Getting Rid of Doggie Odor

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     Few things are guaranteed to brighten my day more than a huge furry cuddle with my dogs, and I admit that I love that fresh, clean dog smell. But if your canine pal smells far from fresh, the last thing you want is a display of pet affection, so what do you do when your dog (to put it politely) stinks? Bad odor can be a symptom of many different conditions, and determining the cause is key to finding a cure.

One of the simplest, and often overlooked, causes of a smelly dog is their curious nature. Has Buddy been rolling in something you抎 rather not think about? Perhaps that dead squirrel in the garden? Or has a skunk been on the defensive? Luckily, as foul as these may smell, they are easily treated by a good bath and no medical intervention is needed. A tomato juice bath is widely reputed to remove skunk smell.

Other smells may be signs of an infection. For example:
?Bad breath may indicate gum disease or dental decay, or a more serious condition such as diabetes or kidney problems.
?Stinky ears can be a sign of mites, allergies, or some other chronic infection.
?Smelly skin may be the result of a bacterial (pyoderma) or fungal (dermatitis) infection. Bacterial infections, sometimes accompanied by hair loss and pimples, are usually easily treated. Bubbles抧払eads , a shampoo and conditioner, contains antibacterial tea tree and lavender oils to remove the odor and replace it with something more nose-friendly.
?Yeast infections, on the other hand, may be caused by allergies or a reaction to steroids or antibiotics. Finding the underlying cause is an essential part of treating the infection.
Then of course, there are those smells that are released from your dog抯 other end.
?There is little mistaking the strong smell caused by blocked anal glands but a vet can show you how to safely empty them.
?Flatulence can also cause problems. Some gas may be normal but frequently occurring emissions can be caused by food allergies, in which case a change of diet will help. Some Dog Smog Remedy , a breath freshener and digestive solution added to your pet抯 drinking water can aid bad breath or gas by neutralizing digestive enzymes.
Once the source of the odor has been found, you can work on getting rid of it. In the case of infection or allergy, it may take some time for treatment to work or a change of diet to take effect, but there are still steps you can take to help reduce the bad smell in the meantime. Dry Dog Instant Clean , a spray on bath replacement or dry shampoo, offers an alternative to frequent washing, and Fur Breeze can be used to help remove smells or whenever your dog wants to smell a little fancy.
Sometimes just giving your dog a bath does the trick. If you didn抰 take a bath for 3 months you might be smelly too! There are lots of opinions on how often you should bathe your dog but if you抮e like me, I sleep with my dog, so I prefer to wash my dogs weekly. Many people shy away from it for fear of drying out their dog抯 coat. But there are many high quality dog shampoos available that will not dry out the coat so it抯 probably worth the wash to avoid the unbearable doggie smell!
Serious dog odor shouldn抰 be ignored (and most of us can抰 ignore it for long), but once the underlying cause has been discovered, there are plenty of treatments and products available to ensure that you are soon enjoying cuddles with your pet again.