Some smells arrive faster than a bath can be arranged. A wet dog who has rolled in something on a Tuesday evening, or a cat who has been sleeping somewhere unwise, will not wait until the weekend. A mist and a rub through the coat buys you the days in between without wetting anything, filling a tub or starting an argument that neither party wins.

The formula is antibacterial and works by neutralising odour rather than laying a perfume over the top of it, which is the difference between a coat that smells of nothing and one that smells of dog and flowers together by mid-afternoon. Bacteria on a damp coat are usually what you are actually smelling, so treating that is treating the cause. No rinsing is needed: spray lightly from a distance, work it through with your hands or a brush, and let it dry.

• 60ml bottle
• No rinsing required
• Neutralises odour rather than masking it
• Antibacterial formula
• Suitable for dogs and cats

When a smell is not a grooming problem. A pet who smells bad again within a day or two of a proper wash usually has something going on underneath. Ear infections, skin infections, anal glands and dental disease all announce themselves by smell long before anything else shows, and no deodorising spray touches any of them. If you find yourself reaching for it daily, the vet is the better call. Keep it away from the face and eyes, and off broken skin.

Who it's for: Owners who need a quick freshen-up between baths after a muddy walk, and anyone whose pet hates the bath enough to make washing a last resort.