Pet Odor of the Ears, Mouth, Anal Area, Vulva, or Skin

Pet Odor medical terms: Intertrigo, Pruritus, Pododermatitis, Coprophagia, Seborrhea, Lichenoid

What Causes Pet Odor Problems (Malodor)?

Yeast and bacteria cause pruritus or itching. Pets scratch and this increases blood flow to the area. Increased blood produces inflammation, swelling, and heat so that pet odors become even more offensive.

Odors also worsen when pets are wet. This is because the number of compounds causing odor increases from 16 compounds in a dry coat to 22 compounds in a wet coat. In addition to increasing in number, odor-causing compounds chemically change when they become wet so that their odor becomes stronger. For example, the natural coat compound benzaldehyde is 30 times more malodorous when the coat is wet than when it is dry.

What areas of the body are offensive pet odors found?

Footpads have glands that secrete oils, which some people find offensive, even when pets are healthy.

Odor from the ears Ears can be malodorous when infected with bacteria or yeast. These infections are common in dogs with food allergies, dogs that swim frequently, dogs with long pendulous ears, dogs and cats with ear mites, and cats with ear polyps.

Generally, ear infections smell worse the longer they persist. It is difficult for the body to clear these infections because pus, debris, and cerumen collect in the ear canal and form a waxy plug that blood, infection-fighting white blood cells, and medication does not penetrate. Nor can antibiotics in the blood penetrate into debris in the canal.

To resolve ear odor problems, ears must be cleared of debris, and medication must be put directly into the canal. If the infection involves the inner ear, as well as the outer ear, systemic antibiotics are used because blood penetrates the inner ear.

Odors from the mouth

Mouth odor is also caused when pets eat feces (coprophagia), onions, and garlic.

In addition to the odors coming from the mouth itself, odors caused in other areas of the body can be released through the mouth. For example, pets with bleeding stomach ulcers have offensive breath when the odor of digested blood rises from the stomach. Pets with kidney disease exhale waste materials from the blood through their breath and have uremic breath. Pets with uncontrolled diabetes metabolize fat and muscle which gives the breath a peculiar acetone odor. Pets on medications, such as DMSO, have a garlicly breath.

All dogs have a skin fold in the lower lip that can trap bacteria, yeast, food particles, and moisture leading to an offensive odor. This lip fold is deepest in Cocker Spaniels.

Odors from the anal area

In addition to problems arising from skin around the anal area, some pets qualify as malodorous for the quality and quantity of gas they pass. Flatulence reaches crescendos of noise and malodor in pets with maldigestion, malabsorption, and food allergies.

Odors from the vulva

Pets with urinary incontinence that dribble urine have an offensive odor around the vulva or prepuce. The odor extends to cover large areas of the pet if incontinence occurs when the pet sleeps and lies in its urine.

Fat pets and pets with thick skin folds or wrinkled skin around the vulva have an offensive odor because moisture, bacteria and yeast congregate in the fold. This condition is ‘intertrigo.”

Odors of the skin

Skin serves as a protective barrier to keep pathogens like bacteria out of the body and keep moisture in, but few realize the skin also serves as an excretory organ that discharges wastes. For example, pets with kidney disease expel uremic wastes and salts through the skin. These pets smell like urine and their skin is intensely itchy.

Some medications, such as DMSO, give skin a peculiar garlicy odor because volatile byproducts of DMSO are released through the skin and breath.

Hormones influence skin health and skin odor. Dogs with under-active thyroid glands (hypothyroidism) have dull, thin hair coats and thick, flaky skin over a thick layer of fat. The skin is slow to heal and is easily invaded by malodorous yeast and bacteria. Fungal infections, such as ringworm, are also common in hypothyroid dogs.

Cats with hyperactive thyroid glands have scruffy, oily, unkempt coats. The coats mat and stink because these cats don’t groom themselves.

Many cancers affect skin and leave the foul odor of decaying flesh. Among cancers that can be malodorous are anal sac tumors, osteosarcoma, mammary tumors, squamous cell carcinoma, and lymphosarcoma.

Odors of the footpads

Nutrition affects pet odor

Supplements affect pet odor

Medications affect pet odor

Behaviors affect pet odor

Collars and bedding affect pet odor

Who develops pet odors?

We do the following to pets and cause them to be malodorous:

• feed poor-quality kibble with indigestible grains, additives, dyes and chemical preservatives,
• supplement with fish or fish oils,
• medicate with certain products, such as oral Metacam or topical flea and tick products,
• bathe, dip, or spray with chlorhexidine, sulfurated lime, and herbal flea products,
• fail to wash them, their collars, or their bedding.

Pets that develop malodors because of their health or behavior typically have at least one of these problems:

• advanced age,
• allergies
• anal problems,
• cancer,
• coprophagia,
• damp ear canals,
• gingivitis,
• hyperthyroid disease,
• hypothyroid disease,
• kidney disease,
• obesity or genetic wrinkles,
• rolling in manure or dead wildlife,
• seborrhea, or
• unwashed coats, collars, and bedding.

Advanced Age: Senior pets
Senior pets are predisposed to having strong odors for many reasons:

• less likely to have healthy skin
• inclined to be incontinent and dribble urine or feces
• take odor-causing medication, such as Metacam for arthritis
• protest at being bathed, so they are allowed to go unbathed.

Allergies
Pets with allergies have abnormal immune systems and are prone to many health problems. These problems are often associated with an offensive odor: ear infections, skin infections (hot spots), inflammatory bowel disease, flatulence, diarrhea, and frequent yeast infections. Breeds commonly affected include the West Highland White Terrier, Labrador Retriever, Dachshund, Poodle, Boxer, and Basset Hound.

