Why Do My Dog's Paws Smell Like Doritos?

Have you ever sniffed your dog's paws and noticed they smell kind of like Doritos? Not because your dog is secretly snacking on chips... because of something much more microscopic.In this episode of Why Though?, Dr Matt Agnew investigates the tiny living world on your dog's paws. What are bacteria and yeast? Why are dog paws such a perfect home for microbes? And what are they actually doing in there that smells exactly like corn chips?What you'll learn:Dog paws smell like Doritos because of tiny living things called bacteria and yeastDog paws are a perfect microbe home... warm, slightly moist, and picking up dirt and crumbs on every walkTwo bacteria called Proteus and Pseudomonas are usually responsible for that cheesy corn chip smellThe scientific word for this tiny community is the microbiome... and your dog has one living right on their pawsYour own body has trillions of bacteria... even more than human cellsThe Dorito smell is usually totally normal... but red, itchy or sore paws mean a trip to the vetKey Science Ideas:Bacteria: Single-celled organisms found almost everywhere, including on your dog's pawsYeast: A type of fungus... the same kind that helps bread riseMicrobiome: The community of tiny living things on and inside a bodyMicrobes: The scientific word for tiny living things like bacteria and yeastPseudomonas and Proteus: The two bacteria most responsible for that corn chip smellFun Experiment: The Microbe Hotel Take a small piece of bread and leave it in a warm, slightly damp spot for a few days. Watch what grows on it. That fuzzy stuff is mould... a close relative of the yeast living on your dog's paws. Warmth plus moisture plus a tiny bit of food equals microbes moving in. Sound familiar? That's exactly the same recipe as a dog's paw. Once you've had a good look, wrap it up carefully and pop it in the bin... don't open it indoors once the mould gets going.Why Though? The show for little scientists who love asking big questions. Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode.Follow Dr Matt Agnew: Instagram: instagram.com/drmattagnew TikTok: tiktok.com/@drmattagnew YouTube: youtube.com/@whythoughpod Website: drmattagnew.comFind Why Though? podcast across the internet and share with your friends!Instagram: instagram.com/whythoughpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@whythoughpodFacebook: facebook.com/whythoughpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.