Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 11/18/2005

Question
Hello,

We have a 9 year old pitbull/american staffordshire cross (don't really know what she is - she's 70 pounds so almost too big to be either breed) but in any case, she keeps exuding the worst smell imaginable.  We took her to our vet about six months ago and he diagnosed a skin fungus and gave us special shampoo for her, but it hasn't done anything.  We suspect that part of the problem is that she had a stroke about 3 years ago and may be urinating or deficating on herself.  I really don't know what to do - we bathe her almost weekly (we have to or we wouldn't be able to live in the same house with her).  When we bath her, there is a brown fungusy type foam that floats on the water before the shampoo is applied.  

What is wrong with her?  Please help!
Sheilah


Answer
Without an exam, I cannot be very specific with you.   But it sounds like a condition called seborrhea.  This is an over secretion of the skin glands.  The fungus lives on these secretions.  The treatment involves bathing with special seborrheic shampoos and using both antifungal and antibiotic drugs.