With age comes … odor? You love your faithful companion, but an older dog can sometimes develop unpleasant smells. Your dog is considered a senior at 7 years old (although some breeds are considered seniors a bit sooner). 

At Sunrise Boulevard Animal Hospital, we want you to enjoy spending time with your dog throughout his golden years. If your dog smells bad, we can determine the cause and possibly improve your favorite pup’s aroma.

Why Do Old Dogs Smell?

Let’s be honest, most dogs don’t smell like roses on a daily basis, unless they’ve just come from the groomer. Dogs enjoy long walks in the great outdoors, and they often get themselves into stinky situations. But when it comes to seniors, there are a number of health conditions that cause older dogs to stink. 

He Needs a Good Grooming

Arthritis pain and stiffness could be making it tough for your dog to groom himself. Gentle baths in dog-safe shampoos or extra visits with a groomer can help. If the odor seems to be coming from his ears, let us examine him for an infection, and we can demonstrate proper pet ear cleaning

He’s Due for a Dental Visit

If an unpleasant odor is coming from your dog’s mouth, he could have dental disease, which affects up to two-thirds of dogs over age 3. Rotting teeth and infection in the mouth can cause a significant amount of odor. Stay up-to-date with professional dental cleanings, and let us know if your older dog’s mouth suddenly starts to stink.

He Could Have a Renal Condition

Renal (or kidney) diseases, including diabetes, can cause toxins to build up in his blood, which will make his breath smell very bad. If this odor occurs in conjunction with increased thirst and weight loss, kidney disease could be the culprit. 

Allergies or Dermatitis Might Be to Blame

When skin problems plague our pets, an overgrowth of bacteria or yeast can occur, leading to an extremely unpleasant odor. Hormone fluctuations, allergies, parasites, and fungi can all cause skin conditions. Please contact us so we can pinpoint the problem and prescribe an appropriate course of treatment. 

He’s Having Trouble With his “Privates”

A number of conditions can cause odors to come from a senior dog’s backside, including incontinence, clogged anal glands, inflammatory bowel disease, and urinary tract infections. An important first step is to have your senior dog examined so we can determine the problem and do our best to make your dog more comfortable.

If Your Dog Smells Bad

A bad odor (without an obvious explanation) is often a warning sign of an underlying medical condition. Please contact us to schedule a thorough examination so we can help your dog feel better and, with hope, smell better.