Smelly glands!!

[Cherri Lynn Kading]

Does anyone have any suggestions for the horrible fishy smell of anal glands? My Jacki has been releasing them in the house at various times and it stinks!!!!!! I had Jacki checked out just to make sure she didn't have an infection but nothing was wrong. The vet did say to take her off the puppy chow (Jacki is almost 13 months now) and get her on adult food.

Any other suggestions?  Thank you :)

[Rita and Fazzy]

I kind of have the same issue here - in fact, he's laying at my feet and I can smell that lovely smell.  Blech.  If anyone has any ideas, that would be lovely!!!

Rita

[Julie and Charlie]

Eeek. Charlie has this too- my remedy so far has been to take him to the groomer and have her express them. I did attempt to express one of his glands (Mouth closed! Safety glasses on! Face away from the glands!)... he squealed, but I think it was more surprise than pain. I did get quite a bit out, gently. He wasn't a fan, though. He started a different food in the last month or two, and I've actually decreased the amount he is eating. His stools are much firmer and I am hoping this problem is much less prevalent in the future!

[Cherri Lynn Kading]

That was one of the reasons my vet told me to switch from the puppy food to the adult food...it may give Jacki firmer stools and then the glands would be expressed naturally when she poops. She also said that some dogs will express their glands when they are relaxed. I had Jacki groomed at the same time she saw the vet and the groomer expressed her glands and didn't get much out. I was so glad to get that done because I was thinking that would solve my problem but the very next day Jacki smelled like a tuna fish again!!! I am really hoping the change in her food helps.

[3tcmu8wc5xgqz]

I also agree with Julie. Expressing them helps tremendously. We had the same issue with Ari and we learned how to express them ourselves, however if you're not comfortable with that a groomer should do it fairly cheap. :)

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

I take Wally to the vet every 4-6 weeks to have his glands expressed.  I can always tell that it's time to take him, because he begins to scoot.  I would recommend the vet, rather than the groomer, because the groomer will only empty what he or she can from the outside.  To fully empty the glands, it's necessary to do so internally.  

We gain such interesting knowledge by having dogs, don't we?!

[Cherri Lynn Kading]

LOL...yes, I never thought I would be having such an indepth discussion about anal glands :)

[Rita and Fazzy]

I've also heard that if you get in the habit of having the glands expressed, it will eventually get to the point where the dog won't be able to express them on their own - and it'll always have to be done manually.  Any truth to that - maybe a question for the vet.

[Cherri Lynn Kading]

I did hear that also and my vet confirmed that it was true for some dogs.

[Beth & Roux]

My Roux does this too! It's one of her favorite things to do. I know it's an important part of their health, but she does it WAY more often than she needs to. She just had her Spay surgery 2 weeks ago and so I was constantly on her to not lick her incision. I've noticed since then that she is expressing MUCH less because she got used to hearing Mommy say "No" when she moved in that direction. She's now pretty much quit expressing in the house and it's been happening when she has a nice firm stool, as it should. Maybe try constant vigilance for a little while with not letting your baby lick. It is important that their anal glands are expressed so watch and see if it happens naturally with a firm stool. If not, see about the vet doing it. But I've heard the same thing; if it's done for them then it stops happening naturally. I was also wondering if this was true? 

[Cherri Lynn Kading]

I don't really notice Jacki licking...she will be laying down and then all of a sudden we smell that funky smell :(  She loves to lay on our bed and watch  me get ready for work in the morning but she has been doing this lately while on the bed so I'm afraid I can't have her up there anymore. I have never had a dog that did this before.

[Beth & Roux]

Oh no! I can definitely see why that would be so much harder! :( I usually always notice Roux licking beforehand. Jacki is SO cute by the way!