# That "infection" smell. Need some advice please.



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I feel like I'm going crazy. Tesia has been emitting that "infection" smell for the past few days - that smell of a hot spot, or ear infection. You know the one? But I can't find a source of it.

I thought she must have an ear infection (she's been swimming a lot lately) but when I go in close and smell her ears, that's NOT the source of the smell. I have been smelling all over her - and can't find it. Have felt all over her - there is no hot spot. I turned her over to look at her underneath - except I really have no idea how a spayed female's area is meant to look. If anything, I might guess that maybe there is some irritation there... there was a bit of gooey looking discharge (sorry for the mental image) and MAYBE the smell was stronger there. But she has not been licking at all.

So I'm just not sure. But everytime she comes near me, I can smell that smell. And this morning, she didn't ask for breakfast. She hasn't eaten yet today (other than a treat for sp patiently letting me poke around her). 

Am I crazy? What would you do?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Is it a fishy smell (anal glands)? 

Did she just get spayed? 

Is the smell coming from her mouth? (either her gums, or if she's been drooling a little and the fur around her mouth smells stagnant)

Or is it coming off her shoulders or feet? 

Is it a musky smell? <- Not that I think that's an issue with females, but I'm not sure. With my dog, when he's hot or stressed out, he can get a musky smell to the fur on his back, mainly right around his shoulders. I don't know if it is oil glands (or something) going overboard.

ETA - I just saw that you said the smell is stronger coming from her "belly". Definitely - I agree with the rest that you probably want to get her in to the vet.


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## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

I would make a vet visit. Even if you can't place the source of the smell she may be running a fever.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Time for a vet visit IMO. Is the discharge from her vagina? Is she spayed? If not, has she been in heat lately? Could be pyometra if so, which can be very very serious. All in all, with that smell, she needs to be seen... something's not right.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I would make a vet visit. If the discharge is coming from her vagina, it could just be a yeast infection, but I would want it checked out.


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## Katie and Paddy's Mum (Mar 31, 2010)

Hey there!
Sorry you're going through this - and good girl Tesia for patiently sitting through the inspection.
I am going to agree with everyone else - and say a vet visit is warranted. Not only for her, but for your peace of mind as well (you will likely just worry otherwise). 
It could be something benign, but you don't want to take that chance. Especially if it is the start of a UTI and she is feeling punky, you will want to get meds into her right away.
You know your girls smell the best and if something is off, then yea, take her in!

Hope all goes well. Fingers, paws and toes crossed for you.
Please let us know the outcome!

Oh and I know that smell well. I can smell a hotspot coming from days away! I have a super sensitive nose, and I swear her skin has always smelt like mildew a few days prior...obviously a wet oozy infection about to begin.

Good luck to Tesia!

---
Kim


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Megora said:


> Is it a fishy smell (anal glands)?


Not really. More that smell of a hot spot - at the wet, oozy stage. Or a yeasty ear.



Megora said:


> Did she just get spayed?


 Nope - ten years ago.



Megora said:


> Is the smell coming from her mouth? (either her gums, or if she's been drooling a little and the fur around her mouth smells stagnant)


No - I opened up her mouth and smelled and looked around. No drooling, nothing out of the ordinary. If anything, her breath has improved in the past week, which is shocking as she's now on Sashas Blend which has an incredibly strong, fishy smell.



Megora said:


> Or is it coming off her shoulders or feet?


 *YES!* I just went and smelled her again - paying attention to her legs and shoulders. Not her paws - they still smell like Doritos - but her shoulders and legs do seem to be emitting the scent. What does this mean?? Is it possible it's her skin? From swimming in the lake?



Megora said:


> ETA - I just saw that you said the smell is stronger coming from her "belly". Definitely - I agree with the rest that you probably want to get her in to the vet.


I just checked under her tail again - definitely not anal. And I checked her vagina again - no discharge and really, no smell. I thought that's where it was coming from earlier, but seems really not to be. But for sure, the smell is still there. Maybe I should try bathing her and see if the smell disappears before taking her to the vet? I was holding off in case it IS an infection of some sort...


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

fostermom said:


> I would make a vet visit. If the discharge is coming from her vagina, it could just be a yeast infection, but I would want it checked out.


Do you know what that would look like? What I saw earlier (and which is no longer there - I just checked) was like a clear, gummy looking goo. Like clear, sticky discharge. Just a bit. Oh, and her peeing habits are totally normal. Haven't changed.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Katie and Paddy's Mum said:


> Hey there!
> Sorry you're going through this - and good girl Tesia for patiently sitting through the inspection.


