One of the first signs of skin problems in a dog is a foul odor on the coat. Depending on what is causing the smell, it may require a two-pronged approach to help treat it. A common cause is bacteria, fungi and yeast overgrowth on the skin. It may be necessary to manage this problem internally, with medications and diet, while also treating it externally. Topical treatment includes giving the dog a bath with medicated shampoo. By treating this issue quickly, you can help prevent more serious ones in the future.
Things You'll Need
- Medicated shampoo
- Premium dog food
- Plain yogurt
- Apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Put your dog in a bathtub, shower, baby pool or somewhere you can contain him and bathe him safely.
Wet his coat thoroughly, and apply medicated shampoo according to directions on the bottle. To fight yeast, fungus and bacteria, choose one that contains chlorhexidine gluconate, miconazole or ketoconazole.
Massage the product into the dog's coat, avoiding his eyes, nose and mouth. Let it remain on the dog for 10 minutes before rinsing. The increased contact time ensures that all microorganisms are removed and helps prepare the skin to repel future bacterial invasions.
Rinse your dog thoroughly with clean water. If he has a yeast infection, you may add ½ cup apple cider vinegar to each gallon of rinse water. This will help adjust the pH level of the dog's skin and create an unwelcome environment for future yeast growth.
Pat with clean towels to dry the dog. Bacteria, yeast and fungi grow best in warm, moist environments, so be sure to dry thoroughly around his ears and in skin folds.
Feed your dog a high-quality dog food that lists a single-source protein such as chicken, fish or lamb as its first ingredient. Better dog foods have fewer carbohydrates, fillers and other ingredients that can feed yeast and bacteria.
Add 1 tbsp. of plain yogurt to your dog's food every day to help stop yeast from multiplying and balance the good bacteria in your dog's digestive tract. This can stop internal microbes from multiplying, which will reduce the incidence of these pathogens on the skin.