Skin and odor problem

Question
I have a 7 yr old male pom. He has a bad case of dry skin and he has a terrible odor. I had to clip his fur to see if some air would help with the odor but it hasn't. He scraches all the time. Is there anything I can do for him?

Answer
He is probably allergic to something and that causes the glands in his skin to produce more oil.  That oil is digested by the bacteria on the skin which gives him the odor and the appearance of dry skin.  So in many of these cases, I try and deal with the allergies with medication, I deal with the skin infection by determining if it is bacterial or fungal, and then I use special shampoos to remove the surface skin cells that hold the odor.  I also use dietary Omega fatty acids to desensitize the skin to the allergen. Check with your vet to sdee what is best for your dog's skin.