Why is my dog licking his tail raw and having smelly, soft poop?

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.

Grundy could be licking himself due to fleas, an infection or anal gland issues. The bad smell could come from a skin infection or anal gland issues. Since his skin is nearly raw and he has an odor, it's best to have him examined by the veterinarian. The doctor may be able to correctly diagnose and treat him based upon the physical exam. Make sure the vet checks Grundy's anal glands as well. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Zyyz! His itching can be caused by impacted anal glands (small structures on either side of the anus that make mucus to lubricate the stool), an obstruction, or a food allergy. In my experience, issues with the anal glands are relatively common, especially in dogs who have softer than normal stool. Your vet will be able to express these glands carefully or determine if there is any other cause. You should definitely have him seen by a vet as soon as you can, as this is pretty uncomfortable. In the meantime, I recommend using an E-colla (or “cone”) to prevent your dog from reaching the area and causing further damage. i hope this helps and that Zyzz feels better soon!

Tank may still have fleas unless you are doing monthly flea prevention. He may also have impacted anal sacs, which would itch or hurt and make him scoot. I suggest you have him examined by your vet again. As impacted anal glands will need to be manually emptied to resolve the problem (not a big deal). These raw itchy spots may also be a sign of an allergy.

Poor guy. I would be concerned about his anal glands being full, or him having a superficial bacterial or yeast infection at the base of his tail. For either issue, a quick vet visit should give him a lot of relief. Even if it started as a an anal gland issue, he may have caused a superficial infection with constant licking and now need a medicated bath or even oral antibiotics. I hope that helps and that he's back to normal soon!

I think Max might have a problem with his anal glands, two scent glands located to the sides of the anus that can get impacted and turn into proper abscesses ( localised infection ). I would recommend that you have him checked over as it can be quite uncomfortable ! He will need some antibiotics and pain relief .

One possibility would be that Ozzy is expressing fluid from his anal glands. Anal gland fluid often has a fishy smell to it that attracts other dogs. I am attaching a handout below with more information on anal glands. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=625 If that sounds like what might be going on with Ozzy, then I would recommend scheduling an appointment at your veterinary office to have them check Ozzy's anal glands. Hopefully they will be able to express the fluid and resolve the problem. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.