# Foul odor from anal glands! Should we empty anal glands?



## welovezoey

Our V turns 1 year old this weekend. We love our Zoey, BUT the odor she puts out is driving us crazy. Even when she is bathed and groomed she randomly emits an odor that lingers and drives our whole house nuts! The vet showed me how to empty the glands, but Zoey hates that and I have a hard time getting her to hold still to get it done. And even after they are emptied, the smell seems to come back within a week or two at best. I have had dogs before and don't mind a normal dog smell. But this is like spoiled tuna...totally disgusting. She is sure lucky she is otherwise the best dog in the world!!!!! (her anal glands have never become infected, she just must have overactive ones??)

My questions: do most V's have this problem, do other owners empty the anal glands, and do you think it is safe for the dog to manually empty the glands every few weeks?


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## Blaze

Hi ,
I've noticed it from time to time . I think it happens before he has had a bowel movement. It is brief and infrequent. 
The first time I heard of this was with our now deceased beardie. It is a distinctive fishy smell as you describe. Anyway I've never had to manually do anything with our V's Glands (lucky for me!) as it seems to resolve itself pretty quickly. So it is normal for all dogs I expect - whether some dogs have more of an issue with it might be true.This post doesn't really offer any good advice but you are not alone. It is gross when it occurs!
C


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## 1notenough

you should not have to empty the glands every few weeks.Good hard poo will do it as it is supposed to.AS it seems my one did it to me yesterday I thought my nose was going to close up,OUCH it was an awful smell.watch the table scraps and just feed dry libble for a few days the poo should stiffen up if this is the problem.Stinky dogs you are right the are the best dogs in the world and sticky also,both of my boys are within three feet of my as i type this post


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## madaboutvizslas

When my bitch was about 12 months old she had smelly glands for about a week. Then it went away. We had her speyed at about 6 months. I wonder if it was a latent reaction to possibly having a hormone rush about when her first heat would have been??? Anyway after that week no problems since and she is now 15 months old.


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## Moreteyne

Start feeding your dog a more natural diet including bones which will harden up the poos.

Hard poo will pas through these glands and empty them each time, hence no infection or build up of rubbish in them.


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## Blaze

I agree, A good quality dry with meat/poultry/ fish as the first ingredient. No table scraps with exception of plain meat /chicken /fish. My dog has great poos so this problem seldom occurs .


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## welovezoey

Thanks for all of the great comments about our "stinky" dog. We do keep the table scraps to a minimum (may have to check with our 11 year old to be sure she has quit sneaking food to Zoey?). We feed Zoey about 2 cups of Science Diet Advanced Fitness twice a day (she just turned a year old), and use a few treats here and there to aid in training sessions. Her poo is very formed about 70% of the time, but the other 30%seems to be very loose and even hard for her to pass through at times. The foul odor seems to come at random times, but at least once or twice a day, often more. She has had the smell as a little puppy, and before and after she was fixed. .......Again, thanks for all of the comments!


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## Wetworks

welovezoey said:


> Our V turns 1 year old this weekend. We love our Zoey, BUT the odor she puts out is driving us crazy. Even when she is bathed and groomed she randomly emits an odor that lingers and drives our whole house nuts! The vet showed me how to empty the glands, but Zoey hates that and I have a hard time getting her to hold still to get it done. And even after they are emptied, the smell seems to come back within a week or two at best. I have had dogs before and don't mind a normal dog smell. But this is like spoiled tuna...totally disgusting. She is sure lucky she is otherwise the best dog in the world!!!!! (her anal glands have never become infected, she just must have overactive ones??)
> 
> My questions: do most V's have this problem, do other owners empty the anal glands, and do you think it is safe for the dog to manually empty the glands every few weeks?


I know when our girl gets scared she sprays (she is spayed) and it is a pretty foul odor as well. Could that be it?


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## madaboutvizslas

Whats the problem with table scraps? I feed our V a combination of biscuits, raw meat and table scraps. Doesn't seem to cause any health, or stool problems. Helps keep the food bill down.

She even gets the last corner of my toast in the morning. Actually I think this is what she likes best ;D


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## 1notenough

hey madabout what do you mean last corner stop being stingy and give up the first corner.Dont make me fly to new zealand just to shake my finger at you.because if i do i will bring duke and riley with me and they can give your girl some begging pointers.I believe they think they rate first sometimes.


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