Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My puppy's rear smells fishy and has fluid. Should I be worried?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Labrador | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 17 days old | 8 lbs

My puppy’s butthole is very smelly and I can smell it from a distance. It also seems to have a fluid coming out. Its clear, but also a mucus color like whiteish. Should I be concerned?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 14th, 2018

What you are smelling may be anal gland secretions. If one or both of the anal glands are very full they will sometimes "overflow" and then you have them exit the anus. This is a very bad sort of fishy smell. Next time you visit your vet for his vaccinations, you should have the vet examine them and empty them if necessary. If you think he has problems pooping or if he cries when pooping or if he scoots his behind on the floor, then they may be infected or impacted and need to be checked by your veterinarian.

3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Debi Matlack
Veterinary Technician
Published on November 28th, 2020
That could be recently expressed or impacted anal glands. The odor is comparable to a bad fish smell. Most dogs express some of the material each time they defecate, but some do not and that can cause problems. Your dog is a bit young for impacted glands but many poodles do have problems with their anal glands. If he is scooting, has a reddened swollen area around his anus, then they are probably impacted or inflamed. Your vet can show you how to express them at home yourself, and most groomers do it as part of the bath before the haircut. Impacted anal glands can be quite painful and if they stay swollen without getting expressed they can rupture and become infected.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA
Veterinarian
Published on January 8th, 2019
This could be normal for his anal glands discharge. In puppies they don't alway smell as bad as in adult dogs. If the clear liquid continues to leak, I would have your vet take a look at him. I would also keep an eye on his bowel movements to make sure he isn't having any loose stool or diarrhea. I hope this helps!
4Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Davis
Veterinarian
Published on October 17th, 2018
You are probably smelling his anal sacs. They are like scent glands in a skunk. They are on eithe side of the anus and the fluid smells awful, like rotten fish. If you’re smelling this then you should bring him in to have the fluid expressed. Sometime dogs get infection in the anal sacs which can be very painful and hard to heal. Most dogs empty the fluid when they defecate or express it when scared, again like a skunk. If the opening gets clogged the fluid can build up causing itching and sometimes infection. They will do a rectal palpation to empty the fluid and that will show whether there is infection present. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rocky.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My 4-month-old puppy has fishy breath. Should I be concerned?

AS long as he is eating normally, I don't think you need to be too concerned. Has he been licking at his back end? Anal glands can smell "fishy," so that may be the issue. Yuck! :/ Its not urgent if he is otherwise normal, but get him in to your vet when you can so they can do an exam and make sure nothing is wrong. They can also check and express his anal glands if needed. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My spayed female dog smells fishy. What could be the problem?

If the smell comes and goes, then it is most likely from the anal glands. Dogs have scent glands on either side of the anus that release a stinky liquid that commonly smells fishy. If she is scooting or licking excessively, then I would have your veterinarian check her anal glands to make sure that they are not overly full. However if the smell is coming from her urine, then I would be worried that she has a urinary tract infection and would recommend having your veterinarian examine a urine sample. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog's butt smells fishy, leaks yellow liquid, and has a bump. Why?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's rear smells bad and has white worms. What's happening?

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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My new puppy has fishy-smelling poop and pees indoors. Is this normal?

Sometimes normal excretions from the anal glands can smell fishy and this could be what is making Cheese’s stool smell. If Cheese continues to urinate inappropriately I would recommend seeing a veterinarian to make sure she doesn’t have a urinary tract infection or other lower urinary tract disease.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Is it normal for my dog's rear end to have a metallic smell sometimes?

I bet you are smelling anal sac/gland fluid. They are scent glands dogs have just inside there rectum. They are supposed to express a small amount every time they defecate, but sometimes they will leak if they get startled, or bark forcefully. If this is an occasional problem it is normal. If she is scooting or licking her rear end or otherwise acting uncomfortable then she should be evaluated by your veterinarian to make sure she doesn’t have an infection. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog smells fishy and poops badly after stress. Is it normal?

The anal glands have openings on the inside of the rectum. Every time your dog poops, some of the anal sac content is applied to the poop. This is your dog's business card. so to speak. This is how he leaves a scent behind telling other dogs that he was around. It is likely that there still was some excessive anal gland secretion from the scare-episode and likely there is more anal gland secretion on the poop than usual. So the next poop will likely smell less. This is a normal physical event and not sign of an illness.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share