does salmon dog food make dogs smell

The Real Reason Your Dog Smells Like Fish

Dogs can smell like many things, depending on what they have most recently rolled in, but one of the more unpleasant aromas dogs commonly develop is one of fish.

If your dog smells like fish, it is probably not because he figured out how to spray himself with Eau de Sardine. A fishy odor is usually the result of secretions from the anal glands.

What Are Anal Glands?

Anal glands, which are also called anal sacs, are small sacs located on either side of your dogs anus. These sacs are full of specialized sweat glands that produce an unpleasant smelling secretion that acts as a scent marker for your dog. When your dog poops, these secretions pass onto the feces, letting other dogs know important chemical information about your dog. This explains why your dog is so interested in other dogs poop, not to mention the tail sniffing that goes on when two dogs meet.

Dogs also express their anal sacs when they are scared, which is perfectly normal, if a bit odorous. Anal gland secretions have a distinct smell that many people describe as fishy. If your dog smells like fish, chances are there may be something going on with their anal glands. Luckily, there are ways to deal address the smell.

Anal Sac Disease

Anal sac disease, which is a term used to describe problems with the anal glands, is very common, particularly among small dog breeds. The largest dog breeds are not usually affected.

Impactions

Normally, your dogs anal glands are naturally expressed in small amounts each time she defecates. Sometimes, however, the anal sacs are not emptied completely of fluid, and the fluid becomes dry and causes impaction. Impacted anal sacs cannot express properly, which is very painful for your dog. The sacs feel hard to the touch, and when expressed manually by a veterinarian or other professional, produce a thin ribbon of pasty, brown material. If impacted anal glands arent treated, they can become abscessed.

Impactions can happen for several reasons. There could be an abnormality in your dogs anal sacs, or your dog could have soft stool, which is not firm enough to express your dogs anal glands when she defecates. Obese dogs are at an increased risk of impacted anal glands, as their sacs do not empty well.

Infections and Abscesses

Anal glands can also get infected, and in this case, they can also become abscessed if left untreated. Infected and abscessed anal sacs are very painful, and the area may appear discolored or swollen. If left untreated, these abscesses can rupture through the skin.

Abscesses need prompt attention, says Dr. Jerry Klein, AKC chief veterinary officer. They are painful and sometimes require surgery. The dog also usually needs antibiotics and pain medications.

Anal Sac Tumors

Anal gland tumors limit your dogs ability to express his anal glands himself, and they make the anal glands feel firm and enlarged. In most cases, anal sacs with tumors will not express at all, and your veterinarian may take a biopsy and perform an ultrasound to diagnose the problem.

Symptoms of Anal Sac Disease

There are other symptoms of anal sac disease besides a fishy smell. Dogs with irritated anal sacs may scoot on the floor, bite or lick at their anus, or have difficulty defecating. They may even vocalize when they defecate because it is painful. You might also feel a hard lump near the rectum, or notice blood and/or pus on your dogs stool. Although scooting is a fairly common sign that may seem laughable, it is a helpful symptom and warning of anal sac disease. If you notice any of these signs, or any discoloration around the anus, call your veterinarian and get your dog in for evaluation.

There are certain conditions your dog may have that can increase the chances of anal sac disease. These include: being overweight or obese, food and environmental allergies, hypothyroidism, skin mites, and bacterial or yeast infections of the skin.

What to Do About Your Dogs Fishy Smell

If you notice a fishy smell, call your veterinarian. Your dog may simply need his anal glands manually emptied, or expressed, which should resolve the odor.

Some dogs, especially small dog breeds, require that their anal glands be expressed regularly. Veterinarians and groomers both perform this service, and you can even learn how to do it yourself if you dont mind the odor. However, be aware that manually expressing the anal glands too frequently can cause inflammation and result in scar tissue, so it should only be done when they are not emptying naturally.

Compacted anal sacs require your veterinarians assistance. These are carefully expressed, and your veterinarian may need to use a softening agent or saline rinse if the compaction is particularly dry. Once the compacted material is removed, your veterinarian may recommend a higher fiber diet for your dog to help him express his anal sacs naturally.

There are also several anal gland wipes and supplements on the market, which are designed to address the underlying problems of anal gland issues in pets.

Infected or abscessed anal sacs are cleaned with an antiseptic and are then typically treated with antibiotics. Your veterinarian may recommend hot compresses applied to the area if she suspects an abscess, and it may take a few flushings for the infection to resolve.

