Why Does My Dog Stink?

Dogs and "smell" seem to go hand in hand, but when is your dog's smell so pungent and bad that it borders on abnormal? First, let's explain that dogs do not sweat like humans through their skin. Most of the perspiration happens through their paws. There is a tiny bit of perspiration that happens through their hair follicles, but it's limited. The main way dogs regulate their body temperature is through panting. Which is why you should avoid taking your dog on major hikes on hot, hot days! All healthy dogs may smell the same to us humans, but in fact, each dog has it's own individual smell. A dog produces it's individual scent by secreting oil through it's skin, hair and glands. So yes, your dog when healthy, will  have it's own "dog smell". But if the smell is SO BAD it borders on something died, you may want to seek out what could be causing it.

1. Something in fact did die and your dog rolled in it. This is the most obvious conclusion. Dogs are notorious for rolling in things that don't smell good! If this happens, you will need to bath your dog and hope for the best. 
2. Allergies often manifest as problems with the skin. Allergies are not something that can simply be ignored and do take some diligence on finding out the source of the allergy. If ignored, the skin will begin to thicken from inflammation, secondary inflammation will occur and the skin will start producing excess secretions of oil and water. Simply bathing your dog does not help. You may make the problem worse by over-bathing your dog. You need to find the root cause of the allergy and that may take a veterinarian. 
3. Seborrhea. I am not going to go into great detail on seborrhea, because that could be a whole blog post in itself. In Layman's Terms, Seborrhea is excessive scaling and flaking of the skin. Your dog's skin could be dry and flaky or oily and greasy. There are two forms of seborrhea, primary and secondary. Primary seborrhea can be breed specific and start at an early age with no underlying disease. Secondary seborrhea is caused by an underlying problem: disease, hormonal changes, allergies, infections, poor diet, obesity, environmental factors, ect. If you suspect your dog has seborrhea, it's best to get a Vet for help in determining the cause.
4. Yeast has a very distinct smell. It is often compared to corn chips and manifests in the paws and ears. You will also see your dog excessively scooting around on their butt. If you suspect  the smell is yeast, the first thing you should do is examine what kind of food your dog is eating. Is it high in carbs? Yeast thrives on carbs. You will also need to clean the paws, ears and have your dog's scent glands cleaned regularly until the yeast is cleared up. If it persists, it may be time to visit a vet. 
5. Infected ears. Is your dog scratching it's ears and shaking it's head a lot? Chances are, Fido has an ear infection. It could be bacterial. If so, you will need to clean your dog's ears until the infection is cleared. Sometimes, medicated ear ointment from your vet is needed. 
6. Flatulence. Of course this will make your dog stink! This will make the whole room stink! If your dog has bad flatulence, chances are that it is dietary or there is an intestinal problem going on. First thing comes first, change to a higher quality diet. 
7. Bad Breath is most of the time caused by built up odor producing bacteria in the mouth that can be caused by tartar or something like an abscess. Sometimes it can also stem from an underlying problem in the gastrointestinal tract, liver or kidneys. The first thing to examine is whether or not you are giving your dog adequate dental care through regular cleanings. If not, it may be time to start! If you are on par with the cleanings, it may be time to have a Veterinarian examine your dog for an underlying problem. 

For more information on stinky dogs, please visit these sites:

• Smelly Dog: Why Does My Dog Stink? , Best Friends Organization: https://bestfriends.org/resources/smelly-dog-why-does-my-dog-stink
• Ask A Vet: Why Does My Dog Stink? , I Heart Dogs: https://iheartdogs.com/ask-a-vet-why-does-my-dog-stink/
• Why Does My Dog...Smell So Bad? , Vet Street: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/why-does-my-dog-smell-so-bad

Treating Burns on Dogs

It happens to the best of us, even your four-legged companion-- BURNS. They hurt and are a nuisance. Before you treat a burn, you should know what kind of burn you are treating and how to deal with it. There are three types of burns: heat induced (sunburn, hot liquid, oven, ect...), chemical burns and electrical. There is also three different types of severity in burns: first, second and third-degree. First-degree burns are superficial. They only affect the topmost layer of the skin. The skin will look red, like a sunburn. There will be no blisters. Second-degree burns produce blisters and the skin may look "wet". Third-degree burns involve complete destruction of the skin layers. Areas may look black and charred.

The treatments I have outlined below are for first-degree burns. Dogs with second and third-degree burns should always go to the vet. Infection can sneak up quickly and proper treatment should be administered right away. With all types of burns, you should always monitor your companion making sure he/she has not gone into shock.

