Stinky Beard, Stinky Breath, or possibly something else?

[Gabby]

Hi everyone,

Recently I have noticed that Duke starts to get stinky about 3-4 days after getting groomed.  At first I thought it might be his beard and had the groomer cut it down.. ( I researched a lot of posts about the smelly beard syndrome in doodles due to getting them wet or food on them)..but I still notice the stinky smell...  I'm pretty sure its coming from his mouth area.  The vet said his teeth are perfect--so it's not a decaying tooth or gum issue... All I can think of is maybe his food?  We started him on Fromm and have now finally fully transitioned over to Orijen.  His treats are the Orijen brand ones.  Am I missing something?  Should we be feeding him something else that might help with his stinky breath?  It truly is awful--sort of like mildew and rotting meat and sulphur all mixed together..  I'm worried something might be wrong. Help!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

JD once had an infection along the inside edge of his lower lip that was hidden by his fur. Can you check along his lips, both inside his mouth and out?

If everything looks good there, you might try washing off his muzzle with a damp cloth after he eats. If you don't notice the smell for a few days after he's groomed, it sounds like it may be related to traces of food in the fur around his mouth.

If it were something internal, related to his digestion, it would still be noticeable after a grooming.  

[Gabby]

I didn't notice anything on his lips that might indicate infection.  I'll give the damp cloth a try...

[Tracey & Spike]

It could be the flavor maybe????

I'm not a vet by any means but when was his last full check up? Could there maybe be something internal causing it?? I know my neighbor's dog had a kidney infection and his breath would clear a room. He went on med's and was fine.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If it were something internal, though, it wouldn't go away for a few days following a grooming. 

[Tracey & Spike]

That's true. I was just thinking along the lines of the fresh groom masking it. It was just a thought

[Kate, Mel, Tenley & Harper]

We feed the Orijen 6 Fish which is incredibly stinky food. BUT, I have never noticed the intense fishy smell on Tenley's breath or around his mouth. 

Every now and then his beard will smell mildewy, sort of like an old sponge (but not that intense). When this happens, I wash it with some shampoo, comb it out, and make sure to dry it thoroughly. I brush it a lot to get it fluffy and dry, too. I think what causes this is when he has a wet beard almost constantly-- if he's outside a lot and always drinking water, at day care and drinking a lot of water, etc. It is never allowed to thoroughly dry to the skin.

[Pam Thomas]

I read you could put a small amount of vinegar in each bowl of water. Have not tried it.