Scratchy, Stinky Shih Tzu

[nikkicole827]

My shih tzu is 4 years old.  She has always been in good health.  Last summer, while I was pregnant, I took her to the vet because she was scratching and biting herself raw, especially on her feet.  THe doctor diagnosed her with a pollen allergy and gave us meds.  Well her feet got better but she is still constantly scratching and no matter how often I bathe her, she smells awful an hour or two later!  It's this very distinct, bitter smell.  The reason I mention my pregnancy is because it is when all of this began and now she just seems to scratch constantly since my daughter was born 5 months ago.  Her feet are better, she just scratches her body and emits this awful odor.  I want to pay attention to her so she doesn't feel left out but I can hardly stand to be near her if she's gone a few days wiht out a bath.  I know her skin may be dry but I think it's more than that.  Has anyone else expereinced this with a shih tzu or similar breed and if so, what helped?

[nikkicole827]

Thanks for the advice.  I had her groomed the other day and the smell came back by the next day.  I will be taking her to the vet next week.  I do play wiht my dog and she does get attention from both my husband and I.  My baby girl is beginning to be interested in her and I hope Molly (my dog) will open up to her sometime in the future.  For now she's just acting like she wants nothing to do with her at all.  I haven't been walking her because of the bitter cold (were near Chicago) but that will resume as soon as the weather is better.  I walked her a ton while my girl rode in a carrier when the weather was warmer.  She does love walks!

[Jaybay]

You need to go back to your vet.  Obviously this problem is more than just a pollen allegery, and the meds only dealt with one part of it.  Because you notice a distinct smell, I imagine she's got a fungal infection going on her skin, and these can sometimes be difficult to treat.  Over the counter Selsun Blue shampoo would be one thing to try, but you may need to make some dietary changes or obtain a prescription shampoo as well, so get some solid advice from your vet.

Since you have so much on your plate with the new baby, can anyone else in your home start walking and playing with your dog on a daily basis?  If not, how about hiring a responsible teenager (or younger child) to do the job?