Is Your Dog Smelling Less Than Fresh?

  Posted on February 5, 2011  by Joy of Living  No comments

Have you noticed a less than pleasant odor coming from your dog’s direction?  Have you caught him scooting across the floor frequently?  If the answer to these questions is yes, your dog may have impacted anal glands.

The anal glands produce a odor unique to each dog that helps identify them and marks their stool to establish territory.  This is the primary reason dogs sniff each others back ends when first meeting.

Anal glands can become impacted when they do not empty completely.   If your dog goes for grooming regularly, the groomer should check the glands and express (empty) them manually if necessary.  It is important that the person performing the gland expression is experienced to prevent injury to the dog; I recommend your groomer or vet.

Small-breed and overweight dogs are the ones most commonly affected by this problem.  If your dog seems to need gland expression regularly, try adding more fiber to his diet.  Adding pumpkin to his kibble is a good way to boost the fiber content, or check with your vet for recommendations of a special high-fiber formula kibble.

Your dog will feel……and smell better as a result!