# Smelly maltese puppy.. Is this normal?



## freakquency

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this website and my furbaby is a six month old male named Simba  

Simba is an indoor dog but I've noticed that he starts to smell after 2 or 3 days. It's not a horrible stench or anything; just a doggy smell unique to him. It seems to be his natural odor. I'm not a huge fan of it & currently bathe him once every 5 days (sometimes more if he got extra filthy). 

I'm a newbie to Malteses so I'm not sure if the odor is characteristic to the breed (because of the fine hair?) or if its because I bathe my dog too much.. Simba doesn't engage in strenuous activity or anything and I always have clean bedding & toys for him ready after his bath.


My aunt has a standard poodle that does not smell and only gets a bath once a month; this made me wonder why my little guy has a distinct odor to him.

I own Perfect Coat Natural Oatmeal shampoo and Paul Mitchell Super Bright Whitening shampoo. I have used perfect coat shampoo ever since I first got him at 2 months old. For the last month or so I have been using the whitening shampoo on Simba's body and the oatmeal shampoo for his face. 



Anyways my questions are: 
Is odor more common in Malteses?
What can I do to help curb his odor?



Thanks in advance for your advice & time


----------



## edelweiss

:Welcome 4:

Karen, I think Simba could well have an issue w/the anal glands. Please take him to the vet right away and ask him to check them out. That is a particular odor. Has he done any scooting on his behind? He can still have an issue & not scoot---but scooting is a sure sign.
Another thing to check would be the liver---that produces a strange smell also. I assume he has had the BAT exam w/the vet? That would be crucial if he hasn't. Just trying to think here w/you on the odor. It isn't normal for sure & probably doesn't have anything to do w/bathing, etc. 
Hope this helps!


----------



## aprilb

I agree with Sandi's advice. The odor is not normal.


----------



## romeo&juliet

:chili::chili: Welcome to SM :thumbsup: i agree with everyone else its not normal do you have his anal gland expressed by the groomers every 6 weeks my Romeo has been having problems with that and i have to have his done every 4 weeks and he has a vet appointment to check whats really going on but now that i think about it he has had an odor first thing i check was his butt thinking he had some stuck on him and he was scooting and the ladies here helped me understand what could of been the issues as soon as he saw the groomers and his anal glands were expressed it went away.:w00t: Im always looking for an explanation to everything so that sounds right.. once he gets to see the vet i will let you all know if it is that....


----------



## almitra

I don't notice any Malt I've known as having an untoward odor.....they usually lack any odor at all, even when they haven't been bathed in awhile. Leads me to think it may be what everyone else is talking about here, a health issue that needs addressing. D_iscount all that first, _then you can seek a groomer's advice about a spray they use after grooming a dog that leaves a wonderful scent that lasts & lasts (Brodies Daddy here on SM buys it for his fluffs--contact him & he'll tell you what he uses and where he gets it). Let us know if the vet finds anything.


----------



## almitra

BTW-Simba is positively adorable!


----------



## CrystalAndZoe

Can you describe the odor? Is it more sweet? More yeasty? More like human b.o.? Can you determine where it's coming from? Is it stronger around his face? Ears? Eyes? Hind quarter? Mouth?

The only time I've noticed an odor on a Maltese is when there was an underlying health issue. I'm not trying to scare you. It could be something very minor like an ear infection or a yeasty bacteria around the face from tearing. So please have your vet give him a full exam. He'll need to have a full blood panel and chem screen prior to his neuter so go ahead and have those done now. Also a Bile Acid Test. I would not go to the groomer to have the groomer check his anal glands, and I wouldn't recommend having the groomer routinely express them if they really don't need to be. Too often when people start expressing Anal Glands when they really don't need to, they begin to no longer be able to express them on their own. And, if a groomer really doesn't know what they are doing, they can do damage. If he really is having trouble expressing them on his own, I would recommend trying something holistic to help him be able to express them on his own like Animal Essentials Phytomucil Powder. It's what I'm using on my Zoe.

As for a fragrance spray...most colognes have alcohol in them and can be drying. And too often you end up smelling perfume and the unpleasant odor you are trying to mask together. An equally unpleasant aroma. I would recommend a conditioning spray with a fragrance you like or even better yet, a waterless shampoo for those in between bath times when he's not smelling so fresh.


----------



## Cosy

Welcome to SM. 
If you're bathing every five days he should not have an odor, especially since he's primarily an indoor dog. I'd have him checked out by the vet. Explain to him your concern regarding odor. 
I'm not a fan of fragrances on dogs. They need their sniffers intact and perfume can hinder that important nose of theirs.


----------



## almitra

Yep, not a fan of perfuming a dog myself (beyond the scent of their hair products, I mean), but Mark swears by it.


----------



## Bonnie's Mommie

I agree with everyone else, have Simba checked by a vet to rule out any health issue. Bonnie has gone up to two weeks without a bath and she never has an odor. It's not a natural occurrence in Maltese.

Also, you should only use the whitening shampoo once a month, as it can dry out Simba's skin.


----------



## MalteseJane

You got good advice. It is not normal that Maltese have a smell. Most dogs have a doggy smell but Maltese due to not having an undercoat DO NOT. Something else is going on here.


----------



## freakquency

Thank you so much for your help! I went to the vet today because Simba got a foxtail in his right nostril :[ While there, I inquired about his odor. The vet said that he seemed very healthy and that the odor is just a doggy smell. His anal glands are fine. I'm not really sure what is a BAT exam to be honest; he has been to the vet and is up to date with all his vaccinations though.


----------



## almitra

He's healthy and that's what's most important.


