Fishy smell from her anus

[groupieindenial]

My friends dog is being fed Science Diet, its what her vet pushed. (We talked for an hour last night about other options, and she'll be switching to something better soon). ANyhow, in the last little while her bitch has a fishy smell coming from her butt. She took her to the vet, I don't remember what the condition is, and the vet says she needs to poop MORE to flush her bowels out. One of my points for switching foods, is that better foods will have less waste, and she said thats going against what the vet recommended. It sounded a little odd to me, but I want to know more about this condition the bitch has. Does it sound familiar to you guys? If her system needs flushing out, maybe a detox would be needed here. I have a feeling this condition was triggered by the food, I just don't believe that she should continue feeding this food, when its not good, and she stinks!

I told her to ask more questions, and get a second opinion on prognosis. She doesn't feel like her vet is very competent from some other stories she's told me, so I'm thinking this is a good time for her to get a second opinion, and maybe find a vet she likes.

[Judi W]

The smell is from the anal glands and it is not more waste, but the consistency that causes the glands to keep themselves emptied properly. Some breeds are quite prone to needing them to be expressed manually regardless of food.

[SonnyRott]

She needs her anal glands expressed. Eating kibble rather than soft foods (canned) will give her harder stools which will help to express the glands when she defecates.

But some dogs still need them done. Her vet can show her how to do this from home. It can be uncomfortable for the dogs....and the smell........ YUCK!

[Miabella]

It sounds like anal glands to me. Usually when a dog has a bowel movement, the anal glands are usually expressed as they poop. If the dog habitually has loose or soft poop, it may not exert anough pressure as it's exiting the anus to express the glands, and as a result, the glands can get impacted. I would look to the diet as the first issue, and she might also want the vet to manually express those glands before they become infected.

[Denise L.]

Richard the Rottweiler would smell "fishy" when he needed his anal glands expressed.

The anal glands empty or should do so when they poop.

[SonnyRott]

Also, I want to add that if you watch your dog poop, many times you can see a clear water-like liquid squirting out when he finishes his BM. These are the glands being expressed.

[groupieindenial]

AHHH (and ewwwww), SonnyRott.

So, she says currently she does have a nice consistency in her poops, not mushy, but firm. Her vet said she needs more fiber, and well we know fiber gives mushier poops. SOO, this seems to indicate that the vet is giving a wrong prognosis? SHe didn't mention anything about him emptying the glands.

[SonnyRott]

I am surprised the vet didn't check the anal glands when he smelled the "fishy smell". It is unmistakable. It may irritate the dog so much that she will lick the area pretty forcefully. And if she is successful, your friend may find the glands have emptied on her carpet or couch (if the dog is allowed to lay there).

[groupieindenial]

Now that you say anal glands, ya thats what she said it is. But she didn't mention anything about the vet expressing them for her. ANd YES she is finding spots in the house, and its driving her nuts, she doesn't know what to do.

[beledi]

Unfortunately vets seem to recommend Science Diet a lot. I think because the company supports the vet schools. I usually tell people to look at the first five ingredients and that the first ingredient should be what is the major food on the front.......Corn is a no, no, bht, bha, dyes, etc. are not good.

Beledi/Erda's mom

[groupieindenial]

Okay, so what should she be doing? I told her lets try to see if we can improve the situation by switching foods.

SHe said the vet said there was no need to express her glands, they arent that bad. BUT she is leaving spots around the house (YUCK!) This condition has been going on for a few months now.

[Miabella]

If she doesn't think her vet is competent, she should seek a second opinion.