Here’s why your dogs paws and ears sometimes smell like corn chips

Ever been playing or cuddling with your pup and notice that their paws or ears smell like corn chips? There’s actually a reason for that, so no need to feel like you’re going crazy when you smell that. While most of the time it’s okay to be ‘let go’, there may be certain circumstances where you should seek help from a vet.

We will be going over all things related to this and how and when to get help, so stay tuned!

Have you ever smelled corn chips on your dogs? Here’s what to look for and how you can help them!

The Founder of the Boston Veterinary Clinic, Brian Bourquin, DVM, stated that the so-called “Frito Feet” are actually caused by two different types of bacteria that can be gathered up just by your dog getting dirty or playing outside.

The two different bacteria, proteus and pseudomonas (yeast-like) are the two different types of bacteria that can cause your dogs paws and ears to smell like corn chips. Moisture is a huge factor in this, so for example, when your dog licks their paws it actually has the potential to lock in all of that bacteria that just thrives on the warmth.

But don’t worry! Both of these different types of bacteria aren’t harmless to you or your dog!

While “Frito Feet” can occur on just about any dogs paws, it’s much more common in pups that have a lot of fur, or longer fur. With a lot going on down there, there are so many different ways that the bacteria can get trapped with not many options to head out and leave town. Dogs who are also foot licking lovers can definitely have a stronger or more frequent corn chips smell to their paws as well.

Dogs, much like humans, have bacteria that are supposed to be there, but sometimes it just so happens to be more potent than other times! So be alert for any (sudden) changes in smell(s)!

When should you seek help from your dog’s vet?

While a majority of the time that distinct Fritos smell is harmless, sometimes it’s not. It can also be caused by an injury that has somehow gotten infected. So, if you start to smell this all of a sudden, make sure to check your pup’s paws for any sort of open wounds that might need some immediate attention.

If you notice that your dog begins to lick their feet and paws area more often or frequently, that might also be something to bring up to your vet. That could be a sign of (potentially severe) allergies.

How can you treat this smell and what to do all about it?

The best way is to make sure that your dog’s feet and paws (and ears too, of course) are always clean! Clean them regularly, wipe them with fragrance-free wipes, at the very least, every time they come back inside from a walk or an outdoor play session. Some people even have a mat by their front door so their pups can “wipe their paws” before fully coming inside! Nifty idea, huh?!

All in all, just make sure that you keep a close eye on your pups, should you ever smell corn chips all of a sudden and for a long(er) period of time!

What do you make of this scientific analysis from Dr. Brian Bourquin, DVM on Frito Feet? Be sure to comment down below what cleaning ways worked for you in treating your dogs corn chips smell! What worked or didn’t work? And as always…Woof, Woof!