An edited transcript has been provided below:
Today I’m going to talk to you about a disgusting topic, but I’m going to do it for your own good because it’s going to save you some money. That’s what I like to try to do with these blogs is to not only dispel myths, but to also save you money and just to educate you, as well, about why we make the recommendations that we make. We’re going to talk about anal sacs, or anal glands. They are these disgusting things, they produce this horrible smell, but it’s really important for your dogs. It’s their own signature. It’s their own unique blend of aromas that lets other dogs know that it’s them. They know that it’s Joe when they sniff that poop on the ground. It’s their thumbprint. So it’s important for them, but they can sometimes cause problems for dogs. They can end up needing to be expressed because they can get an infection there. I’ve gotten foxtails out of there. I mean, some weird stuff can happen. They can be a problem in which case they do need to be expressed. So that has kind of turned into a whole cottage industry or an urban legend where when you go to the groomers or when you come in for your wellness exam, and you say, “oh, while we’re here, can you also express their anal glands?” Every time a dog poops they’re expressing their anal glands. So to have it done on a random intermittent basis isn’t helping them at all. That’s why when I try to tell people when they come in. Don’t get it done, this is not necessary. They’re doing it themselves every single day.
Now, if your pet is scooting their butt on the ground a lot, they’re licking back there, they seem uncomfortable and it’s not going away, well then, we need to see them. We need to express those anal glands. That’s an appropriate time to do it. If you do have your dog scooting their butt on the ground a little bit, you can even try adding in a little bit of fiber to their diet and that can help bulk up their poop a little bit and help those anal glands to express. You can do that with a tablespoon of canned pumpkin. One of my favorites is actually Metamucil. You take a tablespoon or so of Metamucil and put that in their food twice a day. That’s a great form of fiber to help kind of bulk up that poop to have those anal glands express.
So I just wanted to give this quick little update to you, provide you some information. When you go to the groomers, when you come in for your wellness exams, you don’t need to pay for anal gland expressions. Only do it if your pet is actually having a problem back there. Hope that helps. If you have any questions, please let us know. I’m Dr. Evans here at Coastal Animal Hospital. Till next time.
My dog’s a mini poodle weighs 15 lbs and has chronic soft stool – how much Metamucil should I add to his food? 1 tablespoon twice a day? Thank you
Unfortunately I can’t give specific advice for your dog. Generally speaking 1 tbsp twice a day is a good starting point and it can then be adjusted up and down.
It seems like my 2.9 pound shorki is needing her anal glands expressed every 2 weeks. Do you have advice? She seems to poop regularly though, so it’s confusing.
That sounds abnormal! Unfortunately it will be hard to say why this is needed without an exam. Your best bet would be to schedule an appointment so we can review her history, perform an exam, then give you a plan to get this resolved.
Why is my dog always releasing his anal glands while sleeping?
That doesn’t sound great. We would need to examine him to evaluate his anal glands as that is not normal or fun.
What can I do about the constant fishy smell? My dog eats enough fiber and we have anal gland wipes, but around week 3-4 after being bathed, she doesn’t stink but her anal glands smell so terribly
That is unfortunate. We may need to check her anal sacs to make sure there are no abnormalities to them that is preventing them from emptying on their own. Schedule an appointment with one of our doctors and we can discuss the potential causes and options.
What are your thoughts on anal gland removal by surgery if the dog constantly has the problem. My vet has expressed my dogs anal glands and for short period of time she’s like a bran new dog. Happy, playing and appetite improves. Then after a few weeks doesn’t want to eat and becomes lathargic.
That can be helpful for some dogs with chronic problems, but I would want to make sure all other alternatives have been explored prior to undergoing surgery. Please schedule a consult with us if you haven’t already and we can discuss in more detail!
i don’t have pumpkin or metamucil, could plain cooked oats work?
Yes, plain cooked oats can work as well.
I have a pit bull and I’ve never expressed his anal glands he’s doesn’t necessarily show signs of discomfort but he does have a golf ball sized abscess mostly because of his diet how do I safely express that at home
Oh no. Poor guy. Unfortunately if he already has an abscess, it is because the anal sac openings are blocked up and it won’t release on its own. At this point, he will need to be seen by a vet to help drain the abscess and reopen his anal sacs. Please give us a call to get him in right away or find an urgent care near you.
My dog had a metallic smell and had discomfort and started scooting. I got his glands expressed twice now. I changed his diet so he has more fiber. Can I stop taking him since he has a new diet? The vet said I have to do it every 3 weeks! Can he start to express them on his own again now that he has a better diet? I am worried because they mentioned he can’t do it on his own anymore. Is this true?
I can’t tell if your pet needs to have their glands expressed or not. While the vast majority of dogs do not need to have their glands expressed, some do. I would follow the advice of your vet, but hopefully the added fiber will help resolve the issue.
Can a vet do damage to a dog expressing their anal glands
I don’t typically see problems from expressing the anal glands, though some dogs will continue to be uncomfortable after as they can get irritated if there was a large amount of abnormal/thick debris in there. If there is an issue, I would recommend following up with your vet.
