“Frito Feet”
Q
Why Dog Paws Smell Like Corn Chips 6
SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE, EDUCATION & TRAINING, INC.
uestions about pet odors are common. Often a bad smell indicates a problem or a disease, but not always. What should you do if you notice that your dog’s feet have an odor that’s often described as resembling the smell of corn chips or old popcorn? Should you worry about it? The short answer is probably not. It may be normal. But, just in case, have your vet check it out. Bacteria and fungi live on the skin of healthy animals, including dogs and cats. Animal feet, being what they are, are always in touch with microbes as dogs walk on the ground and in stuff full of bacteria, and as they occasionally lick their feet with tongues full of additional microbes. As a result, dogs› feet may have more of an odor than the rest of the body. And thankfully, this faintly food-related smell is, in most cases, just a curiosity. What Causes the Corn Chips Smell? The corn chips smell is usually caused by bacteria that are completely natural yet give off a kind of yeasty odor, particularly the bacteria Proteus or Pseudomonas. Or that corn chips smell could just be your dog’s natural odor. In either case, relax; it’s normal.
