Where does the dog s body odor come from?

Pet     9:29am, 19 June 2025

Dog body odor is mostly caused by the secretions of sebaceous glands and apical sweat glands being decomposed by microorganisms, forming substances with strong odor. The dog's body odor will increase with the increase in temperature and humidity. This is because odorous microorganisms become more active as temperature and humidity rise. Microorganisms will reproduce rapidly in environments where temperatures are higher than 25 and humidity are higher than 70%. Therefore, in summers with higher temperatures and humidity, and plum rainy seasons, the smell of dogs will be stronger than other seasons.

1. Unsmelling tone

Bad breath is the number one killer that makes dogs odor. When the dog eats, the food residue remains between the teeth, causing the mouth to smell bad. But this is only a minor problem, because saliva can quickly wash away food residues. As for persistent bad breath, it is caused by periodontal disease (tooth flesh).

There is a odor on the dog. Where does the odor come from? 4 steps to check the cause of odor in the dog?

The cause of periodontal disease is caused by the accumulation of sterile membrane and tartar between the teeth. Bacteria survive and reproduce in a warm and moist mouth, while they release substances containing sulfur, which is the source of the odor. Some drugs that claim to cure dogs with persistent bad breath can only temporarily cover the odor and cannot cure the root cause. So when the dog has bad breath, he has to take it to the veterinarian. Bacteria in the oral cavity can pass through the teeth and enter blood vessels.

Studies have found that bad breath in dogs can cause problems in other body organs and stimulate tumor growth. Bad breath can cause tissue death in the tooth pulp, causing loose roots and tooth loss. If the situation is serious, only root canal treatment and antibiotics can be used for dog teeth can be solved. In addition to the problems with the teeth themselves, older dogs often suffer from oral tumors, puppies that bite wires, causing oral tissue to die due to electric shock, throat, nasal cavity, mouth, esophagus, etc., and disorders of the liver and pancreas will cause bad breath to the dog.

Another disease that causes bad breath is cheilitis. This disease occurs most often in dog breeds with wrinkled lips, such as Spanish long eardrews. The smell caused by cheilitis is like "Hong Kong feet", and the veterinarian will use antibiotics to treat the dog. As long as you keep your dog's lips clean and dry, and cut the hair near your lips short, you can greatly reduce the chance of chemoitis. Dogs with chronic kidney disease will have bad breath because their blood has a higher concentration of urea, which will flow out with saliva. Urea will be broken down into ammonia (Amonia) in the mouth, causing bad breath.

2. Odor emitted by the skin

If there is a wound on the skin of the dog, it is common to emit a odor. However, the wound can expand due to bacterial infection, most commonly staphylococci. Sensitivity, hormone problems, and endocrine disorders can cause odors in the dog's skin. This smell, fleas parasitic on dog skin, are the sources of odor. Dogs will also scratch the skin due to itching, which will lead to more serious bacterial infection. Another source of odor is that dogs lick their skin with their tongues for a long time, and saliva will accumulate bacteria and dust in the fur, causing the odor to be emitted.

3. The smell of ears

The smell of dogs' ears is caused by infection by bacteria or parasites. The ears will be infected by a yeast and emit a sweet smell like fruit. Dog breeds with long ears are prone to these problems. Long ears can hinder blood circulation and easily contaminate dirt. Dog owners can clean their ears with alcohol-stained cotton swabs every two weeks. In severe cases, it is best to take the dog to the veterinary clinic for detailed examinations and appropriate treatment.