I have to empty my 2 cockepoo dogs anal glands 3 times a week..this carnt be wright can it??I’ve been to the vets and vet says these type of dogs are prone to anal glands problems
That seems odd. We would need to review their medical history and examine them to make recommendations. Hopefully there is a better long term solution than that!
Hi, my male Doxie Sparky has always had problems with his anal glands. Before I rescued him I had never heard of such a thing and believe me we had lots of different kinds of dogs when I was growing up.
Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Chihuahua, etc. I’m 68 years old so this goes back many generations. It was unheard of back then. When a dog was doing the “ itchy butt “ thing as I call it today it was an indicator the dog had worms. It is interesting to find out about these glands that scent their poop. On occasion we would go on a trip and my Sparky would sit on a pillow in my lap. Now that is the first time I smelled that pungent smell that comes from his butt. His stools are firm and not mushy so why would he continue to have issues with his glands. Metamucil I’ve read is supposed to help but trust me, this dog will not take a pill, any form of liquid in his food. I just had his glands expressed about e weeks ago and he’s scooting his but AGAIN!! Help me to find a way to at least keep them from smelling the truck cab up every time we go on a trip. They even smell BAD after his vet appointment and he rides back home in my lap.
Any suggestions on this topic? Can the sacs be removed surgically?? Not sure if the really have to have them since they are not performing as they should.
Thank you!
Diana Moross
Re: Sparkey
I am sorry to hear that Sparkey is making life stinky. There is surgery that can be done to remove them, but it is a last resort. We would be happy to discuss options further if you would like to schedule a telemedicine or in person appointment. Just call the front desk and they can get you set up.
My dog had been scooting and licking around his anus but after adding a little water to his wet food and then a little goats milk, he had a big poop and seems better.
The poop was firm and healthy looking so is it possible he was able to release his glands on his own?
Yes, it is definitely possible. Glad to hear he is doing better!
This is the most helpful information I have read on the topic. Thanks so much.
I have a 10 month old female corgi and 1-2 times a day she will anal on us, totally randomly. Always seems to be when she’s in our lap in the car or on the couch and stinks everything up.
She poops multiple times a day.
She’s gotten her glands expressed by the vet and the groomer. And I do it every time myself (I used to be a groomer) every time she leaks on us.
It’s constant. It’s seriously been happening at least once a day for the last 6 months. I have no idea what to do. Any advice? She doesn’t scoot but she tries to lick herself after it happens. We keep grooming wipes in the car and the living room and bedrooms for when she does it so we can get rid of the stink. It’s seriously the worst.
That does not sound great. Some dogs do have actual anal gland issues and she may have an issue with the sphincter that keeps the anal sac closed.
I recommend bringing her in for an exam and we can discuss if she would need her anal sacs removed to prevent that from happening.
Lately my dog looks back at her rear end. It looks like she’s sniffing it and when she walks she will look back at her rear end and almost walk in a circle. She also licks her butt excessively. I’m not sure if I would say she licks daily but when she does she won’t stop it seems.
She may have an issue back there that needs to be checked. If her anal sacs are ok, she may have a food allergy as that is a common cause of an itchy anus. Follow up with your vet and they can help you figure it out.
I have two dogs. A mini poodle and a dachshund. They both express their own glands almost daily but it is not while they poop… It’s at random times throughout the day and the smell is foul. It gets on our blankets and furniture. About a month ago, the vet recommended we add canned pumpkin to their diet, 2 tbsp a day. We did this, and they are still expressing their glands even more. Please help.
That does not sound great. I can’t tell you why it is happening because I would need to examine them, but some dogs do not have great tone in the sphincter that keeps their anal sacs closed and this may be why they are leaking. Though it is strange to have 2 dogs that have the same issue. If you are not in this area, consider getting a second opinion or make the trip to either of our locations.
My dogs has been releasing a very bad fishy smell when he gets scared sometimes. Clear liquid sometimes comes out as well. (Sorry TMI) The vet said he may need to get his anal glands expressed to help this. Does this seem like an accurate fix for my dogs problem? Thank you.
Dogs releasing their anal glands when they get scared is a common (and normal) thing. If this happens a lot, you may want to speak with your vet about why your dog is so scared as that is more likely the primary issue and not the anal glands. However, as I can’t examine your pet, please follow the advice of your veterinarian and continue the conversation (or schedule an exam with us!).
Every time I go into a vets office with my cats I hear this term about people being there to have their dogs anal glands expressed. Not 1 or 2 but almost every dog that’s there so I googled if this is a new trend because I’ve never heard of this before. I myself have 2 dogs and have had other dogs in the past also and have never heard this term before so your article was very insightful. Thank you for sharing this and as I suspected this does seem to be a new unnecessary trend that people are putting their poor dogs through, not all like you stated but sure sounds like a lot of them are having it done that don’t need it to be done. Thank you once again. Btw I didn’t even know what expressing anal glands was, yuck!
“You can do that with a tablespoon of canned pumpkin. One of my favorites is actually Metamucil.”
So, either canned pumpkin, or Metamucil?