----------



## freakquency

almitra said:


> I don't notice any Malt I've known as having an untoward odor.....they usually lack any odor at all, even when they haven't been bathed in awhile. Leads me to think it may be what everyone else is talking about here, a health issue that needs addressing. D_iscount all that first, _then you can seek a groomer's advice about a spray they use after grooming a dog that leaves a wonderful scent that lasts & lasts (Brodies Daddy here on SM buys it for his fluffs--contact him & he'll tell you what he uses and where he gets it). Let us know if the vet finds anything.


I took Simba to the vet early this morning and inquired about his odor.. the veterinarian checked his ears, anal glands & body and claimed that his odor was just a regular "doggy smell". I'm wondering if I should get a second opinion on this since everyone says it's not normal and may be an underlying health issue :\ Thank you for the advice about the spray! I'l look into it.


----------



## freakquency

almitra said:


> BTW-Simba is positively adorable!


Thank you! Pepper Potts is an absolute doll as well. Very cute name to boot! :wub:


----------



## almitra

Thank you!


----------



## Bonnie's Mommie

Karen, all due respect to your vet, but Maltese do NOT have a doggy odor.

A BAT test is Bile Acid Test. It checks the liver levels, and should be done if it hasn't been already.

Personally, I would get a second opinion. I'm glad Simba is otherwise healthy, but unless he's rolling around in mud or poop all day, he should not have an odor.

Good luck!


----------



## freakquency

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Can you describe the odor? Is it more sweet? More yeasty? More like human b.o.? Can you determine where it's coming from? Is it stronger around his face? Ears? Eyes? Hind quarter? Mouth?
> 
> The only time I've noticed an odor on a Maltese is when there was an underlying health issue. I'm not trying to scare you. It could be something very minor like an ear infection or a yeasty bacteria around the face from tearing. So please have your vet give him a full exam. He'll need to have a full blood panel and chem screen prior to his neuter so go ahead and have those done now. Also a Bile Acid Test. I would not go to the groomer to have the groomer check his anal glands, and I wouldn't recommend having the groomer routinely express them if they really don't need to be. Too often when people start expressing Anal Glands when they really don't need to, they begin to no longer be able to express them on their own. And, if a groomer really doesn't know what they are doing, they can do damage. If he really is having trouble expressing them on his own, I would recommend trying something holistic to help him be able to express them on his own like Animal Essentials Phytomucil Powder. It's what I'm using on my Zoe.
> 
> As for a fragrance spray...most colognes have alcohol in them and can be drying. And too often you end up smelling perfume and the unpleasant odor you are trying to mask together. An equally unpleasant aroma. I would recommend a conditioning spray with a fragrance you like or even better yet, a waterless shampoo for those in between bath times when he's not smelling so fresh.


The odor is a mix of sweet and perhaps yeasty? The smell seems to be coming more so from his body. Like his back area (not his hind). I really doubt it is his anal glands that are causing the issue because the stench is definitely recognizable. His ears and anal glands were checked out today and the veterinarian said he seems to be fine and its just a "doggy odor". I have not had blood work, a chem screen or BAT test done yet :\ I think I'll schedule an appointment for that and try to get a second opinion on his odor. I can live with his odor as long as he's healthy. I'll looking into waterless shampoo & conditioning spray. Thanks again for the advice!


----------



## freakquency

Bonnie's Mommie said:


> Karen, all due respect to your vet, but Maltese do NOT have a doggy odor.
> 
> A BAT test is Bile Acid Test. It checks the liver levels, and should be done if it hasn't been already.
> 
> Personally, I would get a second opinion. I'm glad Simba is otherwise healthy, but unless he's rolling around in mud or poop all day, he should not have an odor.
> 
> Good luck!


Thank you ! I will be scheduling a BAT tomorrow when the animal hospital opens. I'm very grateful that I joined this forum and have received great advice from members like yourself. I would have no idea otherwise what needs to be done. The three veterinarians that I have seen previously have never mentioned any extra testing that Simba should get.


----------



## freakquency

Cosy said:


> Welcome to SM.
> If you're bathing every five days he should not have an odor, especially since he's primarily an indoor dog. I'd have him checked out by the vet. Explain to him your concern regarding odor.
> I'm not a fan of fragrances on dogs. They need their sniffers intact and perfume can hinder that important nose of theirs.


I'm not a huge fan of fragrances on myself.. and probably won't really like it on my dog. Thanks for mentioning it can hinder their smell! Never thought about that.


----------



## edelweiss

Most vets don't realize that small breeds are prone to liver shunting & do not know to do the BAT testing. It is normal w/Maltese & others such as yorkies (who are 36 % more prone to shunting) to have a BAT done around 16 wks. of age. You need to be an advocate in this for your Simba. I would emphasize that smell/odor is not a normal part of the maltese. Please keep looking.
I would again ask a 2nd vet to express the anal glands and see if it iimproves. I would not use fragrance on my malt due to possible allergic reactions. Keep looking!


----------



## freakquency

edelweiss said:


> Most vets don't realize that small breeds are prone to liver shunting & do not know to do the BAT testing. It is normal w/Maltese & others such as yorkies (who are 36 % more prone to shunting) to have a BAT done around 16 wks. of age. You need to be an advocate in this for your Simba. I would emphasize that smell/odor is not a normal part of the maltese. Please keep looking.
> I would again ask a 2nd vet to express the anal glands and see if it iimproves. I would not use fragrance on my malt due to possible allergic reactions. Keep looking!



Thank you for the advice. P.S: Kitzel is adorable :wub:


----------

