They’re big, they’re majestic, and sometimes they really stink. The Cane Corso is the big lug of a dog that sometimes makes a big stink, and I mean that literally. If you’ve ever walked into the room with your Cane Corso and said “What’s that smell?”, there’s a good chance it’s them, leading you to ask yourself, why does my Cane Corso stink?
Why does my Cane Corso stink? There are several reasons a Cane Corsos stinks or smells. Skin issues, dental problem, ear infection, excessive gas, or an anal gland problem are the most common. Sometime several all at once. It is important to identify and treat these possible factors causing your Cane Corso to smell immediately.
There are several tell-tale signs of specific health issues that may be affecting your Cane Corso and why they stink. So it’s important we identify what the smell is, where it’s coming from, and how to address your concerns through treatment and prevention.
Why Does My Cane Corso Stink?
To first identify why your Cane Corso stinks we need to determine where the smell is coming from and what does it smell like. Yes I know how unpleasant this sounds, but in order to treat the odour and be proactive about future prevention, you’ll need to sniff around for the root cause.
Typically you are going to be looking in 4 different areas where odors can occur. The skin and coat of your Cane Corso, their breath, their ears, and their butts. I might suggest checking in that order if you are very unsure of where the stink is coming from. I’d rather detect the ear smells before doing a thorough investigation of a Cane Corso’s back side.
Skin Issues With A Cane Corso
Your Cane Corso’s skin and coat could be a reason why they stink, and this can range from a poor diet, to a skin issue, to having just rolled in something while you weren’t looking. All of this can be fixed or at least managed in a way to help alleviate some of the smell. I’ll get into more detail in the next section.
Bad Breath With A Cane Corso
Bad breath is a common trait of most dogs, but some can be worse than others and it’s important to look for a few things with your Cane Corso. Have they eaten something foul or rotten lately? Do you brush their teeth regularly? or have you noticed very distinct smells such as urine smelling breath, or even sweet smelling breath? The latter could be signs of something more serious.
Ear Problems With A Cane Corso
Has your dog been shaking or scratching at their ears lately? Do you smell a rather pungent and offensive odour? Chances are they have an ear infection. In the section below we’ll look at how to detect an ear infection, treatments, and prevention techniques to use moving forward.
Diet Of Your Cane Corso
Is you Cane Corso farting a lot? Not just a toot here and there, but like all the time? There could be a few reasons why this is happening, and determining the cause whether it be diet, food sensitivities, how they are eating, or possible serious health issues is important in fixing the problem.
If you are asking yourself why does my Cane Corso smell like stinky fish, then you most likely have an anal glad problem. This can be a simple, though unpleasant fix, or can be something a little more serious. We’ll take a look at some of the recommended solutions and routine care to help get your Cane Corso back to smelly like daisies. Or at least not like smelly fish.
Cane Corso Skin Problems or Just General Smell?
There is a good chance that your Cane Corso stinks all the time and it’s not coming from the ears, mouth or butt, then it’s their skin and coat. Ruling out any topical causes such as rolling in poop or a dead animal, which a simple bath can fix, we could be looking at a problem in their diet or a possible skin issue.
Cane Corsos can quite often be susceptible to common skin disease and allergies, which can often lead to such skin conditions as pyoderma. Pyoderma is often very noticeable if your dog has been very itchy, has any signs of a rash, scabs, or hair loss.
This is common with short hair breeds. One of the common signs is pimple looking pustules that can give off an awful smell, especially when left untreated.
Pyoderma can be easily diagnosed by your vet and is often easily treated with antibiotics over the course of a few weeks.
Another fairly common skin condition is canine seborrhea, which produces a very distinct musty or smelly cheese like odor. This is because of the presence of sebum and yeast on the skin commonly under the belly and armpits, elbows, and around the ankles.
This can be assessed by your vet and treatment is typically a shampoo and conditioning treatment, or supplementation of healthy fatty acids.
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Diet Can Cause Your Cane Corso To Stink
Another possible reason that your Cane Corso stinks so much has to do with their diet. And no I’m not talking about the possible fart problem, that comes in a minute, but both can be potentially resolved through diet.
Food allergies can be very common in Cane Corsos and this can lead to a very itchy and irritable pooch. Identifying what your dog is allergic to and making the necessary switch can make a word of difference to their skin, and general happiness.
