My old guy (just shy of 16) just keeps getting more stinky. He swims a lot. I bathe him every weekend at the end of the swimming for the day. He is a thick coated boy so maybe not drying out? I have just got & tried the KetoChlor medicated shampoo from the vet & seems like no improvement. Does anyone have any suggestions? Vet said it's combo old dog smell & some bacteria in skin that is the probable cause. He's such a clean boy so I'm baffled on what to do. He smells like a combo of poo & more poo. :yuck:
how wonderful your old guy is still swimming a good dog life!
my old man was kinda stinky, too (at least my husband thought so!) After googling "stinky dog", I hit upon rinsing him with diluted white vinegar, then a final clear water rinse. helped a bit.
have you had his anal glands expressed?
Where do you buy Microtek in case the vinegar solution doesn't work? I know Elvis had not had his anal glands done in a long time, maybe that's also a good idea.
Altho it's not THAT smell, but could attribute some of the odor if there is something going on.
You can get MicroTeck at Tractor Supply down here and some tack stores too.
Elvis might be a little stinky, but he sure is adorable - extremely adorable.
My old guy had a strong "doggy" odor to me, but I didn't think anything of it until I took him to specialist and she told me that was a sign of skin infection. It was both bacterial and fungal and a medicated shampoo 2X a week(Duoxo Rx because I couldn't find MicroTek) and antibiotics initially and then just medicated bathes sure made his skin a lot better.
if you can't find Micro-Tek at tack stores, you can order online at amazon. I'd use full strength while you feel there is something going on. Later you can dilute it. Just be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse ( true with any shampoo).
Mick is 13 and I get that old man smell especially in the summer. His groomer uses half liquid anti-bacterial and half white vinegar shaken not stirred. Then she rinses him with half vinergar half water stirred not shaken and then a clean water rinse. Lasts a good 6 weeks.
coppers-mom
Thanks, Elvis is very handsome even in his OLD age.
While I think the vet is correct with combo skin infection with old dog smell...I will try the Rx again until I use it up, but love the vinegar rinse idea as well.
Tennyson
thanks for the info and after I have used up the Rx if the smell gets better I will do the 1/2 and 1/2 method. My guys swim EVERY weekend from Fri-Sun. So Elvis never really dries out as I don't bathe but rinse him at night until the Sunday night bath time. It's a chore, but they know the drill. Tug dries in a few minutes so he's good.
Yes he is! Like the real Elvis he has many fans. Hangs out all day with us in the office. Goes to the beach to swim most every weekend. He has a wonderful life & he gives us so much LOVE.
Your Elvis is just gorgeous and I think it is wonderful he still swims.
I was going to mention that maybe he's not drying completely and maybe has a yeast infection? I think the Microtek shampoo should help.
Have you found anything to get the mats out of his fur if he gets them.
Our Samoyed gets mats from swimming.
Your Elvis is just gorgeous and I think it is wonderful he still swims. I was going to mention that maybe he's not drying completely and maybe has a yeast infection? I think the Microtek shampoo should help.
Have you found anything to get the mats out of his fur if he gets them.
Our Samoyed gets mats from swimming.
I believe this might be the problem. My Cody had that fluffy beautiful fur also and was always getting yeast infections from being in the water daily. Especially under his neck. We had to take him to the groomers every 2 weeks because of the smell.
On the other hand my Wyatt swims daily and never smells. He has much denser coat. I hope you find something that works! Good luck!
That was about a year ago 14 1/2. Tug has had a great influence on his activity. He's slowing down a little bit, but has to be involved on what's going on so it keeps him a lot more active keeping up with a 2 yr old brother.
Karen, Elvis doesn't get matts too much. Used to get them on the back of his ears when rolling in sand & grass after swimming. Thanks for the info it could be yeast due to wet/moist skin and never staying dry. Once dry the odor comes back due to not getting the yeast/bacteria out which is what I will try to fight now that everyone has been so helpful. He does not like to be DRY and it's as he's gotten older the past 2 years (summer) he's been smelling bad. Not teeth, ears, eyes, or internal~all check ups are 100% great. He's my energizer bunny. Gotta go~he needs some love & dinner.
you say he doesn't like to be dry--do you use the hair dryer on him? I'm guessing he really should get throughly dry once a week, after his bath, whether he likes it or not.
have you tried giving him apple cider vinegar? it seems to work well for preventing yeast infections (in my dog for both paws and ears, so why not skin?), if that's what you decide he has. you can find lots of info by searching on here about ACV.
Your Elvis is simply gorgeous! How lovely that he's gotten to such a great age. Whatever you're doing, keep it up Give that senior citizen a smooch from me, please.
Elvis is breathtaking - what a beautiful almost 16 (!) year old!! You are so very lucky.
It seems like many of us with Old Gold are having this issue. My vet also said she suspects it is bacteria from swimming in the lake all summer - even though I thoroughly dry Tesia (12 yrs old) and shampooed her once every couple of weeks. I tried vinegar to no avail. The vet has given me a medicated vet shampoo (it is literally called Canadian Medicated Veterinary Shampoo) that I'm going to try as soon as her leg wound is all healed.
And it sounds like the same lovely scent - I tell her she smells like poo. :yuck:
Update on Elvis. The KetoChlor worked. As long as I brush and dry his coat well to keep the dampness out he smells good. it is the constant dampness that was growing the bacteria, yeast which smelled.
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