The Shar Pei is one of the oldest and most curious dog breeds in the world. With a characteristic appearance thanks to their multiple wrinkles, these dogs originating from China have been used as work and companion animals, and with the arrival of communism they were on the verge of disappearing as they were considered "a luxury object".
Unfortunately, some Shar Peis have an unpleasant odor, and many owners wonder why their Shar Pei smells badIf you want your beloved pet to attract attention for its nice wrinkles and funny blue tongue and not for its bad smell, here, on our site, we explain the most common causes of this problem.
Skin diseases that cause bad odor in Shar Pei
Shar Pei skin has some characteristics that make it prone to certain diseases that can make it smell bad.
In addition to having wrinkles that create recesses in the skin that make cleaning and aeration difficult, these animals are more predisposed than those of other breeds to suffer from demodicosis, a skin disease caused by a mite, and allergies. We will focus on these points below:
Demodicosis
Demodicosis is a skin disease caused by a microscopic mite called Démodex, which lodges in the dog's skin, entering the hair follicles. Demodex can affect individuals of all ages and conditions, but it is more common in puppies and in animals with low defenses due to some other disease or corticosteroid treatment (typical of allergies), for example.
Although these mites are not the main responsible for the bad smell of Shar Pei, alter their skin and predispose to other diseases that they do cause odor, such as seborrhea, pyoderma, or Malassezia infection.
Allergies
Shar Peis also have a high genetic predisposition to allergies, especially allergies to environmental elements, also known as atopy, such as mites, pollen, etc.
As in the previous case, the allergies themselves are not responsible for the bad smell, but alter the skin, causing lose its protective barrier function against other diseases that do cause it.
As has been mentioned, there are diseases that do cause a bad odor by themselves, such as Malassezia infection, a yeast that affects the skin, seborrhea (excess production of the sebaceous glands) or pyoderma, a bacterial infection of the dermis. These diseases, which require veterinary diagnosis and treatment, can appear in all dogs, but are much more frequent in dogs with allergies or demodicosis, as is the case of Shar Peis.
Bad smell due to lack of hygiene
We must not forget that lack of hygiene is one of the main causes of a dog, of any breed, smelling bad.
There is a popular belief that dogs in general and Shar Pei in particular should never, or almost never, be washed because doing so will cause them to lose a protective layer on their skin. Although it is true that this layer exists and that it is beneficial, it is also true that there are shampoos for dogs of frequent use that are capable of respecting it and can be used almost daily without any problem.
In any case, generally washing your Shar Pei once a month should be more than enough. This does not mean that, if the day after a bath, the dog gets covered in mud while playing in the park, for example, you have to wait a month to clean it, as long as you use a suitable shampoo. These shampoos are classified as skin protectors and are purchased at veterinary clinics or specialized stores.
Shar Pei skin care to prevent it from smelling bad
As the Shar Pei is an animal with sensitive skin, it is recommended to give a specific diet for dogs of this breed, or for dogs with sensitive skin or allergies. It is also recommended to provide omega 3 fatty acids in the dietProviding an inadequate diet can be reflected in the state of the dog's dermis and, therefore, suppose the cause that explains why your Shar Pei smells bad.
On the other hand, using a product that prevents mites from colonizing the dog's skin, such as moxidectin, available in pipette format, can be of great help in preventing the Shar Pei from smelling bad and developing any of the above pathologies. In addition, there are specific shampoos for dogs with allergies, as well as others capable of preventing or controlling diseases that cause a bad smell, such as Malassezia infection, pyoderma or seborrhea.
Some urban legends claiming that rubbing Shar Pei wrinkles with oils and various household products are good practices to keep their skin he althy, are not entirely true and can contribute to the bad smell of dogs who suffer from them if they are not used properly. In this way, it is recommended to apply the right amount of natural oils, since the excess can be accumulated between the wrinkles and produce an unpleasant odor due to lack of ventilation. Likewise, these remedies should never replace veterinary treatment, but must act as a complement and, always, under the supervision of a specialist.