“The most common food allergens in dogs are proteins, especially those from dairy products, beef, lamb, chicken, chicken eggs, soy or gluten (from wheat). Each time a pet eats food containing these substances, the antibodies react with the antigens and symptoms occur.” – VCA Hosptials
To prevent the types of infections that are caused by scratching and opening wounds on your dog it is also important that they are getting enough Omega 3 fatty acids.
Supplementation Of Omega Oils Can Help Your Cane Corso
Though a lot of very good premium dog foods claim to contain Omega 3 fatty acids, because of the way the food is processed at high heats, this can make the Omega 3 deteriorate, therefore it’s important to supplement.
This can help leave you Cane Corso’s skin feeling great, while also giving them a nice shiny coat. Omega 3 also has a myriad of other health benefits for joints and brain function.
I highly recommend some of these supplements I have used for my dog Ruby to help keep her skin and coat in top notch.
Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet Soft Gels
Nutri-Vet Fish Oil Supplements for Dogs
Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil for Dogs
Does Your Cane Corso Have Bad Breath?
Most dogs have bad breath, but sometimes it can be worse than just bad, it could be a major problem. Dental care is extremely important in maintaining your pets health. Maintaining those chompers can not only prevent bad breath, but can prevent diseases that lead to chronic bad breath.
Regular brushing of your Cane Corsos teeth can make a world of difference in the prevention of bad breath. The buildup of plaque and tartar on your dog’s teeth can lead to periodontal disease which can lead to infections and all sorts of high priced medical bills to treat it.
If your dog is like mine, they don’t much care for having their teeth brushed, and it can be a struggle. There are other solutions however. Dental sticks are a great way for big chewers to do what they love to do while working away that plaque and tartar build up.
There are also some water additives you can add to your Cane Corso water bowl to help combat gum disease and periodontal disease. My favorite is the Oxyfresh Premium Dental Care Water Additive. It also contains some glucosamine to help with my dogs joints.
Bad breath is typically related to dental care, but sometimes it can be a sign of something a little more serious. Things like diabetes, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease, as well as Rhinitis and Sinusitis can all be serious causes behind your pet’s bad breath.
If your dog has clean teeth, but foul or even sweet smelling breath. Consult your vet immediately.
Resources & Reviews – The Best Dog Dental Care Products
Ear Infections In Cane Corsos
Chances are your Cane Corso will get an ear infection or two in their lifetime at least. Commons signs they probably have one is excessive scratching, shaking of their head in an uncomfortable manner, and of course that smell. It is a rather pungent smell that is hard to miss.
Your dog can get an ear infection from moisture build ups that create prime environments for bacteria and yeast to form. They can be caused by allergies or demodex mites. Wax build, excessive ear cleaning causing injury, and even potential thyroid problems.
If your dog has a really smelly ear and seems uncomfortable. Bring them to the vet. To prevent ear infections it’s important to check your dog’s ears regularly and clean when needed. Remember excessive cleaning can lead to infections in the first place, and some dogs don’t need cleanings as much as others.
To clean your dog’s ears all you are going to need is some ear cleaning solution. Some cotton or gauze, and a towel. Squirt some solution in their ear and squish it around by massaging your dogs ears for 45 seconds, then let them shake it out. Once you are done just take the gauze or cotton and gently wipe out their ear canal to remove any wax and debris that the solution loosened.
Do Cane Corso Fart A Lot?
If your Cane Corso is lighting up the room on a fairly regular basis there is a good chance there is something wrong. A few farts here and there are completely natural, but a lot of farts, and especially ones that are extra smelly, are pointing to a problem.
The first thing you need to look at is your Cane Corso’s diet. Giving them a premium high quality dog food is important to ensure proper nutrient absorption and that what they are eating is highly digestible.
When selecting a good food for your Cane Corso you should be looking for a food that:
- Has the AAFCO label
- Is premium rather than generic or economy brand
- Has high quality meat protein and not meat by-products
- Contains minimal to no chemical preservatives
- Has omega fatty acids.
- Has no fillers
Some highly recommended dog foods to get your dog the optimal nutrition and keep the gas under control can be found on my premium dog food page.
Resources & Review – The Best Premium Dog Foods For Bully Breeds
Foods To Avoid Feeding Your Cane Corso
Some foods are particularly hard to digest for your Cane Corso, and feeding them these types of food can lead to excessive fermentation in their colons. As a result your are more likely to have higher fart frequency and smell. These foods include.
- Soybeans
- Peas
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- Highly fermentable fibers – lactulose, psyllium, or oat bran
- Milk products
- High-fat diets
- Spicy foods
Does you Cane Corso devour their food in the blink of an eye? This could be another leading factor to why your Cane Corso is farting a lot.