Anal problems
Dogs predisposed to anal sac inflammation and anal odors include breeds with a tendency to be allergic. Allergies cause itchy ears and rears. These dogs drag or scoot on the floor so that bacteria are driven into the skin. Inflammation follows. Among the breeds inclined to allergies and anal sac inflammation are Dachshunds, Poodles, Chihuahuas, Retrievers, and Spaniels.

Dogs with low-set tails that carry their tails clamped down are predisposed to developing malodorous draining fistulous tracts under the tail anal. The breeds most likely to develop anal fistulas are German Shepherds and Irish Setters.

Cancer
Cancer occurs in about half of our senior dogs and one-third of senior cats. It causes malodor for many reasons. Cancer interferes with the immune system so pets have more frequent bacterial and skin infections. There may be kidney failure that leads to uremic breath. Cancer itself may destroy skin and lead to open draining wounds. Breeds more inclined to develop cancer include Boston Terriers, Boxers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, Poodles, Boxers, Rottweilers, Shetland Sheepdogs, Cocker Spaniels, Doberman Pinschers, Beagles, Miniature Schnauzers, and Shih Tzus.

Cancer occurs in all cat breeds but is most common in the Manx, Siamese, and Burmese.

Coprophagia
Coprophagia, the habit of eating feces that is common in puppies, causes bad breath. Coprophagia also occurs in adult dogs that are not getting nutrients they need from their food.

Damp ear canals and otitis
Dogs with thick hair in the ear canal, long, pendulous ears, or frequent exposure to water are likely to have malodorous ear infections. Breeds commonly affected include the Cocker Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Basset Hound, Beagle, Springer Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, Pekingese, Poodle, Schnauzer, Shih Tzu, and Spaniel.

Gingivitis
Pets predisposed to develop malodor because of gingivitis and poor oral health include the miniature breeds with crooked teeth that trap food particles, such as the Shih Tzu, Poodle, and Chihuahua. Cats also develop gingivitis, especially older cats.

Hyperthyroidism
Malodor caused by hyperthyroidism is common in cats, especially older cats. It is uncommon in dogs.

Hypothyroidism
Malodor caused by hypothyroidism is common in dogs. Breeds affected include the Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Boxer, Irish Setter, Great Dane, Airedale Terrier, Old English Sheepdog, Dachshund, Miniature Schnauzer, Poodle, and Doberman Pinscher.

Kidney disease
Malodor caused by kidney disease is common in senior cats, especially Persians. In fact, about 40% of Persian cats have genes for polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which causes kidney failure. Terriers, including Bull Terriers, Cairn Terriers, and West Highland White Terriers, are also prone to develop PKD. Other dog breeds prone to develop kidney disease are the Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Cocker Spaniel, Samoyed, Shar Pei, Malamute, Beagle, Bernese Mountain Dog, Chow, Doberman, German Shepherd, and Golden Retriever.

Obesity, genetic wrinkles, and skin folds
Some pets develop thick folds or wrinkles because they are overweight. Other pets develop wrinkles because they are genetically inclined to do so. These wrinkles and folds trap bacteria and moisture, and become infected and malodorous. This form of dermatitis is called intertrigo. Affected breeds include the Pug, Pekingese, Shar Pei, Neopolitan Mastiff, Bulldog and Bloodhound. Cocker Spaniels may develop lip fold intertrigo because they have a deep fold in the lower lip that traps food and bacteria.

Rolling in manure or dead wildlife
Farm dogs with access to stock ponds, compost piles, or dead wildlife often roll in these materials and have an enduringly offensive odor. This is one ingrained habit that we will not miss if it is lost in succeeding generations.

Seborrhea
Seborrhea is a malodorous skin condition that can be greasy or dry. It occurs in dogs with long coats and those with short coats. Affected dog breeds: West Highland White Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Basset Hound, Shar Pei, Doberman Pinscher, Irish Setter, German Shepherd, Dachshund, and Labrador Retriever. Seborrhea also occurs in cats.

Unwashed coats, collars, and bedding
Pets that are not bathed with soap and water develop an odor just as people do when they do not bathe. How often a pet should be bathed depends upon the pet. It is safe to wash many dogs weekly. Pets with bacterial or fungal skin infections may need a medicinal bath twice a week. Common misconceptions that pets should not be bathed arise for two reasons:

• shampoos have been too harsh and removed all the good oils from the skin. This dried the coat and skin causing it to flake and to be less resistant to bacteria and yeasts.
• nutrition has been inadequate so that the skin is dry and unhealthy.

Pet bedding and collars should be washed regularly or they will stink. This is particularly true when dogs swim or live in wet climates and wear collars made of materials that support bacterial growth.

The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians   Date Category Topic 09/04/06  Ear Care  EAR MITES??? 09/01/06  Urinary Tract/Kidneys  URINE ODOR 08/28/06  Antibiotics/Anti-Infectives  HAIR LOSS , WHITE DANDRUFF, AND BUMBS ON EARS AND ODER 08/21/06  Skin Care  SKIN PROBLEM 08/12/06  Odor Control  HE SMELLS SO BAD AFTER HIS WALK 08/07/06  Ear Care  EAR INFECTIONS 08/02/06  Skin Care  LOSING HAIR ON NECK 07/29/06  Allergy  CAT ALLERGIES, PROBLEMS 07/25/06  Ear Care  BROWN RESIDUE IN ONE EAR 07/23/06  Ear Care  EAR REDNESS AND SENSITIVITY 07/21/06  Odor Control  HOW TO PREVENT ODOR 07/21/06  Odor Control  CAT SMELLS LIKE URINE 07/18/06  Odor Control  DOG ODOR & SHEDDING 07/12/06  Skin Care  HELP ME PLEASE!!!! 07/06/06  Digestive Care  DIARRHEA 1 2 3 4 5 »»

 

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