Do dogs smell of death?

notechno

Our dog is 15yrs old next month and was diagnosed with cancer in the summer. Due to her age we made the decision not to have her operated on, as advice seemed to suggest it may do more harm than good. She's bobbed along since then, she's definitely slowing down but hasn't seemed too bad. However, when I came downstairs this morning there was a putrid smell, and I fully expected to find that she'd made a big horrible mess somewhere. There was nothing though, and she went out in the garden as usual. I mentioned this at work and people have said that dogs can develop the 'death smell' shortly before they're going to die. I'm not asking you good people for any medical advice, that decision has already been made, and we're going to let her go as soon as I think she's suffering. But has anybody heard of this smell, supposedly before death, before? Oh, and the smell is still as bad this evening

zaksmum

Not heard of this before. How horrible. Poor dog...poor you.

moggymutt

Not come across it myself, though it will be true that some terminal conditions will eventually cause an animal to smell as they progress. Cats in the final stages of kidney failure can have the most dreadful rotten smell coming from their mouths.

One of my old dogs did develop an open sphincter (basically bottom hole) which meant he permanently smelt like he'd just done something.

Sorry for both you and your beloved dog.

meritaten

Human cancer victims sometimes develop this smell when the end is near. I noticed it particularly with my FIL as he was bed-bound in his last few weeks, and not until the last week of MILs life when she was mainly in bed. my Springer smelt a bit in her last weeks too - her kidneys were failing and she really did have a putrid, strong wee smell!

zaksmum

I remember when my old dog was desperately ill - he collapsed at home - he lay on the floor and couldn't get up so I lay down beside him and cuddled him and reassured him.

I did suddenly get a bad smell like he was going to do a poo and placed kitchen towel close to him so that, if he did, I could clean up without distressing him further.

He didn't poo though so I never did find out what it was.

Still chokes me up remembering.

troubleinparadise

Sorry to hear about your dog - this happened to one of ours, and it is always a sad loss whatever the cause.

The cancer itself may be causing necrosis (cell death), and thus the odour is that of rotten tissue internally being given out from one of the orifices.

It may be as well to keep an eye on your dog's pain levels if the cancer is advancing; it is usually fairly obvious if a dog is in discomfort or pain.

3v3

notechno wrote: »

Our dog is 15yrs old next month and was diagnosed with cancer in the summer. ...

So sorry to hear that

Where does your dog have the cancer? Knowing that could make a difference in how best to reply.

notechno

She had mammary cancer, and the vet advised that because the lump had got quite big, the most external part of it no longer had a blood supply, so the smell was literally that of it rotting.

We made the heartbreaking decision to have her put to sleep. It was awful taking her there, but the actual event itself was peaceful and serene.

I thought I'd geared myself up emotionally for it, but the enormity afterwards is like being hit intermittently by a train. Not helped by the fact that our 12month old cat went missing the day before and hasn't been seen since (almost a wk now)

xcarlyx

Sending a million hugs for you

Our dog was put down last month she was 16. We'd had her since I was 3 years old.

My parents tell me sometimes that its the best for them

heartbreak_star

*sniffle* hugs to you both, losing a beloved pet is horrendous.

Lots of love.

HBS x

3v3

((hugs)) So, so sorry to hear of your heartbreaking news ((hugs))

They leave such a huge hole in your heart and your life.

I shall be keeping my fingers crossed that your cat returns home, or is located at a rescue centre (keep checking the webpages of those nearest to you, daily).