A Cavapoo’s stink can have you want to run for the hills because of the smell. Cavapoos are not smelly dogs but some factors contribute to a stink here and there.
As a Cavapoo owner, it is important to know the reasons why this happens and how you can fix it.
In this article, we will show you what factors lead to a Cavapoo stink and how to fix it.
Table of Contents
Why Does My Cavapoo Stink?
Flatulence
Cavapoos release gas occasionally which can be an overwhelming smell. This is normal and common, however, when it is too frequent it can also be an indication of an underlying health problem.
The presence of diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel syndrome among other health problems can cause flatulence.
Flatulence can also be caused by feeding your Cavapoo a low-quality diet which upsets their stomach causing excessive gas formation or food intolerance because of some ingredients in the dog food.
Other causes of flatulence include a sudden change of the diet, feeding your Cavapoo table scraps, and their pace of feeding, that is, fast eating and drinking.
When the specific reason causing your Cavapoo’s flatulence is identified, an appropriate solution can be put in place to manage the flatulence.
Related: Do Cavapoos fart a lot?
They are dirty
A dirty dog smells and stinks. Accumulation of dirt and natural skin oil on your Cavapoo’s coat results in the production of an odor.
Your schedule for cleaning your dog depends on your dog’s activity level and how quickly they get dirty and this may need to be adjusted often to keep them clean and control stink.
Ear infection
The ears of the Cavapoo provide a warm and moist environment that encourages the overgrowth of the natural bacteria and yeast found on their skin.
The overgrowth of these microorganisms leads to infection. Lack of frequent cleaning of the ears can result in this leading to an ear infection which shows up as a discharge with an odor.
Sometimes you may not know there is an infection until it progresses to the level of production of the discharge and odor.
Skin infection
Your Cavapoo has natural bacteria and yeast that can cause infection when the build-up.
Skin infections are also caused by allergic reactions, fungi, hormonal imbalance, and localized inflammations. These can trigger the overgrowth of yeast and bacteria of the skin which leads to infection and smell being part of the symptoms.
The symptoms of skin infection include the appearance of rashes, itchy skin, sneezing, and the production of a bad smell.
A Cavapoo scratching themselves due to skin irritation can also lead to secondary bacterial infections which increase the intensity of the odor.
Digestive problems
Digestive health problems such as gastrointestinal disease or gastroenteritis cause a Cavapoo to diarrhea which has a foul smell.
After a Cavapoo relieves themselves, some of the feces can remain on the fur at their rear end which means the smell remains on them. This contributes to a Cavapoos stink.
Related: Cavapoo with diarrhea: When it’s normal and when it’s serious
Bad breath
Nobody is a fan of bad breath. Bad breath is one of the reasons your dog can stink. Bad breath is caused by poor dental care.
The build-up of food particles on the teeth leads to plaque and tartar where bacteria breed and produce bad breath. This can also lead to gum disease in a dog.
Diseases that also cause bad breath include diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease.
Anal sac secretion
All dogs have sacs commonly referred to as anal glands that are located at their rectum and which secrete a fluid every time they excrete.
The secretion has a “fishy odor” which is usually not detected by smell, however, when a dog has a problem with the sacs either because of infection or the fluid accumulates and does not easily express, the smell can be detected.
In this situation, when a dog poops the secretion can stick on their anal hair making them stink.
Wet dog odor
When your Cavapoo is wet after a bath or from swimming, you will smell a “doggie” odor.
This smell comes from the organic substances produced by bacteria and yeast that naturally live on your Cavapoo’s skin and hair.
On contact with water, these organic substances break free and as they evaporate into the air, they produce the odor.
When your dog is dry this does not happen and so the smell cannot be detected. This is the reason why your dog stinks especially when they are wet.
How do I stop my dog from smelling?
Provide a high-quality diet
A low-quality diet usually has filler ingredients that are not suitable for a Cavapoo’s health and results in stomach upsets and flatulence.
It is important to feed your dog a high-quality diet consisting of ingredients formulated for small dog breeds.
This food is well-balanced with ingredients for healthy growth as well as excluding filler ingredients that may cause flatulence.
