I need help for my smelly dog!

[Babywhite]

I have a 6 yr old West Highland Terrier. He has recently developed allergies and has been put on allergy meds. We have never had problems with him smelling, but now he stinks...just a few days after a bath. We have tried different shampoos, but our Vet says that it is the allergies. Does anyone have any advice on what to use or add to his bath?

Thanks!

[Momof3Labs]

Are you sure it is okay to bathe him so much? Dogs are not meant to be bathed so frequently, unless your vet specifically wants you to do that (presumably with a medicated shampoo). It strips the natural oils that help keep their skin healthy.

Anyhoo, from my experience with allergy-prone dogs, extreme stinkiness usually means that a yeast infection is brewing somewhere. In my most allergic dog, it was either her ears, her girl-parts, or between her toes. We went through generic Lotrimin like water with her, but it kept the yeast at bay!

[Babywhite]

Actually, we don't bathe him that often b/c of what you said. :) We just powder him in between baths. :)

[Marisa6826]

The powder may be what's causing the itchies. It's absorbing the oils, and my guess is that it probably has perfume in it. And if it has any sort of corn starch in it, it is actually feeding any sort of yeast infection that might be going on.

Unless it's a specially medicated powder from your vet, I'd stop using it until you get a go ahead from your vet to continue.

-m

[Babywhite]

Actually, it is a "shampoo powder" that you use instead of bathing him. (You sprinkle it on him and comb it through his hair without any water, etc.)

In the past, we used it to keep him smelling fresh between baths, now we use it to SURVIVE until the next bath! :) :)

[Momof3Labs]

Okay then, let's go back to the allergies. How was he diagnosed? What meds did the vet put him on? I saw one dog in our rescue who was "diagnosed" with "allergies" who actually had a wicked skin condition that was finally diagnosed by a young and brilliant female vet. It required some fairly aggressive treatment. He did fully recover.

I'm just thinking that you shouldn't have to work so hard to make it to the next bath. Why do you need the shampoo powder? Is it just the smell, or is he getting super oily? Going back to my first response, could there be a yeast infection brewing there (wish that I could sniff him for you - I have a pretty good nose for detecting yeast infections in doggies, lol)?

How often do you bathe him?

[Babywhite]

I wish you could smell him too! :)

Actually, his Vet is my best friend and her mother is a huge Westie breeder in our state. She has been dealing with Westie allergies since she was a child, and she says that he has classic skin allergies... :) She gave him a steriod shot a few weeks ago, and increased his meds -- we are using Benedryl 2x/day....but we can increase to 3x/day. She also said that we could get a prescription med if the Benedryl doesn't improve things. His smell has improved since the shot and the increase to 2 pills per day.

We only bathe him about every 2 -3 months. This also depends on his digging activities... :) When he stays with my parents, my dad likes to use the "shampoo powder" to help with normal "dog" smell. (They have never had a dog -- in fact, they aren't dog people, but they have feel in love with my Westie -- and he visits like a grandchild. :))

I just want to make sure there isn't some "great" shampoo or something that I could buy or add to his bathe to help with things... :)

Thanks so much for the concern and help.... :)

RW