What You Should Know About Why Your Dog Smells Like Fritos

Is your dog smelly? Do you find yourself wondering why your dog smells like Fritos? Are you worried about their stink? Do you want to find out if there’s anything you can do to help them? If any of this sounds true, then you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the most common causes of foul smells in dogs. If you’ve noticed your pet smelling strangely like Fritos corn chips recently, you may just find the solution from the information listed below. So let’s get started exploring the most common causes of smelly dogs!

6 Areas Where Your Dog Smells Like Fritos, and Why

There could be a variety of different reasons why your dog may smell like Fritos, and a big part depends on where you’re smelling the odor on your dog’s body. This smell could be coming from something as simple as something your dog ate, or more complex, such as a health condition.

Below are 6 places where your dog may smell like Fritos, and what could be causing it:

1. Smelly Rear End

You probably won’t smell corn chip odor from your dog’s rear end, unless they’ve been eating a lot of corn chips recently! You might, however, smell a strange fishy odor around their bottom now and then. This means their anal glands need to be expressed, which can be done by either a veterinarian or a groomer.

If your dog is having a lot of gas, especially if that gas smells bad, they may be eating something that they have a slight intolerance to. On the other hand, they may have a stomach bug that requires a little bit of rest or medication to help them get treated.

2. Smelly Face and Mouth

If your dog smells like Fritos in their mouth or on their face, they may have a bacterial or yeast infection in their mouth. This is not a very common problem among dogs, but it can occur along with other dental health issues.

Other kinds of bad smells from the mouth may indicate that your dog has an infection of the gums or mouth, or that they have an abscess in their mouth. They could also have a rotting or damaged tooth that needs to be pulled. Keeping up with their regular dental hygiene needs can help reduce these risks.

3. Smelly Feet

If your dog’s feet smell like Fritos, they probably has a buildup of Pseudomonas or Proteus on the surface of their paws. These are two types of bacteria that are commonly found on dog paws, but don’t cause any issues or illness. They are nothing to worry about and can be likened to the smell of a human’s naturally sweaty feet.

You can cut down on the risk of this smell on your dog’s paws by keeping up with their grooming routine. Clean their feet and have their nails trimmed regularly to reduce the risk of corn chip feet.

4. Smelly Coat

Another place where your dog could smell like Fritos is on their coat. A dog whose coat smells like Fritos may have a bacterial infection underneath the fur, on the surface of the skin. These infections can be hard to find in dogs with medium to long coats, and they are often associated with matting of the fur.

If your dog’s coat and skin smell bad in other ways, they may just need to be groomed. Check their skin for signs of infection or other problems, but otherwise, a trip to the groomer is probably all it will take to resolve the smell.

5. Smelly Breath

Is the smell of Fritos coming from your dog’s breath? If so, they may have been eating something out of the garbage, or someone in your household may have been feeding them table scraps. Frito breath is usually a sign of nothing more serious than eating Fritos!

With that said, however, there are some breath smells that can indicate serious problems. For example, if your dog’s breath smells like poop, this may mean they have a dangerous intestinal blockage. And if it smells sickeningly sweet, like rotting fruit, they could have diabetes or liver failure.

6. Smelly Ears

Finally, if your dog smells like Fritos and the smell is coming from inside their ear, then this odor could be associated with an ear infection in dogs. You may also notice liquid running from their ears in more serious cases of ear infection, or they may paw at their ears often.

The good news is that ear infections can be easily treated by your vet. All you need to do is take your pet in for an exam and then follow the vet’s directions. This will usually involve giving your dog oral medication as well as ear drops for a couple of weeks to get rid of the infection.

Find the Underlying Reason Why Your Dog Smells Like Fritos

Many of the underlying causes of foul smells in dogs are benign, and they may simply be mild to moderate issues. However, since some potential causes can be more serious, it’s important to have your dog’s smell checked out by the vet—especially if this is the first time you’ve noticed this kind of smell from your pet.

Your vet will perform plenty of tests and a physical examination to determine what could be causing your dog’s smell. From there, the vet will work with you to figure out the right treatment or management to deal with the cause of your dog’s odor.

If your dog smells like Fritos and you can’t figure out why, call or book an appointment at any of our Heart + Paw locations so our veterinarians can find the reason for this odor. Our team will make sure that your pet receives any necessary treatment needed to help get rid of this smell on your dog, if the cause is something health-related.