Smelly Shih Tzu?

Dog odor is one of the major problems of pet owners. Some say that they give their pets a bath; but still the smell seems to stay. Some even claim that fragrance shampoos couldn’t even make the job. These cases are common in the long haired such as the Shih Tzu. Though not all Shih Tzu will have this certain ‘doggy odor’, it is important to know that this is not a normal observation. Something is causing the smell and as a responsible pet owner, you should do something about it. If this is not addressed, this may lead to further medical issues that may be difficult to treat.
One culprit is the food and water given to our pets. Little particles of kibbles and moisture have a tendency to stick to the long hair of this breed and accumulate through time. This may not be easily removed during bathing especially when they already dried up. The same holds true for the eye secretions that contain sweat, oils, moisture and minor amounts of fatty tissue termed as meibum. Aside from odor, they also cause tear stains in some cases – which are not so easy to remove. Hygiene is the key to avoid these things. Make sure to gently wipe the face of your dog after each meal and remove the sticking leftovers on the facial hair and wipe the hair dry. Use a soft towel to wipe the area around the eyes. The trick is never leave the face moist to avoid bacterial growth. Impacted anal glands can also cause doggy odor – a strong one. These glands are on the either side of the anus and from time to time they must be squeezed and emptied since they can get impacted as the dog gets older. You can ask your groomer to do it or learn it so by yourself. Cracked skin also leads to generalized body odor in dogs since bacteria tends to accumulate and cause pus formation which doesn’t have a very pleasant smell.
A smelly Shih Tzu is not a grave case. It can be prevented and treated with proper grooming and hygiene. Addressing this problem early will certainly ease you trips to the vet in the future. Remember: health is wealth and prevention is always better than the cure.