odor in a dog

Question
a friend owns a spayed female chow around 6 years old.  the dog is healthy.  there is no loss of hair or bald spots.  casey, the dog, emits a strong odor when she is scratching herself otherwise there is no smell.  is there anything that can be administered to the dog that doesn't cost too much money since my friend cannot afford expensive med treatment.  

is baking soda ever used on animals to destroy odor?

Answer
The dog may need her teeth cleaned, anal glands expressed, or maybe she just needs a good bath. I would go for the bath first.

Yes, one should be able to sprinkle baking soda into a dog's coat, but it would be very messy once the dog shook and it would lighten the dog's color a bit.