Dog lethargic, fishy smell, mucus stool. Anal glands? Wait for vet?

Poor Cooper! Loss of energy can be caused by a large variety of conditions, so I recommend having Cooper seen by a vet as soon as possible if you believe he is not acting like himself. The fecal material on his rear can be caused by loss of control of defecation or an issue with the anal glands. I hope this helps and that all is well with Cooper!

Hello, sorry to hear about Bear. It sounds like his anal glands are impacted and need to be expressed. This can be a major concern if the anal gland becomes infected and leads to an abscess. You may need to take him to a veterinarian sooner if he develops any pus like discharge or pain around his anus. I would recommend having him evaluated sooner if possible as he may continue to leave the foul odor around your house and also be uncomfortable with his anal gland impaction. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet (1:1 ratio of plain boiled boneless chicken and plain white rice). Feed in small, frequent amounts waiting at least one hour between feedings. If the vomiting stops, continue feeding until the stool is normal. Transition slowly to the regular diet. If the vomiting or diarrhea don’t stop, see your veterinarian. The fishy odor is likely from her anal glands. These glands are located around her rectum and are responsible for scenting and marking. They get expressed (or emptied) during defecation but sometimes, they can get too full and inflamed or infected. Occasionally, an abscess can form requiring lancing, flushing and antibiotic therapy.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think you should have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and possible treatment. Anal glands may need to be emptied and it would be good to ensure that there is no abscess formation that may be making them smell more than usual. Also, they can look into what is causing his vomiting. Possible reasons for vomiting include foreign body ingestion and obstruction, dietary indiscretion and pancreatitis, among others. At the very least, they can prescribe medications to make him feel better. Good luck!

I would recommend that Nyla be checked out by a vet as soon as possible. Decreased appetite can be caused by many things, including pain, nausea, GI infection, internal medical illness, etc. Fishy smell to the rear is usually caused by anal gland secretions. This can happen when dogs are scared, sick, or have infected or impacted anal glands. A bloated appearance to the abdomen can be caused by gas building up in the intestines, fluid built up in the belly, organ enlargement, or tumors, among a few others.

His anal glands may be full, impacted or he could be developing an anal gland abscess. You will need to have him physically examined by your veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis and treatment. If the glands are full, expressing them may resolve Theo's symptoms. If an abscess is forming or has formed, it will need to be lanced, drained and flushed. Theo will likely go home with antibiotics and pain medication.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I suspect that this has nothing to do with the anal gland expression. Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Sonu evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!