My dog smells funny!

[Grey_Showjumper]

My dog is an 11 year old labrador. he is in good condition, vets are pleased with how he is. hips are a bit sore but we are controlling this well. He is a VERY big labrador and has a huge chest. the vets have said he is actually underweight if anything but he is just a VERY big dog.
anyway, he is kinda smelly...
is this normal? or should we take a trip to the vets to get him checked out?
teeth are in very good condition- from eating apples. he goes on walks twice a day. He is fed senior biscuits as advised by the vets with rice, vegetables, stock etc...
anything you could suggest?
he also seems to be very thristy tonight and wanting to go out a lot... but this has just happened tonight

 

[CorvusCorax]

What kind of smell?

 

[Cliqmo]

As CaveCanem... is the smell musty, tangy, bitter or sweet? (it might help locate the cause of the problem

)

 

[Grey_Showjumper]

its not really coming from anywhere in particular, its just kinda him, but not how he used to smell...
its a bit of a manky smell...

 

[CorvusCorax]

Like a 'doggy' smell, a 'fishy' smell, a 'poo-ey' smell?

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Anal glands I bet

 

[Grey_Showjumper]

gazehound is that a bad thing?
I will go and smell him in a bit and report back lol.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

It is an easily-fixable-by-the-vet thing, but not hugely pleasant

I am not good at describing smells, someone else will hopefully oblidge here.....

 

[CorvusCorax]

Hahaha! Nothing to worry about, they probably need emptied, I would give the vet a ring.

Now that you mention it, B's skin infection STINKS when he has it, but I can't actually describe it to you

 

[Grey_Showjumper]

oh, our puppy has that.. no not that kind of smell.
i can't describe smells lol.
its like an old smell...
he needs a vet check up anyway so will mention it.

 

[3BayGeldings]

I know this sounds silly, but we thought my labrador was smelly 'in herself' when it actually turned out to be from the manky river she goes swimming in most days! Otherwise, like others say it could be the anal glands. My dogs's had to have hers emptied a couple of times a year for quite a few years now. Vet sticks a few fingers up, squeezes gunk out of the glands (which don't empty properly due to the glands being in the wrong position, dipped down rather than up, i think!) and then charges you an obscene amount for the pleasure

Or could be manky ears? Labs often have problems with that especially when they're getting a bit older

 

[monochroma]

Is he 'done'? Because my friend's uncastrated dog smelled like a general old man when he got into his senior years, simply because he wasn't castrated

 

[Grey_Showjumper]

Yup, done very young... so can't be that...
don't think hes been swimming in anything... our other dog would probably smell aswell then...
will have another sniff and try and describe it tommorow! lol