Do sick dogs smell worse?

[Savoir Faire]

Hello all....we brought home our new doggy on Wednesday. He had the "typical" dog smell....but nothing horrid.

Over the days, he has become more and more lethargic (not wanting to go on walks), runny nose and sneezing. I'm bringing him to the vet in the AM.

Here's the deal: He smells HORRIBLE! I bathed him on Wednesday. I've vacuumed the floors, mopped and I constantly clean his bedding because it reeks.

I can't believe how bad this smell has become-- it is overwhelming. So...could this be because of his sickness? Do sick dogs smell worse?

[Shera971]

Depending on the sickness, yes a sick dog can smell worse. Can you tell where the smell is coming from? If a dog's ears get infected the smell can be horrid. I'm sure there are other things that can make a dog smell bad.

I hope everything went ok today!

[mamallama]

Yeah, sick dogs smell worse.

Ears, as mentioned, smell pretty bad when they're infected. Anal glands reek when they're impacted. Some dog viruses have a tell-tale stink.

Stressed dogs often smell v. doggy--not necessarily bad, but strong.

It's not surprising that a new dog--esp one from a less-than-optimal situation would smell bad, but the lethargy and respiratory symptoms are concerning.

How did it go with the vet?