Excuse me , did I just get a puff of air of corn chips number from my dog ’s paws or are these just hunger cravings ?

If you on a regular basis snuggle with your andiron , there ’s a beneficial chance you ’ve gotten a well-disposed paw to the face more than once . And if you ’ve ever gotten a puff of a sealed savory olfaction that ’s weirdly similar to corn chips hail from that mitt , you ’re not imagining things .

Frito feet is a coarse ailment among dog owners ( once they get over the plethora of take on that they know what their pup ’s paws smell out like , of track ) . And while Frito feet can be a benignant bother , it can also be a sign of infection .

Why Do My Dog’s Paws Smell Like Corn Chips?

There are a draw of smell that could waft from your dog ’s paws without trance your tending , but corn buffalo chip in all likelihood is n’t one of them . And unless your dog has lately raid your pantry looking for chili topping , Fritos have nothing to do with Frito foot . According to Bonnie Bragdon , DVM , MS , cofounder of theIndependent Veterinary Practitioners Association , the culprit for the corn chip - like smell coming from your dog ’s substructure may be as harmless as your pup ’s natural oil production ( i.e. pestering but benign B.O. ) . However , Frito foundation can also be a sign of something more problematic : a bacterial oryeast infection .

So how can you tell if your hot dog ’s smelly mitt are normal or in demand of close review ? Use your olfactory organ and your eyes . If you could faintly observe the scent of corn chips while sniffing your dog ’s paws at close range , you likely do n’t need to be concerned . However , if you may smell those Frito feet from across the room , that is n’t normal , says Bragdon . And if you get a substantial whiff of corn chip coming from your dog ’s ears or his consistency as a whole , these are also signs that it ’s meter to call your vet .

agree to Bragdon , from a visual standpoint , sizable paw will be dry and will have pink skin that is n’t broken . Conversely , if you see signs that your dog is in pain or see red skin andopen soreson his paws , contiguous veterinary attention is warranted . " Reddish maculation of the whisker and skin can be a house ofexcessive lickingdue to itching and discomfort , " Bragdon continues . " And blackish discharge can be a sign of infection . "

And after all of that , we still fare back to the main dubiousness : Why do your frank ’s mitt smell like Fritos ? Determining the primary cause is vital to handle your dog ’s condition before it gets bad . For deterrent example , it may not be enough to learn that your dog has a barm transmission and treat it with fungicidal medicine . That ’s because barm infections are often secondary to anunderlying allergythat want to be managed .

Bragdon also notes that you should take your dog to the veterinary clinic if you see open sore or wounds , hemorrhage , foreign bodies , lumps , or extrusion on your pup ’s paw . " What looks like infective or allergic in nature could be a wounding or gash that require immediate care , " she explains .

Frito Feet Cure: How to Get Your Dog Smelling Better Again

As always , the diagnosing influence the treatment . If your dog ’s Frito feet are due to an infection , he may require medication ( for instance antifungal or antibiotic oral contraceptive ) or a topical treatment ( e.g. shampoo , ointment ) to get rid of the problem . And , as mentioned above , an transmission may be a sign that there are abstruse problems to enquire .

But if your dog simply has smelly feet because of natural oils , there are steps you could take to keep that Zea mays chip smell ( and its underlying culprit ) at bay . Bragdon recommend wiping orwashing your frump ’s pawsafter walks to ensure they ’re free from debris and to help clean them from allergens — a footstep that ’s particularly important if your dog has allergies . She also say it ’s significant tokeep your dog ’s nails befittingly trimmedto prevent snags , break , and ingrown nail . " paw should be comparatively low maintenance , " Bragdon explain . " So if your wienerwurst ’s are n’t , it ’s time to take him to the veteran . "