Tee is a champion. She is just the best at letting me poke and prod (and smell!) all over her. Probably most Goldens are... it certainly does help when you need to do something unpleasant to the poor dears.



Katie and Paddy's Mum said:


> You know your girls smell the best and if something is off, then yea, take her in!
> 
> Hope all goes well. Fingers, paws and toes crossed for you.
> Please let us know the outcome!
> ...


Thanks, Kim. You're so right - and usually Tee smells SO good - she has a really sweet smell. I wonder if maybe she is on the verge of a hot spot? Thing is, I am SO careful about drying her off after swimming - she never hangs around hot and damp.  Poor Tee. I hate to think something is wrong and I don't know.

I am going to follow all your advice and call the vet...


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> *YES!* I just went and smelled her again - paying attention to her legs and shoulders. Not her paws - they still smell like Doritos - but her shoulders and legs do seem to be emitting the scent. What does this mean?? Is it possible it's her skin? *From swimming in the lake*?


It might be... 

Something I'm thinking about is somebody my older sister trained with. She was the nicest person and her husky was a great dog. But her dog always smelled a little funky because she spent a lot of time in the woman's pond during the day. The woman let her because it kept the dog cool during summer. 

I think it was bacteria from the pond water stuff that dried on the fur...? Or that was what I always imagined. Her dog always smelled pondy. :yuck:


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

I know the type of hotspot smell you are talking about and it is distinctive. However, do you think the smell could be related to the new supplement she's on (i.e., Sasha's Blend). It's pretty smelly. Pippa has a pretty strong odour the past two days but it's more fishy. I have been giving her fish oil capsules as well as Sasha's so maybe its from that. Her Flexibites stink to high heavens but they don't smell fishy although they contain the same ingredients as the Sasha's powder. Just a thought. I would suggest bathing Tesia with a gentle shampoo, drying her well (tomorrow would be an awesome day now that our humidity is gone) and seeing if the odour goes away.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Megora said:


> It might be...
> 
> Something I'm thinking about is somebody my older sister trained with. She was the nicest person and her husky was a great dog. But her dog always smelled a little funky because she spent a lot of time in the woman's pond during the day. The woman let her because it kept the dog cool during summer.
> 
> I think it was bacteria from the pond water stuff that dried on the fur...? Or that was what I always imagined. Her dog always smelled pondy. :yuck:


Okay. This could well be it. I had her swimming at Presqu'ile Park on Wednesday. There was a lot of seaweed - and I could tell the water wasn't as clean as where I usually take her. But it was SOOO hot. And really, once she saw the water, there was no stopping her. 

I'm going to bathe her - see if it makes a difference. She did just ask for, and eat, her dinner. So she has an appetite again... always a good sign. If it's bacteria, I guess I may need to get something from the vet. But I'll try a bath first.

Thanks to all for your concern and suggestions. I'll let you know what happens..


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Yuck! I know that smell. I've never found the source to be something other than a hot spot or yeasty ears. I'd suggest a chlorohexidine shampoo if you have one. Virbac makes one, or even just Dawn dishsoap!  Let us know how it goes.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Well..... fingers crossed. I bathed her a couple of hours ago - scrubbed her, really, poor love. She doesn't seem to be emitting the smell anymore, but I'm not going to declare victory until the sweet smell of the shampoo fades and I'm sure her skin is truly clean and free of any bacteria. I didn't use an antibacterial shampoo - just the one I had on hand. Here's hoping...

PS Is there anything nicer than a soft, shiny, clean Golden?


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## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

Good luck. I know that when Gunner would do a lot of swimming he would have kind of a sour smell near his ears. They are always the last to dry. If we are home and they are wet from the pool I usually use a hair dryer. But, at a lake they air dry. Hope you figure it out. Anxious to hear if the bath cleared it up.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Well, she seems to be odor-free still today. Thank GOODNESS! Last night she came and lay down by me, and I thought I smelled The Smell again. I panicked, but I think it was my nose playing tricks on me. It had been so full of The Smell from the past few days...

I am so happy there doesn't seem to be a bacteria I need to treat - I guess it was just the seaweedy, yucky part of the lake she was in. Ugh. I feel so guilty for letting her go in...

Thanks for all the support and suggestions..


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