After a hectic day at work, smelling and sinking yourself deep into the dog’s fur can take off all your tiredness away at once. Dogs fill you up with life! There is no contradiction with that statement. But imagine your four-legged companion starts to smell bad all of sudden! and you say in your head My dog smells like death Omg! In such situations, what to do?
If my Dog smells like death, is he dying?
Dogs have been a men’s best friend since life was first witnessed on Earth. Their companionship, loyalty, and affection for one another has been eternal. Situations where your dog starts to smell like death, all of a sudden could be completely worrisome. Does that mean he’s dying?
If your dog is above 15 years he’s probably moving towards the extreme of his age. If he stays sick and doesn’t smell nice, this could be dog smelling like death. A bad smell could indicate a systemic problem or an underlying disease in his body which is now taking his life. But this is just an assumption, only a vet can confirm and tell you about his deteriorating health conditions.
However most of the time, he is not dying and the symptoms are treatable. Have a look at those reasons.
Other reasons for your dog’s foul smell
Does your dog smell like he hasn’t bathed in forever? Even after scrubbing him well, are you unable to get off the unbearable odor he carries? Could there be something wrong with his internal system? Let us answer all of these questions for you.
It’s totally normal to smell something unpleasant below your dog’s feet. The reason is that dogs sweat through their feet, and well that’s not a fragrance. Is it? But other smells in mouth and fur should definitely alarm you!
Bad Breath from his mouth
By the age of 2 to 3 years, many dogs start to give bad breath. Imagine your dogs jumping towards you after a long tiring day in excitement, but the bad breath destroys all the joy you were looking forward to! This smell could be due to dental problems that dogs acquire by the time they reach the age of 2 or 3 years. It occurs as a result of dental plaques formed from food left within the mouth which is then attacked by the bacteria. And not to forget your dog doesn’t brush his teeth twice a day as you do.
In a few cases, the smell could be so much worse that the dog smells like death, in such a situation dental plaque can cause immense pain even weaken your pet’s teeth. Smaller breeds are more susceptible to dental disorders than larger breeds.
Yeasty Ears
An ear infection can be foulsmelling just like earwax. They give a yeasty smell which is often the result of poor hygiene (fungal infection).
Detection is pretty easy, you might assume that the dog stinks overall but on close inspection, you’ll easily pick up the origin.
Foul-smelling skin infections
Skin issues such as Seborrhea is a buildup of serum and yeast over your dog’s skin. The serum is natural oil that is secreted by the skin to keep it moist. This provides the perfect medium for bacterial growth which then gives off a smell like a pig.
Some dogs make it worse by licking their skin over and over again which causes a secondary infection that is more critical and gives them a lot of pain. Dogs such as bulldogs, pugs that have folds tend to accumulate more microbes within their skin folds than others. You can get rid of such skin issues by giving them a regular bath and use of medicine over the skin.
Proxovirus causing death smell
If you forgot to vaccinate your dog in his initial months of life against Proxovirus he could actually be smelling death! Parvovirus presents with lethargy and vomiting in addition to stinky plus bloody diarrhea. Be aware! Dog’s vomiting is like him smelling death. This can be a life-threatening situation!
Systemic diseases
Unpleasant Diabetes odor
Just like diabetes is one of the most common diseases in men, it is also a common manifestation in dogs. And you might be surprised by knowing that just as diabetic patients give off acetone smell in their breath, so do dogs! Dogs with diabetes give out the sweet yet intolerable smell from their mouths with many other signs. This could include, sudden weight loss, eating more than usual, and sleeping all day long.
With such abnormal activities, report to your vet at the earliest.
Pungent smell in dog urine
According to researchers, one out of ten dogs develops a kidney disease over his lifetime. Most commonly dogs get UTIs. Kidney dysfunction can result in a putrid/pungent smell coming out of a dog’s urine. Along with that, you’d notice the four-legged friend of yours now drinks and even urinates more than usual. In severe cases, you might detect blood in the urine. Check out for such signs to make a differential diagnosis.
