Dogs spend their days walking around on their feet which means they sometimes walk through some pretty dirty or gross things. When we give our pups cuddles and kisses, their paws probably aren’t one of the body parts we want to get close to. But even with clean paws, if you’ve ever gotten close to your dog’s feet, you may get a little whiff of corn chips. Apparently, That is what many dogs’ feet are said to smell like: corn chips.
However, sometimes dogs’ feet can smell awful, but that is usually a result of bacteria or yeast growing in between their paw pads. Also, if your dog has cut their paw or broken a nail, it can also cause a bad smell if they develop an infection. But the normal smell that dog feet emit is usually that of a corn chip scent. Who would’ve thought? The reason behind it has to do with sweat. Most dogs cool themselves down by panting. It’s the primary way they keep themselves cool since they don’t have sweat glands. However, they do have a few sweat glands in their feet. When they sweat, that moister then stays collected in the fur in between their toes, which can cause certain types of bacteria or yeast to grow, which can cause the corn chip smell. While one would think that this means there’s a problem, it’s completely normal. Having bacteria or yeast in growth down there isn’t a problem unless it smells foul because then that would indicate some kind of infection taking root. The corn chip smell is just a result of an overgrowth of the natural yeast and bacteria present on your pup’s feet.
Most of the time if you bathe your dog you can minimize the scent. However, if their feet smell incredibly bad, or the corn chip smell is very persistent and overpowering, it could point to some other kind of problem. That is when it’s a good idea to get your dog to the vet just to make sure it’s nothing serious. The smell can easily be treated using topical ointments or special shampoos or mousses, but that’s only necessary if your vet determines there is an actual problem.
Did you know about the corn chip foot smell in dogs? Have you ever smelled your dog’s feet? Let us know!
