Why does my dog's rear smell bad and he keeps rubbing his bottom?

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see any detail in the picture. However, it does look like there is an infectious process going on. This may be in the skin per se or possibly in the anal sac region. I would recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to diagnose it so that it can be treated. Best of luck!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your Shih Tzu. Based on your description, he may have an anal gland abscess. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today. If an infection is present, he may need surgery to treat the wound. He would also be sent home with medications such as antibiotics and pain medications. In the meantime, place an E-collar on him to prevent any licking of the area. I hope this information helps!

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.

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 may be a mild to moderate swelling possibly due to anal glands impaction/inflammation, which may be discharging excess of fluid. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Anal gland expression may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!