Is Your Pet Stinking Up Your Life?

Peeuuu! There are few smells as pungent as a wet stinky dog, unless it is a wet stinky cat, ferret or parrot. Trying to live in peace and olfactory harmony with pets can sometimes put our noses to the test.

The odor of a healthy pet’s body should not be repugnant. First try to localize where the scent is coming from. Sometimes a bad case of dental tartar and gum disease can make your pet reek. While you are examining the head, check the ears for evidence of infection. It is amazing how just lifting up an earflap and taking a good sniff can knock you off your feet.

Sometimes all your pet needs is a good bath. Be cautious with shampoos that claim to be medicated or designed to kill fleas and ticks. First read the label to be sure that the product is meant for your type of pet. Some cleansing agents are not meant to be used on the young or a nursing mother. Just because it is medicated, it doesn’t mean that the medication is appropriate for your pet’s skin condition. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian, not the salesperson at the pet store.

Just because a shampoo is medicated, it doesn’t mean that it is appropriate for your pet’s skin condition.

Some pet cleansing products can be as pricey as our own. So if it is good enough for us, why can’t we use ours on our pets? Examining the skin of our cats and dogs under the microscope, as compared to ours, makes us look like we have elephant skin. Ours is very thick. Pets have their fur to protect them. Baby shampoo may seem perfect to use on your fuzzy ones. Don’t! Though it may be gentle on the eyes, it tends to strip away protective oils from their coats.

How often to bathe your pet is another question that can be difficult to answer. Most pets do not need to be bathed more than every few months. Cats would prefer to never be bathed. They typically do a very good job on their own. Ferrets are a species that have a very distinctive body odor, rather musky. Even if your ferret has had its’ scent glands removed surgically, they still smell of ferrets. This is because of the oil glands that are located all over their bodies. By bathing them more than every few months, you can actually intensify their odor. Washing away their body oil stimulates the body to overproduce more.

If you are inclined to groom your own pet at home, ask your professional groomer or veterinarian for tips. Don’t get water in the eyes or ears. Trimming a cat’s nails before the bath can improve the outcome. Get your pet accustomed to being brushed and handled from the time that it is a youngster.
If the body odor won’t go away, see your veterinarian. Don’t just throw the pet outside. It may be an indication of underlying disease. Remember, it is
Your Pet…Health Matters.”