Why do my dog's anal glands smell so soon after being expressed?

Hi there. It sounds like Lucky's anal glands are probably full again. This can be a recurring issue in some dogs, unfortunately. I would recommend taking him back to the vet tomorrow to have them checked and expressed again, if needed. You can ask your veterinarian to show you how to do this at home if you want to, to help avoid frequent vet visits for this problem in the future.

These are two little glands inside the dog's rectum. They naturally fill with a material that ranges from thin, light colored liquid to a thick paste. When a dog defecated, this material is released -- most of the time not all of the liquid is release but over the course of each defecation, enough is released that the glands do not overfill. With some dogs though, this process does not occur as easily. This can be due to the material being too thick to be expressed, the stool being too soft or diarrhea which does not apply enough force to the gland to express the fluids or due to an underlying disease process. The most common cause of recurrently full anal glands is an underlying allergy problem. Dogs with skin sensitivity or allergies often have anal glands that need to be emptied on a routine basis. If the glands become too full, the material can become infected or the gland can rupture. In this case, the area will heal but antibiotics are typically needed. After the anal glands are expressed, the area can continue to feel irritating for a few days. In some cases though, the glands may not have been completely emptied. This is often the case if the glands are emptied at a groomers as they empty them from the outside and are not trained to empty them rectally as a vet would. Most dogs do not need their glands emptied for any medical purpose but if the glands were randomly checked, they could be moderately full. This does not indicate a need to express the material though. The reason I bring this up is because I have found that if we begin emptying the glands for the dog, it creates a cyclic effect where we continue to have to empty them. If the dog is scooting, this is an indication to have them checked.

The anal glands may be actually infected and a part from expressing them a lavage or a local antibiotic may be needed. I would recommend to have her checked again to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. It is more likely that her glands were not fully expressed on Monday. It would be unlikely for them to completely fill up again in three days. I hope this information helps!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Anal gland excretions do smell a bit fishy- that is normal. It can take a few hours for the smell to eventually dissipate, however, it you take a little mild baby shampoo or mild soap on a moist towel and rub his behind gently with it after expressions, this can greatly reduce the smell immediately afterwards. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!

If Mavrick's anus is still smelling terribly after a week and a half, I would take him back into the vet. It could be that the antibiotics are not working, and a different treatment may need to be tried. I would take him back into the vet tomorrow morning.

They are likely not full again but may be a bit irritated due to the expression. If your dog keeps scooting for more than a day or two then I suggest you take him back to your veterinarian for a recheck.