Anyone who has a dog with allergies understands how frustrating it can be. While the itching and scratching can sometimes be enough to drive a person mad, when the allergies cause the dog to have a bad smell on top of everything else, it can definitely lead to issues. Luckily, there are avenues of treatment you can investigate.
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Causes
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A variety of elements can cause allergies, including foods and grasses. Since allergies can sometimes trigger sweating in a dog, these dogs will usually have a musty odor to them. If the allergies seem to happen only at certain times of the year, the chances that it is a grass allergy are pretty high, but if they are year-round, it might well be a food allergy. Certain fungal infections can also trigger allergic reactions.
Symptoms
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The main symptoms in dogs with allergies--outside of the obvious odor from the skin--are either redness on the feet and stomach, or constant itching. The dog will scratch to alleviate the itching, and this, in turn, will usually lead to even more itching. Other symptoms can be a discharge around the eyes. Grass allergies tend to show up on the feet and on the belly--basically, any area where the dog will come in contact with grass.
Diagnosis
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The best way to diagnosis allergies in your dog is to have your veterinarian check it out. After all, if your dog has a strong odor, that doesn't necessarily mean that it has allergies. It might have a yeast infection, which also produces strong odors or it might need to have its anal glands expressed.
Treatment
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If your dog has allergies and you need to eliminate the strong odors associated with them, you'll need to treat the allergies. You can do this with either allergy shots (assuming that you are aware of what your dog is allergic to) or by switching your dog to a hypoallergenic food, if your vet suspects that your dog has a food allergy. You can also treat your dog with over-the-counter medications such as Benadryl, which will alleviate some of the itching.
Bathing
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In order to help with both the allergies and the smell, you should bathe the dog in an oatmeal-based shampoo or a shampoo that contains tea tree oil. Both of these are good for dogs that have allergies, and the ingredients will also provide a strong measure of relief. It's also a good idea to rinse your dog off in cool (not cold) water. This will soothe him and help prevent him from itching.
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