When dogs eat or drink too fast they swallow extra air in the process. When they swallow too much air, it usually comes out the other end, and can be uncomfortable for your pet in the meanwhile.
One simple trick to get your Cane Corso to slow down when eating is to simply place a slightly small bowl inside of their food bowl to make it more difficult for them to get giant mouthfuls of food at once. This will naturally cause less gobbling and a little more of a paced feeding.
There are also some excellent puzzle bowls/slow feeders on the market that will encourage the same style of eating.
Some highly recommended puzzle bowls and slow feeders are:
Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl
Frisco Bone Shaped Ridges Slow Feed Bowl
JASGOOD Slow Dog Bowl for Large Dogs
Feeding Technique To Prevent A Stinky Cane Corso
Another way to prevent your Cane Corso from eating too much too quickly is to simply reduce the amount of food you are giving them each meal, and instead spread it out to several small meals.
This will give your dog’s digestive system a bit of a break and time to properly break down the food versus a big feeding.
If you are feeding your dog twice daily, try breaking it up to 3-4 smaller meals and see if that helps.
You don’t even need to be home to do several feedings a day. We are living in the future and have robots that can do it for us! This SmartFeeder can allow you to feed your dog from a smartphone app anytime you want.
If your Cane Corso is not getting enough exercise this can also lead to gas build up in the intestines, so it’s a good idea to keep your pooch active to avoid excessive gas.
If your Cane Corso is following all the advice above and is still constantly farting and getting tummy rumbles for more than a few days, potentially weeks, it may be time to talk to your vet.
Potential underlying health issues like gastrointestinal conditions, neoplasia, an inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation of the intestine, or a parasite or virus
Underlying health issues like gastrointestinal conditions are usually accompanied by other symptoms. If your Cane Corso is experiencing any of the following symptoms as well, it is best to consult with your vet as soon as possible.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
Your vet will be able to best determine exactly what is causing the discomfort and ailments your pet is experiencing.
Cane Corso Anal Glands
Ever wonder why dogs smell each other’s butts? Of course you have. Well fun fact this is how dogs communicate with one another regarding general health, age, sex, etc.. And this is all from the anal glands.
“Anal glands, which are also called anal sacs, are small sacs located on either side of your dog’s anus. These sacs are full of specialized sweat glands that produce an unpleasant smelling secretion that acts as a scent marker for your dog. When your dog poops, these secretions pass onto the feces, letting other dogs know important chemical information about your dog.”
AKC
Does your dog have a fishy smell coming from their butts? Well then you probably have an anal gland problem and it’s time to call your vet so they can get to the bottom of things.
PIBBLES & BITS TOP PICKS
King Komb DeShedding Tool – One of the best dog brushes on the market. I use the King Komb each and every week with my Pibbles. Easy to use and even easier to clean.
Wahl Dry Skin Oatmeal Shampoo – Smells great, cleans great, and best of all keeps my dog’s skin and coat looking and feeling amazing. Wahl Dry Skin Oatmeal Shampoo keeps my Pibbles skin moisturized like no other.
Earth Rated Dog Wipes – Dog wipes are an essential to keep on hand, and nothing beats Earth Rated. Hypoallergenic, biodegradable, and durable. I keep these dog wipes in the house and the car for everyday use.
Kong Extreme – Kongs are one of my most used tools to give my dogs some mental stimulation and something tough to chew. Kong Extremes are as tough as they come and will give your Pibble the entertainment they crave.
Outward Hound Food Puzzle – Outward Hound food puzzles are the best in the industry. Available from beginner to advanced. These are an excellent way to challenge and mentally stimulate your dog.
BeneBone Dog Chew – The toughest dog chew around. My dogs absolutely love the bacon flavor and peanut butter flavor BeneBone. These will keep your toughest chewers busy for weeks, if not months and years.
BarkBox Super Chewer – Variety is the spice of life, and BarkBox Super Chewer is the perfect way to keep your dog engaged. New treats, toys, and chews each and every month that your super chewer will love.
iCrate Dog Crate – The iCrate is my absolute top recommendation for dog crates. I use this for both my dogs and love the sturdy, easy to store, and versatile adjustable panel. You need the iCrate in your life.
HiKiss Long Training Lead – Recall training and puppy training outdoors requires a long training lead. My favorite to use is the HiKiss long training lead. Available in a range of lengths to suit your long lead training needs.