Why does my dog smell like a dirty belly button? Is it anal glands?

Even if you don't visually see a problem with the anal glands and he is not scooting that does not mean it isn't the glands. Yes, I would have the vet check the anal glands. If no problem there, it could be gas that is diet related. Even if you haven't changed his food, they can over time develop a sensitivity. Or, if you have started new treats or given human foods it could be that.

Well the bad smell, aside from feces, is anal glands. Dogs have small glands on each side of their anus that secrete a small amount of fishy smelling liquid. Every time they have a bowel movement a small amount it expressed, it marks their territory. Sometimes if they become excited or scared they express them. The glands can also become impacted, infected, and abcess. If the material in the glands becomes too thick for the dog to express themselves it needs to be manually done. Your vet can do this and show you how to do it. As for the worms, it sounds like tapeworms, which your dog gets from ingesting fleas. An over the counter drug you can use is Drontal. If you cant get that brand name the active drug is praziquantal. Administer it orally once, then again in two weeks. It is definitly a good idea to take a stool sample in to your vet to make sure they are tapeworms, and also that your dog doesnt have any other intestinal parasites such as hook or roundworms. Your vet will need a sample about the size of a nickel less than 24 hours old. Hope this helps

There are various causes for the bad smell and they will need to be investigated by a veterinarian. 1) your dog (I am assuming it is a dog, you do not say anywhere what type of animal he is) may have a particularly stinky type of bacteria in his anal sacs. This could be remedied by emptying them and flushing them with an antibitic that kills off all bacteria and then hopefully a new type of bacteria will take up residence. 2) Your dog may have particularly smelly bacteria in his skin that emit a bad smell. Certain antibacterial shampoos can alleviate that 3) your dog may have a mite infection. Sarcoptes mite infections have a typical sweet smell. Sarcoptes mites can be killed with avermectins or a Bravecto chew. 4) He could have a fungal infection (treatable with fungicidal shampoo and/or tablets) 5) If you have other dogs in your house he may have a particular pack smell. 6) He may have a skin condition such as seborrhea which invites certain bacteria who can cause a bad smell. I suggest yu make an appointment with your vet who should then examine your dog and check for the various causes and treat accordingly. Don't forget to do flea control.

Cats have two small scent glands on either side of their rectum called anal glands - if these glands have been leaking a little or if she has expressed them recently, you may notice a very strong odor from her rear end. You can try cleaning the area around her rectum with some warm water and soap to help get rid of the smell. If this is a recurring problem, I recommend having her seen by a vet to check for infection or impaction of the glands.

Your dog may have infected or impacted anal glands. This certainly would explain the discomfort and foul smell. I recommend getting him seen by your vet as soon as possible to have them checked to make sure that is indeed what is going on, expressed and maybe put on antibiotics to help him heal faster.

Poor Maggie. There is a good chance this is the discharge from her anal glands. Dogs has 2 glands, one on each side just inside of their anus, that usually naturally express when they have bowel movements. Unfortunately, some dogs do not always express these and they will get full. Then they will accidentally express them by scooting their booty, licking back there, when they get frightened, or just because they get too full. I would have your vet’s office try to express her anal glands and you may need to give her a bath to see if that gets rid of the smell. Some dogs need regular expressing every 4-8 weeks. Most vet clinic do this for a small charge or even for free. You can also have your vet show you how to do it at home but I must warn you, it is a nasty job. :) I hope this helps!

Cats and dogs have scent glands on either side of the anus called anal glands. The material in the glands is very stinky and often described as smelling fishy. Most wild animals can empty these glands voluntarily for scent marking or in self-defense (like a skunk might do), but dogs and cats have largely lost their ability to empty these sacs voluntarily. They normally release these glands during defecation, but can also release with excitement or stress. So, if Ariel struggled or got excited when you moved her, she likely expressed her anal glands. It is not anything to be concerned about, but can certainly be stinky, so you may need to clean the area of the couch that she was licking to get rid fo the smell. I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.