Also feed your Cavapoo the right dog food appropriate for their age, that is, dog food for a puppy or adult dogs.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Dry Dog Food, Castor & Pollux Grain Free Dry Dog Food and Royal Canin dry puppy food are great options for Cavapoos.
To avoid excessive flatulence, change your dog’s diet gradually to allow their stomach to slowly adjust to the new food.
Also, stop feeding them table scraps because their digestive system does not properly process human food which leads to stomach upsets and flatulence.
Create a grooming schedule
Grooming for Cavapoos is important to keep them clean as well as healthy by preventing infection or identifying abnormalities. The grooming for a Cavapoo includes:
Baths
Bath your Cavapoo every 6 to 8 weeks. Depending on how frequently they get dirty and need cleaning, adjust this schedule.
Have a good dog shampoo and brush for the cleaning process to ensure that they are properly cleaned.
Clean your Cavapoo’s ears during baths as well as between baths to prevent ear infections from occurring. Use the Virbac Epi-Otic ear cleanser to effectively clean the ears.
If the stink is from an ear or skin infection, take your dog to the vet to have them examined and for treatment to be provided.
Brushing of the coat
In between baths brush your Cavapoo’s coat at least twice a week.
Brushing enables the removal of loose shed hair, dead skin and it massages your dog’s skin improving blood circulation to the skin as well as spreading their natural skin oil through their coat giving it a natural shine.
Select a brush that has soft rubber bristles that are gentle on brushing and not harsh to your dog’s skin.
Dental routine
Regularly brush your dog with a dog toothpaste and brush to remove plaque in order to prevent bad breath as well as disease.
Also, provide your dog a treat that helps to clean teeth as they chew by removing plaque and buildup. We recommend
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Wild Bones Grain Free Dental Chews Dog Treats, which is suitable for small breed dogs.
Take them to the vet for medical checkups
Health checkups and examinations by the vet will help to determine the health status of your dog.
The vet will be able to establish whether the bad smell is from underlying diseases or infections and provide treatment.
If the bad smell is from the anal sacs, the vet will express them to remove the natural fluids which will minimize and stop the odor.
Glandex dog fiber supplement is an anal sac supplement that supports the health of your dog’s anal glands. We recommend it for a Cavapoo’s healthy anal sac function.
Schedule weekly cleaning of their bedding
Dirt and dog odor clings on your dog’s bedding and everything they come in contact with, that is, their bed, toys, blankets, and throws.
Perform weekly cleaning of these covers and fabrics to get rid of the stink to have them smelling good. This will also prevent the transfer of odor to other fabrics or furniture in your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Cavapoo Smell like fish?
A Cavapoo can smell like fish because of the natural secretion from their anal sacs found on both sides of the rectum which has a foul nauseating fish-like odor. The fluid from the anal sac is released in small quantities when a dog defecates, is excited, or nervous.
Anal sac secretion helps with the lubrication of stool as a dog excretes as well as having pheromones that allow a dog to mark their territory.
When a Cavapoo has a problem associated with the glands and cannot empty or express them, the smell from the secretion is very detectable. When this happens, the sacs need to be examined by a vet who will determine the problem and also expresses the fluid.
Why does my Cavapoo stink even after a bath?
A Cavapoo stinks even after a bath because of the odor produced by the organic chemicals produced by bacteria and yeast that live on the dog’s hair.
This happens when the organic chemicals come in contact with water, break free from the dog’s hair and produce a foul smell as they evaporate in the air.
The odor from these organic chemicals gives off the “wet dog” smell. When a dog is dry, this does not happen therefore the recommendation is to completely dry your Cavapoo after a bath or when wet for the smell to disappear.
Conclusion:
The causes of bad smell for a Cavapoo are several but once a specific reason is identified, the solutions can be implemented to help stop the stink.
Doggie smell cannot entirely be eliminated because of a dog’s natural scent but extreme odors can be controlled and managed by implementing simple routines as well as having your vet intervene to identify health problems and medical-related causes.
By following the tips provided, you’ll be able to control and stop the smell.