If your canine has a second or third-degree burn, gently wrap the area with a bandage. Do not use a bandage with loose fibers! These fibers could imbed into the burn and cause more problems. After the burn has been wrapped, seek medical attention. Ointments and creams should not be used on any type of burn (Especially, second or third) unless directed by a veterinarian. It doesn't really help the healing process and could cause more problems than worth.

7 Signs It's Time to Change Your Dog's Food

 We have all heard the age old advice not to change your pet's food and that they should stay on their chosen pet food for the rest of their lives. Not True. Like humans, dogs change physiologically over time and their food needs to be adjusted every now and then to ensure proper nutrition. So, how can you tell if your dog is not getting enough nutrients (or too much) from their current dog food? Here are seven signs that it's time to change your dog's food:

Changing your dog's current food can sometimes be a tricky task. It's hard to wade through all the different varieties out there. As an owner, sometimes it feels like you need a PhD in dog food just to figure out what works and doesn't work for your pet. Transitioning your dog's food must be done over a 7-10 day period. Starting with about a 20-25% "new" food mixed with the old. Gradually increase the percentage of new over the time span until the old food is phased out. Sometimes, a food allergy may pop up with a new dog food. It is generally best to to pay attention to the ingredients in the food. If you notice an allergic reaction in your pet, check to see if there is something novel in that specific food. It may be a specific meat source, a grain or something completely random like a blueberry. If you find that the symptoms above seem to be a chronic problem, please, please, please call your veterinarian! Finding the right food for your pet can be tricky sometimes and expert opinions make it a whole lot easier on you and your pet.

Why Socializing Your Dog With Other Dogs Is Important

Often as dog owners, we do everything in our power to make sure our furry family member is healthy and happy. We feed them top-notch food, we exercise them physically and mentally, but in our busy lives, we often forget one important element: Letting our dog play with other dogs. In my blog posts I have often talked about the issues owners have with treating their dog like a human. Dogs are not humans, they are dogs! And the more we humanize our dogs, the more neurotic our dog becomes. Dogs crave other dog interactions and when these needs are not met, we often get a depressed, stressed out canine companion. In turn, this leads to health problems, because stress and depression break down the immune system.

As a human, imagine going your whole life living with an alien species that does not speak your language. I suspect you would eventually forget your native language or even how to be a human. You would eventually take on the behaviors of your alien family all the while fighting against your human instincts.You would be at odds. A dog, by instinct, is born knowing how to be a dog. In a natural pack, these dog behaviors in the puppy are reinforced by the mother and then by other dogs. But, we have a problem: this natural process is interrupted by humans. A human will often adopt a puppy into their human pack and thus disrupt this natural learning process! We now have a puppy that needs to learn how to be a dog AND how to properly behave around humans. As humans, we often do a good job (or a kinda good job) at training our dog how to behave around the human pack. BUT, we often neglect the dog aspect and we get a depressed, frustrated canine. Allowing your dog to interact with other dogs in a pack setting can alleviate a lot of behavioral problems you may be experiencing with your dog. In fact, dog packs can often do it faster. Take for instance, biting too hard or becoming completely frantic during play. A dog interacting with other dogs, will quickly learn that if they bite too hard or become out of control, they will lose their dog friends. Being cast out of a dog pack is the ultimate punishment for a dog. Let's face it, dogs need dogs in order to be a dog, because we humans can't do it. We aren't dogs.

Veterinary behaviorist R.K. Anderson DVM, Diplomate ACVB and ACVPM, Professor and Director Emeritus, Animal Behavior Clinic and Center to Study Human/Animal Relationships and Environments, University of Minnesota, offered to her colleagues in an open letter: "the risk of a dog dying because of infection with distemper or parvo disease is far less than the much higher risk of a dog dying (euthanasia) because of a behavior problem." This letter was written regarding puppy socialization classes and you can read the full letter if you click HERE. 

For more information on this topic, you can click on these links:

• Why Socialization Is Important, Cesar's Way: https://www.cesarsway.com/cesar-millan/cesars-blog/why-socialization-is-important
• The Importance of Dog Socialization and Exercise, Dog Guru: http://www.dogguru.ca/the-importance-of-dog-socialization-and-exercise/ 
• Boosting Your Dog's Immune System, Dog Naturally: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/boosting-your-dogs-immune-system/ 
•  The Vaccination Vs. Socialization Debate, Dogster: http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/the-vaccination-vs-socialization-debate