PROBLEM: This young Sharpei smells so badly that the dog is now forced to live outside.

SOLUTION: There is no doubt this dog absolutely stank! Not only that, but the house did too. The family had tried the whole range of shampoos and washes. They even used bicarbonate of soda brushed into the skin, all to no effect.

Now the carpets, upholstery and clothing were starting to smell as badly as the dog, so keeping it outside was the only option. The odour was reminiscent of a strong blue vein cheese. Taking a good smell of the dog narrowed down the worst areas to those with very little hair; around the ears, under the neck and fore legs, and between the hind legs.

The dog had Seborrhoea. This is an excessive exudation of a waxy substance found at the base of the hair follicles. It becomes attacked by bacteria and fungi, and that’s where the smell is coming from. Because it is "greasy", it is extremely difficult to remove from porous materials like clothing etc. The less hair, the worse the smell too, and Sharpeis have plenty of skin!

Skin washes with Malaseb on a regular basis, a low allergy diet, and a course of Baytril to knock off some of the bacteria will help. It's an ongoing process, with the emphasis on control, not cure.