# Help! Extremely smelly cockapoo



## ronnie12345 (Sep 19, 2017)

Hi I'm hoping someone out there can help me.

My 2 year old cockapoo is really really smelly on the fur around his face. I have taken him to the vets 4 or 5 times who have emptied his anal sacs twice (within the space of a week, the first time quite a lot of stuff came out, the second time less but slightly thicker stuff came out), checked his teeth (they look perfect) and treated him for a possible (although I don't think he was suffering from) ear infection.
I have changed his food yesterday so hoping for some results in the coming weeks from that but was wondering if anyone had ever experienced anything similar?
The smell is almost unbearable and he has not suffered with anything like this previously.
The vets don't seem too concerned. I have washed him and the smell seems to go for about an hour but then comes back with a vengeance.
can anyone please help I am at the end of my tether with it!

thanks in advance!


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

It's the fur that is smelly, not his breath?


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

What food did you have him on?

I noticed when I picked my pup up from the breeders where she was fed on Beta (not a food I like particularly) that she had an odd smell. When I switched her over to the preferred food the smell went. My friend who has my dogs brother also noticed the smell and also changed the food and noticed a difference.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

ronnie12345 said:


> Hi I'm hoping someone out there can help me.
> 
> My 2 year old cockapoo is really really smelly on the fur around his face. I have taken him to the vets 4 or 5 times who have emptied his anal sacs twice (within the space of a week, the first time quite a lot of stuff came out, the second time less but slightly thicker stuff came out), checked his teeth (they look perfect) and treated him for a possible (although I don't think he was suffering from) ear infection.
> I have changed his food yesterday so hoping for some results in the coming weeks from that but was wondering if anyone had ever experienced anything similar?
> ...


Has he got the more loose baggier type lip folds around his mouth more like a spaniel has? If so it may be something called lip fold dermatitis. Some breeds of dogs including cocker spaniels tend to have pronounced lip folds around the mouth, food and water then gets trapped in these lip folds, they tend to also be warm moist areas in general, which in turn with the food, moisture and warmth becomes a breeding ground for things like bacteria and yeast/fungal infections to thrieve so you then get redness, sometimes soreness and a foul odour too.

Maintenance can help in the form of ensuring that these lip folds are kept clean and dried especially after things like eating and drinking. If bacterial or yeast/fungal growth has also formed then treatment needs to be give for that too, in the form of anti yeasts/fungal treatments, as well as the cleaning and drying maintenance. If when you wash it the smell comes back and he has got lip folds then he could well have bacterial and/or yeast/fungal overgrowth there which in turn is causing the foul smell. Food may help to a degree because things like sugars and carbohydrates can tend to feed yeast infections.


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## ronnie12345 (Sep 19, 2017)

i don't think it's his breath it's his fur but I think its from his saliva? but his breath doesn't smell too bad after smelling this morning but can't really tell as I don't want to get too close so can't rule it out. it's a really strange smell like quite metallicy but rotten too. my partner says it smells like rotten fish.
he was on one that contained grains before but I have switched to one without so hopefully get some results from that.
no not really too baggy so not sure if it's that but will check this afternoon when I get home from work.
think another trip to a different vet is in order really need to find the problem it's not fair on him as we just don't want to be near him at the moment it's that bad

thanks for all your help


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

The rotten fish/metallic smell is usually an anal gland issue and I agree, it is awful. It does sound as if there is still a problem with the anal sacs, I wonder if there is a mild infection. Usually the glands empty each time the dog does a poo, it if the poo is not solid enough and well formed then there can be a build up of fluid in the sac and dogs will sometimes leak the substance, hence the smell. What are his poos like, they should be pretty firm/solid and require a bit of a push to get them out (sorry to be so factual)


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## ronnie12345 (Sep 19, 2017)

Siskin said:


> The rotten fish/metallic smell is usually an anal gland issue and I agree, it is awful. It does sound as if there is still a problem with the anal sacs, I wonder if there is a mild infection. Usually the glands empty each time the dog does a poo, it if the poo is not solid enough and well formed then there can be a build up of fluid in the sac and dogs will sometimes leak the substance, hence the smell. What are his poos like, they should be pretty firm/solid and require a bit of a push to get them out (sorry to be so factual)


Thanks I did think this was the problem as he is licking himself there abit. I will take him to the vets and get him checked over again. I do think they are avoiding it really as i'm surprise they haven't tested him for an infection I wonder if they are just trying to make as much money from me as possible before they treat him (they have already suggested giving him £400 blood tests to check for allergies aswell as treating him for an ear infection even though she said his ear only looked slightly red)
Now you mention it his poos have been quite soft so hoping this new food firms them up abit!!!


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## Clare Compton (Oct 3, 2017)

ronnie12345 said:


> Thanks I did think this was the problem as he is licking himself there abit. I will take him to the vets and get him checked over again. I do think they are avoiding it really as i'm surprise they haven't tested him for an infection I wonder if they are just trying to make as much money from me as possible before they treat him (they have already suggested giving him £400 blood tests to check for allergies aswell as treating him for an ear infection even though she said his ear only looked slightly red)
> Now you mention it his poos have been quite soft so hoping this new food firms them up abit!!!


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## Clare Compton (Oct 3, 2017)

Can I ask what food you're swapping too as I think my pup may have the same problem. She is on dry food Royal Canin and she smells awfully fishy. She also licks herself all the time. Thanks


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## ronnie12345 (Sep 19, 2017)

Clare Compton said:


> Can I ask what food you're swapping too as I think my pup may have the same problem. She is on dry food Royal Canin and she smells awfully fishy. She also licks herself all the time. Thanks


Hi Clare,

I took him back to the vets (after googling and diagnosing him myself) and told them I think he had an infection in his glands. they said he did and i'm 5 days into his 10 day course of antibiotics now and he smells sooooo much better already. hopefully it won't come back once I finish the antibiotics. have you taken him to the vets to get his glands expressed? if not do that he might be ok after that but ask them to check for infection. Hope you get it sorted it's not nice to live with!


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## ronnie12345 (Sep 19, 2017)

Clare Compton said:


> Can I ask what food you're swapping too as I think my pup may have the same problem. She is on dry food Royal Canin and she smells awfully fishy. She also licks herself all the time. Thanks


sorry I can't remember the name of the dog food, I will check tonight but it is a grain free one. x


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## ronnie12345 (Sep 19, 2017)

Siskin said:


> The rotten fish/metallic smell is usually an anal gland issue and I agree, it is awful. It does sound as if there is still a problem with the anal sacs, I wonder if there is a mild infection. Usually the glands empty each time the dog does a poo, it if the poo is not solid enough and well formed then there can be a build up of fluid in the sac and dogs will sometimes leak the substance, hence the smell. What are his poos like, they should be pretty firm/solid and require a bit of a push to get them out (sorry to be so factual)


thanks you were right!!! £160 later after wrongly diagnosing him with alsorts! 5 days into antibiotics and he smells miles better.


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