Insufficient breakdown of proteins can result in their accumulation within blood. Since these are unable to pass through the kidneys they can often lead to high levels of blood urea nitrogen. And well all of us are aware of the pungent ammonia smell which can also be sensed in dogs, hence, dogs get smelly. But I have a question, how can you ever fail to recognize characteristic pungent ammonia smell? I can never forget my chemistry labs with it! Ever!
Death-like smell in liver diseases
Has your four-legged friend been suffering from appetite loss and vomiting? Have his gums and eyes started to show pale coloration? Is he stinking like death? This is the probable diagnosis of a liver disease. Liver disease can be dangerous and need immediate attention.
Rotten dog smell is actually cancer smell
Dogs can smell cancer in men with their highly developed smelling sense. But can you smell a dog with cancer? The answer is yes!
Does your dog smell like rotten meat? Rotten meat smell is similar to necrotic tissue or cell death. These could occur as a result of tumors. Tumors of mouth can give the dog a rotten meat smell that won’t go away no matter what you do.
Death-like smell with unhygienic conditions
Dog smells of are quite a few types. Some dogs can smell like death scaring the owners to the core. Well, in my opinion, you have all the right to get worried but it’s just a result of your dog’s unhygienic habits.
Dogs can get their mouth over dead bodies of other animals which are going carry a foul smell for sure. These dead bodies carry ample bacteria and ill-smelling protozoa that can easily transfer and colonize within your pet. Moreover, a few dogs eat their own poop which again spreads an unpleasant smell all over. So if your dog likes to roam around, it’s time to be a strict parent and limit his outside exposure.
Why do wet dogs smell bad?
Some people might notice that when dog fur gets wet it starts to stink. The reason is simple yet complicated to understand. Bacteria and yeast live in dog fur, with exposure to water their waste starts to give off a nasty odor. Thus drying your pet as quickly as possible after they get wet is essential.
How to get rid of smelly dog odor?
After your dog has acquired an unhealthy smell, you just can’t sit around and weep over his poor condition. No! That’s not going to help him at all! What’s really going to help is that both of you get accustomed to healthy habits.
Look after Dental Hygiene
Most commonly dogs get ill-smelling gums and teeth due to dental caries. Brushing your dog’s teeth will help reduce the incidence. Special toothpaste made for dogs is a great option to start with. Do it 2-5 times a week.
If your dog doesn’t agree on getting his teeth brushed, how about you get a Dog mouthwash? Do you imagine the dogs gargling, no! These mouthwashes are mixed with water and are safe to swallow by pets. It helps expel tarter and get rid of death-like smell too.
Moreover, Dental treats such as chewing toys are also available that keep your dogs happy and help to reduce dental problems to some extent.
Bath your dog regularly
Bathing your dog and keeping his ears clean can clearly keep him away from many skin infections. It is recommended after every three months with an aromatherapy shampoo. Dry your dog’s fur immediately after a bath as bacteria readily multiply in a moist environment.
In case you lack the time and energy, there are many spas that are willing to do it at a reasonable price. Once you have your pet pretty and tidy, you can hug him for long hours.
Keeping your dog’s bedding clean and spraying it regularly can save it from many infectious agents.
Make a diet plan and get Regular health checks
Just like in humans, a balanced diet plan can reduce the incidence of systemic diseases so is the case with dogs. A Diet plan can also solve gas-issues with many dogs by restricting them to a grain-free diet.
On the other side, every month get at least one visit to the vet so that your dog smelling like death is never a problem. These health checks help to detect diseases before time, allowing prompt treatment to be done
Attention Alert! Do not miss out on dog vaccinations at all!
Restrict your dog’s outside exposure
If your dog likes to play with trash STOP HIM. He’s not enjoying but rather inviting loads of diseases his way. Attach a GPS device with his collar, and try to keep an eye on him. Strictly tell him, Stinky Dogs are not attractive!
With that said, I’d conclude that Dogs smell like death, and it’s disgusting. A stinky dog could be the reason you might get distant with your companion, and that doesn’t sound right?
Your dog can’t take himself to the vet. It’s you who’ll have to make time out of your routine and treat your pet right.
Get working on the foul-smelling friend now and start dreaming to sink into his fluffy fur again!
