Help...My English Bulldog stinks really bad, what should I do?

Question

I have a 4 year old English Bulldog and for some reason she has always had a really strong unpleasant odor. It seems to have gotten worse as she's gotten older. I bath her regularly with an oatmeal and a flea fighting shampoo, but that never helps. And for some reason, the smell gets even worse when she comes in from being outdoors or when she has sat in the sun for a while. I heard that diet might cause this odor problem but she eats a proper diet. Any tips would be very helpful. Thanks

The smell is coming from her skin. She stinks even after a good bath. As for the diet she eats Mighty Dog in the can and is eating Iams dry food. Oh and her anal have been emptied and that didn't seem to have anything to do with her bad smell.

Answer 1

First, I would switch her to a better brand of food. Try to find one without any grains: no corn, no rice, no wheat... You won't usually find those at the grocery store or at pet stores like Petsmart/Petco. You can go to google and type:
dog + food + grain free

Grains cause dogs all kinds of problems with their bowels, skin, allergies, etc.

Then, I would take the dog to the vet and have a full thyroid panel done. (should have about 6 things- not the normal 1 or 2). Dogs who are hypothyroid tend to have a specific smell to them that is very unpleasant. Bathing will not get rid of this odor since it comes from within (a metabolic disorder).

When any dog goes outside and is in the heat, they tend to have a stronger odor when they come inside (just like people when they sweat in the heat)...

Try not to bathe her as often, since bathing a dog can cause them to have problems with their skin (including producing more oils to replace those washed away).

Good luck.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Help...My English Bulldog stinks really bad, what should I do?
I have a 4 year old English Bulldog and for some reason she has always had a really strong unpleasant odor. It seems to have gotten worse as she's gotten older. I bath her regularly with an oatmeal and a flea fighting shampoo, but that never helps. And for some reason, the smell gets even worse...

Answer 3

Do the sniff test [ I know, it's icky! ]
Where is the smell coming from?
ears
mouth
butt
farts
Groom and examine her whole body. If it is ears or mouth or butt, go to the doc, and get her treated! Ear infections hurt, and mouth infections are even worse! [ Think root canal pain! ] Impacted anal glands are bad, but can be treated
[sometimes the vet will teach you how to do it! ]
If it is her digestion -
buy doggie treats with charcoal in them
NO table scraps, at all, except occasional plain meat or veggie.No dairy, no sauces, no seasonings, no sweets or chips.
If this doesn't help after two weeks, switch her diet to
either chicken or lamb with rice or potatoes.
Good luck!

Answer 4

DON'T GET ONE! Nothing will help. These are the nastiest dogs ever. Way more trouble than worth. Speaking of worth - who pays thousands of dollars for lumps of ****?! We took in the father-in-laws bullie because he couldn't afford him any longer - after 8 years. Big mistake - he lasted a week before he was taken back to his home. Nothing helps the smell. The anal glands are horrible, the folds of skin - stink, the slobber all over me and furniture, but the biggest problem was him dragging his dick all over everything leaving oogy everywhere. No, don't get one. They are a waste of money and time. You're welcome.

Answer 5

It depends on what you think of as a proper diet. My friends Poodle always stank when she fed it on Beneful (she would not listen to me it was garbage) While she was away and I was dog sitting I changed it to Wellness. He has not smelled since.

She may also need her anal glands expressing. That can make a dog smell too.

It would be worth discussing with your vet next time you are in for shots or any other reason.

Answer 6

Does she have a lot of wrinkles? Clean in them with a baby wipe. Are her anal glands empty? Those really stink.

Answer 7

Certainly bad isn't it? I think female dogs often are stinkier than males.. I'm not sure but might be Period. Try bathing her with something else. Or buy a bottle of dog spray. When you finish bathing her you can use that on her.
Hope it helps!
Kev

Answer 8

If its really that bad, I'd say the anal glands. If you take her to get groomed, ask about that, or I would actually reccommend your vet to do it, they are the most qualiufied, but groomers do do it.

Anal glands
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The anal glands or anal sacs are small, paired sacs located on either side of the anus between the external and internal sphincter muscles. Sebaceous glands within the lining secrete a foul smelling liquid that is used for identification of members within a species.

Id say this needds to be done, very easy.

here this is on dogs:
Dogs
In dogs, these glands are occasionally referred to as "scent glands", because they enable the animals to mark their territory and identify other dogs. The glands can spontaneously empty, especially under times of stress, and create a very sudden unpleasant change in the odor of the dog. The anal glands normally empty when the dog defecates. Failure to empty results in discomfort from the full anal gland pushing on the anus. The glands can be emptied by the dog's owner, or more typically by a groomer or veterinarian, by squeezing the gland so the contents are released through the small openings on either side of the anus. Discomfort is evidenced by the dog scooting its posterior on the ground, licking or biting at the anus, sitting uncomfortably, difficulty sitting or standing, or chasing its tail.


Anal gland abscessDiscomfort may also be evident with impaction or infection of the anal glands. Anal gland impaction results from blockage of the duct leading from the gland to the opening. The gland is usually nonpainful and swollen. Anal gland infection results in pain, swelling, and sometimes abscessation and fever. Treatment is by expression of the gland, lancing of an abscess, and oral antibiotics and antibiotic infusion into the gland in the case of infection. The most common bacterial isolates from anal gland infection are E. coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens, and Proteus species.[2]

Anal glands may be removed surgically in a procedure known as anal sacculectomy. This is usually done in the case of recurrent infection or because of the presence of an anal sac adenocarcinoma, a malignant tumor. Potential complications include fecal incontinence (especially when both glands are removed), tenesmus from stricture or scar formation, and persistent draining fistulae.[3]

Anal gland fluid is normally yellow to tan in color and watery in consistency. Impacted anal gland material is usually brown or gray and thick. The presence of blood or pus indicates infection.

Answer 9

I had a dog & she had skin problems, green tea shampoo, oatmeal shampoo. Some thing that sooths skin. Go to Pet Co or Pet smart & ask they have a few things that can help.

Answer 10

try using a soap free shampoo or a shampoo with clorhexidine in it. bulldogs tend to have skin problems so keep trying untill you find the best shampoo for her.