Expert: Delores Beck - 11/8/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello, we have a lovely 16 month cocker spaniel, but he smells really really bad, we bath him but even then he still smells,( rather like sweaty feet!) I find it very offensive, please help.

ANSWER: I can help but would like a bit more information.
1.  How is his skin & coat? Skin pink or red?  Coat oily?  Dry? Flakes?
2.  Is he itchy?
3.  What are you using to bath him?  And do you rinse well?
4.  What are you feeding him?
5.  What's the climate where you are?
Delores

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: His coat is good, soft silky,neither oily is dry. Skin is pink. He does scratch, but not excessively. We use 'OUT' deodorizing shampoo and rinse  really well. He is fed IAMS.
We live in southern Canada, variable climate.

Answer
Well...so do I live in southern Canada :)

Okay, I think at least part of your problem is IAMS...to put it bluntly, it's garbage and isn't doing him any good on any level.

I highly recommend Innova EVO for cockers - high in protein, low carbs and no grains.  If you go to Naturapet.com you can find a dealer near you.  If that's a problem, I can recommend other premium foods.  Yes, it's more expensive but you feed less and you can't even begin to compare the quality.  What you're feeding is extremely high in cheap carbohydrate and that exacerbates skin problems.

Now..he's mildly itchy, skin & coat good.  I assume he's normally active for his age and isn't giving you any other sign he's not feeling perky.

So here's what I'd do.  Change his food and buy some Nizoral shampoo (most drugstores/supermarkets carry it).  Yes, it's for people but vet Dermatologists love it for correcting skin conditions.
Wet him down - lather up well - leave on for 10 minutes (take a kitchen timer; it feels a lot longer :) and then rinse like a maniac.
Tepid water.  When you think you've rinsed enough - do it ten more times.  I hope you have a hand-held shower thing?  

I want to know what relief that offers and for how long (the Nizoral kills yeast, bacteria and fungus..and I think your boy's issue is yeast).  That's where the odor comes from.  It will take more than one bath to fix this/control it but let me know how long it helped.

Do that - see what happens re the smell and we'll go from there.
There are several topical approaches but I find this one to work well.
If it doesn't, we'll try another.
Delores