In some cases, your veterinarian will remove the anal sac or sacs. Anal sac disease that does not resolve with treatment, as well as anal sac tumors, usually need to be dealt with by surgical removal. While there are potential complications, such as incontinence, most procedures are successful and do not negatively affect your dogs quality of life.

Preventing Anal Sac Disease

While anal sac disease is not always possible to prevent, there are a few things you can do.

• Feed your dog an appropriate diet with the right amount of fiber.
• Keep an eye on your dogs stool to make sure it is well-formed.
• Exercise your dog regularly and keep an eye on his weight.
• Provide your dog with plenty of fresh, clean water.

Luckily, anal sac problems are relatively easy to treat. Once the underlying issue is resolved, the fishy smell should go away. If your dog requires regular anal gland expression, that fishy smell is a reminder to get your dog into the veterinarians office or to the groomer.

9 Ways to Make Your Dog Always Smell Fresh

We all know what a wet dog smells like, and sometimes, when you visit other dog owners' homes, you can smell wet dogs it's not a pleasant smell. The pet deodorizing business has caught on to bathing of dogs, odors, and scents, and turned the business into something that is booming. Some natural food markets sell products that you put in your dogs food or you apply something topically to eliminate odors.

Why Do Dogs Smell?

Stacey Hershman, a holistic veterinarian from New York, says the cause can be anything from the food ingredients used in your dog's meal to tooth or gum infections, or even urinary tract problems.

Another cause could be when too much bathing upsets the natural balance of your dogs oils and that causes the dog to start smelling. It's the dog's own natural oils are what actually keeps them clean.

9 Ways to Make Your Dog Always Smell Fresh

Improper digestion is one of the common reasons why dogs smell. Upgrading your pet's diet is an effective way to address odor-causing problems.

1. Minimize Grains and Fillers in Your Dog's Diet

Pet foods which contain any type of grain are still popular with owners because they are cheaper than all-meat foods and they keep the dogs feeling full. But these ingredients can sometimes be difficult to digest for dogs. Filler ingredients are even worse, often giving dogs strong gas.

Decreasing the amount of grains, and switching to dog food brands that are higher in meat can solve this problem. For example, 30% protein performance foods might be a better choice. Alternatively, a raw diet that consists of muscle and organ meats, some veggies, and is supplemented with probiotics, prebiotics and digestive enzymes is likely to stress your pet's digestion less, and make the dog smell better as a result.

According to holistic veterinarian Stacey Hershman, DVM: For those who cant feed a home-prepared diet, upgrading to a better quality meat-based, low-grain, soy-free pet food can help.

2. Try Homemade Diet

Another holistic vet, Dr. Cathy Alinovi from HealthyPAWSibilities, suggests something similar and in particular changing the dogs diet from dry kibble to homemade meat based meals. She says that will take care of the issue at least 80% of the time, and that's because dogs process protein much more effectively.

Cathy mentions that it usually takes 3 weeks to notice a change in a dogs coat and smell. She says that if after 3 weeks your dog is still smelly or yeasty, then a yeast cleanse should be indicated this is where a holistic vet such as she would prescribe probiotics and anti-yeast therapies to help.

If a dog is prone to strong smelliness, then there is something else going on. These dogs may also have greasy skin and dandruff, she adds. Yeast is what causes a dogs chronic ear infections and it could be a result of eating processed foods, particularly dry dog foods that are loaded with carbohydrates that feed yeast.

No matter what you are feeding your dog, when you add a few simple supplements to their foods, like digestive enzymes as well as prebiotics and probiotics, you can further eliminate your dog's bad odor.

3. Try Feeding Raw Food

If not homemade dog food cooking, then raw dog food diet that consists of mostly meat and is more appropriate for a dog's digestion is great. One dog trainer, Nancy Strouss from People Training for Dogs in New York, says that since she switched her dogs over to the raw food diet, her pack always smells good and they dont need to be bathed as often.

Nancy also notes that her dogs are less prone to ear infections, which is another common cause of bad odors in dogs. The new upgraded diet for her dogs keeps their teeth free from tartar, equating to healthier gums and good breath.

She believes that many dogs smell bad because their bodies are constantly detoxifying the poor quality, unnatural ingredients in many processed pet foods, and she's not wrong. Veterinarians noticed how often many dog food brands give pets gas and otherwise make them smell worse.

4. Coconut Oil for Improved Digestion and Coat Health

There are many benefits that coconut for dogs provides, and one of the main ones is improved digestion when fed and better coat, skin, hair, ear hygiene when used topically.

