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The past week or so Cadence has been licking her bum a lot. And then she'll get up and lick where she was sitting. And yes there is a "fishy" odor (not OVERLY strong, but definitely there). This has only happened once with Cadence, and it went away in like a day or so. But this has been going on for a week.
Questions: Do certain things make this happen? (like stress, since we know she has been stressed here at my dads since we've been here the past 2 weeks) Food?
Do I need to go to the vet for this? I've looked at her behind, nothing seems out of the ordinary to me.
What happens normally is this, these glands used thousands of years ago for marking territory, really aren't necessary anymore. Under normal circumstances they express during normal fecal release. Some don't so they fill up, then begin to leak. You can express these yourself but I must stress, HAVE YOUR VET OR VET TECH SHOW YOU HOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By doing this procedure incorrectly you can cause scar tissue to build up and cause pain to your pet. Now that being said, there is a very slick surgical procedure, that gets rid of them all together. Years ago it was difficult and there was fear regarding damage to the sphyncter muscle. The new procedure developed about 7??? years ago is VERY SAFE, quick and puts an end to this all together. Sometimes the anal glands will get infected, these are the guys who really should look at the surgery. If your dog is a once in a while inflammation "stinker" I would have my vet show me how to express them and take care of the problem myself.
I did look at videos online, and boy was I not expecting to see that This is just one of those things nobody warns you when getting a dog
I didn't actually try to "express" them just because I knew I'd probably do it wrong, but I did take toilet paper and just kind of press on her bum, and nothing "came off" onto the toilet paper. I don't think they're full or anything because she isn't scooting her bum around or acting like she's in any discomfort other than the licking.
Didn't know those glands were used for marking territory, always learning something on this site
It might be worth getting Cadence checked out by your vet even though there was nothing on the paper and she doesn't appear to be in any discomfort; my Mum's German shepherd was just licking a lot (didn't even have the fishy smell) but we mentioned it to the vet when Peggy-Soo went in for a checkup and when he checked the glands were not only full but had actually become impacted! The vet couldn't believe that she hadn't been showing any other symptoms as he said normally it would have caused quite a lot of pain having virtually solid matter in the glands.
I am not lost, I'm merely temporarily geographically inconvenienced.
Yeah, same things happened with Rupert. He has NEVER scooted his butt along the floor and has very rarely licked the area yet has had them get impacted a couple of times and has had an abscess. I'm sure my vet always used to give me the last appointment of the day simply because Rupe was there more for his anal glands than for any other reason and if we had the last appointment it meant the vet could escape the smell quicker
Yup, Murph does it too and leaves a stinky odor (thankfully he sits on blankets when he's on furniture) and licks up the area where he was sitting. The vet expresses the gland when we visit but we've really only done vet visits for shots, so probably twice a year. I guess I should ask her to show me next visit.
Noobs wrote:Yup, Murph does it too and leaves a stinky odor (thankfully he sits on blankets when he's on furniture) and licks up the area where he was sitting. The vet expresses the gland when we visit but we've really only done vet visits for shots, so probably twice a year. I guess I should ask her to show me next visit.
It's not awful. I do the weenies when they need it. Bruiser never needs it, Lu rarely needs it, Kole occasionally. Lu's isn't awful, but Kole's is yucky I hold my breath.
This is just one of those things nobody warns you when getting a dog 
