Let’s face it: sometimes your dog seemingly out of nowhere develops a scent that follows them throughout your home. You’re probably highly motivated to figure out what is causing that odor in order to put a stop to it. So if you’re wondering, “Why does my dog smell so bad?”, here’s what might be causing the issue:

1. Skin Diseases and Other Issues

There are many common skin problems in dogs that may be causing your dog to smell bad. Your dog’s skin protects them from infection. If something disturbs that barrier, the skin can experience infections, irritations, or unusual oil production. When this happens, an unpleasant odor may result, alerting you to get your dog checked out by a vet.

Other skin issues that can irritate the skin include allergies, inflammation, as well as hormonal imbalances. Other issues like parasites, wounds, or yeast infections can cause yeast or bacteria to grow on the skin, which can lead to a bad odor. If you suspect your dog may have any of these, contact your veterinarian. They’ll run tests to determine the cause and prescribe treatment. Antibiotics and medicated shampoos are often prescribed to treat these skin issues.

2. Dental Issues

A common dog myth is that bad breath is normal. However, it’s actually not as common as people think and your dog doesn’t have to have bad breath. If your dog has bad breath, you should consider implementing dental care for your dog if you haven’t already. Of course, your dog won’t have that fresh and minty breath, but it doesn’t have to knock you out, either.

If you’re practicing regular dental care on your dog and bad breath persists or develops, your dog may have dental disease. A common symptom of gum disease in dogs is bad breath and if their bad breath isn’t clearing up, schedule a visit with your vet to get a start on treating the issue

3. Kidney Disease or Diabetes

Bad breath can be a sign of kidney disease or canine diabetes. A metallic odor, a sweet odor, or an odor like nail polish can all be attributed to kidney disease or diabetes. If this describes your dog’s breath, try to get them seen as soon as possible.

4. Environmental Causes

If you have a dog, you’re probably all too familiar with the wet dog smell. Your dog’s fur has microorganisms like yeast and bacteria that live in your dog’s fur. These microorganisms have relatively no scent as long as your dog stays dry.

However, if your dog gets wet from a bath or goes for a swim, the moisture can cause those microorganisms to release that musty odor we call “wet dog”. Thoroughly toweling off your dog can help their coat dry faster, and hopefully, the wet dog smell dissipates more quickly.

Your dog may also smell if they happen to take a swim in dirty water or roll around in smelly stuff. There are many reasons dogs love to roll in smelly stuff and sometimes it seems that the smellier, the better! If your dog has found joy in these activities, but smells awful, it’s time for a good bath!

If you’re wondering, “Why does my dog smell so bad?”, hopefully, some of these causes can help you figure out the issue and treat it. Sometimes dogs just have a certain odor, but if it’s unusual or very strong, getting to the root of the issue can hopefully alleviate the problem!