Bassets are prone to a dermalogical condition know as
sheborrhea which can be the cause of such an odor, which is usually caused by a secondary
yeast infection
from
Seborrhea in Dogs"Bathing is necessary at least once a week. Some dogs may need a bath with a medicated shampoo twice or three times a week. Different shampoos and conditioners are used according to the infection present and the type of seborrhea. Some are good for dry skin (Allergroom®), while others are good for greasy skin (LyTar®). Some shampoos are antibacterial (OxyDex®), while others are antifungal (Selsun Blue® animals).
A contact time of 10 to 15 minutes is crucial for the success of shampoo therapy. Leave-on conditioners may be used after the shampoo to have a prolonged effect. Products available on the market are antibacterial (Resi-Chlor®), anti-itchy (Resi-Cort®) and antifungal (Resi-zole®)."
Shampoo Therapy
Frequent bathing can dryout a bassets skins and cause the sebacious glands to go into overdrive actually increasing the hound smell, However if the cause is a medical condition like seborrhea the freguent bathing is nessesary.
Other cause of smell include other cause of a secondary yeast infection of the skin such as atopic, food or flea allergies. The deep skin folds of a basset can create an ideal breeding ground for yeast and or bacteria which is called
skin fold dermatitis Another frequent location is between the toes. Other cause of unusual odor include
ANAL SACS ,
Peridontial Disease and
Lip fold Pyroderma.
Because many of the secondary infections which can cause odor are not curable until the underlying cause is treated such dermalogical problems can be difficult to solve.
1. consult with your vet to confirm an odor problem an not you are just more sensitive to "hound odor" than others.
2. do not be afraid to cunsult with a vet specializing in dermatology, since the many veriables make finding a cure difficult for those not well versed in skin disorders.
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