticated than your nose to detect an ear infection. Take a good sniff of the ears. You will know if the dog needs to see the vet. I agree with whoever mentioned rolling in stuff. If you don't keep their relief area clean, they may roll in their own feces.