Bruce Fife, author of the very popular Coconut Cures and some other books, says that there have been many reports on how virgin coconut oil reduces or even eliminates disagreeable odors in pets probably because of the oils antimicrobial properties.

Coconut oil kills many harmful fungi and bacteria both internally and externally, and is harmless to friendly gut bacteria in dogs. For pets, the recommended dose is 1 teaspoon coconut oil per 10 pounds of body weight daily, in divided doses. It's best to start with small amounts and increase to the recommended dose.

5. Green Herbs Prevent Odor in Dogs

Consider adding deodorizing herbs and spices to food. Wheatgrass or parsley have chlorophyll in them these help to deodorize a dog's breath and skin from the inside out.

Other sweet spices such as cloves and cinnamon can be ground and added to your pets food to help improve digestion and eliminate body odors.

About -teaspoon of herbs per 10 pounds of body weight per day and about teaspoon ground spices per 25 pounds of body weight per day is recommended.

6. Proper Dental Care

A dog's breath tend to smell bad but it doesn't have to. When you stick to a proper oral care routine and keep your dogs teeth and gums clean, you'll ensure a better breath.

There's many ways to accomplish this, but the most important is teeth brushing. Get a dog toothbrush and toothpaste, and do it once a day, before bedtime. You can also use coconut oil to clean your pet's teeth, even with a bit of sea salt and/or baking soda.

Some pet supply stores sell gauze wipes that contain tooth-cleaning chemicals. A natural one is to wrap your finger with gauze and then dip it in saltwater and clean the dogs teeth that way.

Other easier methods to keep your dog's breath fresh is water additives and dental gels.

7. Holistic Essential Oils Can Work

Not all essential oils are safe for dogs, but those that are could be extremely effective when used as part of your aromatherapy for dogs, naturally making your dog smell fresh throughout the day and between baths.

Some essential oils you can try include:

• Lavender
• Copaiba
• Frankincense
• Peppermint
• Petitgrain

Surveys have shown that more and more vets use essential oils for many different reasons, anything from calming dogs to making them smell better.

8. Coat and Fur Care and Deodorizing

Brush or comb your dogs coat each day to remove old hair, fur and debris that has lodged in your pup's hair. By brushing, it helps to distribute the natural oils to keep the dog's coat healthier, shinier and smelling fresher.

To further freshen up your dog's coat (other than bathing with shampoo and using conditioner after), you can spray the dog's skin with a fragrant herbal tea such as chamomile, lavender, or peppermint. They're natural and harmless. Another less natural option is to use a dog deodorant.

9. Well-timed Bathing and Shampooing

It is by now well-known but still constantly stressed by vets that dog owners shouldnt use people products for bathing dogs. Furthermore, over-bathing a dog could also make them smell worse due to lack of natural oils afterwards.

Dogs should be bathed from the neck down without getting water in their ears. Depending on your pets coat type, skin condition and current smell, a bath might be appropriate once a week. Use a mild dog shampoo, and preferably an oatmeal-based shampoo. Oatmeal has been shown as more effective and it wont dry out your dogs skin.

How to Keep Your Dog Smelling Fresh Between Baths

Other than the tips above, there are a few tools you can use to keep your dog smelling fresh between baths. The three approaches that I like the most are:

1. kin+kind Dog Deodorizing Spray. This features plant-based ingredients and essential oils. It is veterinarian formulated to be safe and is non-GMO, vegan, and certified Leaping Bunnycruelty-free.
2. Aromatherapy freshening spray. As an alternative, you can try this vet approved essential oils-based spray with chamomile and lavender.
3. Earth rated wipes. Using organic scented dog wipes like these is an easy way to quickly clean up your pooch and refresh their smell once a day.

If you don't want to spend money on commercial products, you can make some sprays and shampoos by yourself. For example, here's an easy DIY remedy which you can try making at home.And heres a delightful rosemary-mint spray. Finally, how about a vinegar spray? It will prove fresh and deodorizing for your dog.

Lastly, if your dog continues to have an unpleasant odor, and all the above commercial products and DIY remedies for dog smell aren't enough to combat the bad odor, it is recommended you seek a vet's help. This could be a medical condition as well.

READ NEXT:How to Make Bathing a Dog Easier (And Some Unique Tools You Can Use)

Disclosure: Wemay earn affiliate commissions at no cost to you from the links on this page. This did notaffect our assessment of products.Read more hereand findfull disclosure here.

Want to share this?