Yes, that is correct. Please only offer one or the other. While Metamucil is my preferred source of fiber, Metamucil itself is flavored and can have ingredients such as Xylitol that is toxic to dogs. The main ingredient in Metamucil is Psyllium powder and you can actually find plain psyllium powder that does not have any flavoring to it and this is my actual favorite source.
My basset hound is 10 months old. He started scooting his butt this past week. A friend who is a vet tech expressed his glands for me. She said they were as big as a golf ball. That was on Sunday, today Wednesday, he has pooped in my house 3 times. And he has never done that in the 7 months that I’ve had him. Is it xtra pooping normal after having this done????
No, that is not normal, nor is an anal sac as big as a golf ball. You may want to have your pet examined by a vet to ensure there isn’t anything additional going on.
Interesting! My 2 year old golden retriever’s glands smell awful frequently, though I never see her scooting. Numerous times a week she has a strong fishy smell. Should we have them expressed or try the fiber?
That does not seem normal and she may have an actual issue. I would recommend scheduling an exam to evaluate her see if we can keep that from happening!
Hello!
My 8 y.o. Beagle/harrier mix, Molly, has been experiencing anal gland issues for quite some time, but only periodically. Not too often, but has been getting increasingly closer together lately.
We’ve only expressed her glands at home a few times recently, as best as we could without making her too uncomfortable. But I’m thinking that we may not be doing it properly, and I don’t want to hurt her possibly.
But it’s concerning because her glands start smelling of iron/blood, and we’re not sure as to why is smells that way. Is there a possible specific reason for it?
Any sort of advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
I am sorry to hear that. It sounds like she needs to have her glands checked by a veterinarian to ensure she does not have an infection brewing in there.
Hello, I have a 2-year-old long-coat chihuahua. When she was one year old, I noticed that she would drag her ass on the sheets or floor, and I thought it was just because she was itching. She doesn’t always do that. It was mostly random on different days. Then, I also started to notice a very fishy, metallic-like smell coming from her at times, so I started monitoring her. One time while she was on my lap, I smelled it again so I quickly checked and noticed the smell was coming from her private parts and from a small amount of clear fluid where she was sitting. I was not sure if the discharge was from her anal or vulva. I brought this up to the vet during her annual vaccinations, but I was told that since the discharge is clear then it should be fine (she didn’t check my chi’s private parts, so I’m kind of skeptical).
Now, there are still discharges at times and we just wash her up when that happens to get rid of the smell. So far, she’s only experienced diarrhea once, and it only lasted for a day. It happened just this month. Her poop was yellow and watery, so I fed her rice and squash then it got better the next day.
I just found out about expressing anal glands today because I don’t bring my chi to the groomer and do her cleaning myself. I’m curious if I should have my dog checked her anal glands or do you think this is a urinary issue since I’ve read this is common for female dogs?
It is so hard to say, but it sounds more like she is expressing her anal glands. I would recommend scheduling an exam with us so we can evaluate her backside and see if we can get you more information.
I have a seven year old pitbull and he has blood around his anus and at the base of his of his tail near his anus and it smells horrendous like a horse farm or really old stale blood. We have been rinsing with warm water as he does not like to be wiped he doesn’t like to have anyone touch his butt or nails. Any help would be appreciated before we have to take him to the vet because that entails drugging him quite heavily and even that doesn’t work.
It sounds like your pet definitely needs to be seen as he may have an anal sac abscess. I hope they were able to get him all sorted out and on the road to recovery.
Hi, thank you and interesting article.
This has happened twice with our dog now with this new groomer….we take him to the groomer (no anal gland issues, no smell or scooting or anything), I told the groomer to leave his glands alone…. When we collect him the groomer says the anal glands were full but he didn’t express them and our dog now smells fishy! This last time he said he lifted our dogs tail and they naturally all by themselves squirted onto the groomer… it’s strange and he went for a poop late in the evening (it was a good solid poop too) and then he went to the groomer early in the morning….so I thought they must have expressed with the poop…. Now after the groomer he smells so bad …what’s going on I’m so confused!!
If your dog smells fishy, some of the anal sac material got on your dog’s coat and that is why you can smell it. They may have expressed some of it or your dog got scared and squirted some out which got trapped in the fur. Either way, that is what causes the smell.
I have dealt with my 2.5yr old 3.7oz Chihuahua needing her anal glands expressed. She had her first issue with this at 4weeks and her breeder had to express them. She had not experienced any issues after that until 2yrs old in which she was in pain as well as the foul fishy smell but after her glands were expressed again she has been in the clear until today, but this time the episode was triggered by a stressful situation in which she had 4 bowel movements back to back. I just gave her Metamucil and she has finally managed to stop crying 🐶💧💧and she’s lying down in my arms being cuddled. I hate to see her go through any kind of pain at all so any advice would be greatly appreciated as to the best way to get her the best possible treatment that is not detrimental in any way or unnecessary.
I am sorry that your pup isn’t doing well! It is hard to say what is needed based on what you are describing, I would recommend to schedule an appointment with your vet and let them examine her and figure out what is happening back there.