Zooey smells like fish - is it her food?

[lengel]

Zooey's fur smells like fish. All over. And, yes, I sniff my dog.

She's eating Eagle Pack Holistic Adult, Anchovy, Sardine and Salmon formula. This has been her diet for the last month.

Now she smells like sardines. If I gave her a chicken based diet, would she smell like chicken? Why does fish oil just ooze through the pores?

[harleychik66]

I'm not sure why this is. I can give both our dogs chicken, beef, whatever and they have no odor. But when I give the two of then sardines as a treat I smell a mild odor. Usually it's the next day. Since I don't feed fish on a regular basis it's no bit deal. I always thought it was just me and that I was imagining the odor. Glad to hear I'm not the only one who smells it.

[trish603a]

well if she smells like fish, it could be she expressed her anal glands. Is this a continuous smell, or does it come and go? I know there have been a couple of times when my Zoey expressed her glands and it was AWFUL. I feed chicken with rice, and my dog does not smell like chicken. She has no odor what-so-ever.

[lengel]

It's not her butt. It's her fur - everywhere. I'm sniffing her head and tummy, etc. It's kind of creepy.

[sweetlee]

Never fed Dodge fish before other than a couple of treats. It sounds like fish can make your dog smell fishy. EWWWWWW.
If it were anal glands you would KNOW it. They are ranker than any fish smell in the world.
My dog smells recently, but just like dog. It's time for one of his twice a year baths.
I have never tried them, but there are some grooming wipes you can buy for between baths that are supposed to freshen up the dog, but I doubt they would work in your case, obviously the fish smell is coming from the skin to get on her fur.


Sharon

[lengel]

Zo had a bath a month ago. I think I may need to change her food. It's not bad now. I really have to get my nose on her fur but what will it be like in a few months? Doesn't look good. I'm going to the Eagle Pack website.

[brunie's mom]

All of the fish in the Eagle Pack formula are strong smelling fish. I open up a tin of sardines for my dogs to share once a week or so, and the house still smells like fish the next day.

I would think the strong smell of fish could permeate through the skin and fur...I know that people eating too much garlic smell like garlic.

If she is doing well on the fish formula, why change it? The smell can't be that strong can it?

Gina

[Marcino]

Originally Posted by trish603a

well if she smells like fish, it could be she expressed her anal glands. Is this a continuous smell, or does it come and go? I know there have been a couple of times when my Zoey expressed her glands and it was AWFUL. I feed chicken with rice, and my dog does not smell like chicken. She has no odor what-so-ever.

Oh yeah... that "distinct" fish odor
That's when we know it's time to go to the vets to have the glads emptied.

If it were the glands I highly doubt you would be smelling fish all over the your dogs body.

.... Crap, and I have a brand new 30lb bag of Wellness Fish Formula sitting in my pantry... I hope he doesn't end up smelling like a fish market...ewww!

[lengel]

I think I'm going to cut in another flavor and do half and half. Maybe that will help.

Her fur is really shiny though . . .

[styric]

I feed the same food and flavor, no fish smell here. Though her breath does smell distinctly fishy! I just make her stop breathing in my face.

She's gleaming though. Every other food she's had dandruff on, but this one her coat is mirror bright. I just finished brushing her and I stared at her wondering who replaced my dog with this gorgeous thing.

[jlhnokc]

I feed Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream, the food smells pretty fishy and the dogs breath smells a little fishy, but their coats don't smell fishy at all.

[RiggersMum]

My two eat Go! Natural Wild Salmon and Rice formula - Their breath is so fishy stinky, but their coats don't stink.

[RiggersMum]

Actually, I just thought about this a bit more - I think my boys stunk when I first started feeding this food. Maybe Zooey's funk will go away as she gets used to the food? :)