Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Fishy smell from dog.

Species: Dog
Breed: Boston Terrier
Age: 1-2 years
My boston terrier puts off a fishy smell. It doesn't happen all the time, but atleast once a week and lasts for about an hour or so. At first we thought it only happened when he got scared, but now we've seen that it happens whenever. Do you know what causes this?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This sounds like a dog who is expressing his own anal glands. These glands sit at either side of the anus and collect with fluid and debris. Some dogs need to have them manually expressed from time to time but some dogs will empty them on their own.

Anal glands are the same things that skunks have that emit the smelly material. So, dogs will often express their glands involuntarily when they are scared.

If it is happening really frequently you may want to have your vet take a look to make sure that the glands are not infected.

Hope this helps!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Dog waking every 2 hours. Our dog gets congested, breathes through his mouth, his mouth dries out and he wants... (34051 views)

Tapeworm pictures in a dog. I just discovered my dog has worms in her poop. She sleeps on our bed and where she... (51436 views)

Does pet store flea medicine work? My dog just got fleas. I've given her multiple flea baths, flea collar, and flea... (15620 views)

Cat attacking his tail. my cat started attacking his tail sometimes making it bleed..we took him to the vet... (11865 views)

Dog urinates while walking Recently, I have noticed that my dog will walk along urinating. It seems to me that... (37924 views)

Cat is getting lazy. Not urgent. Snowy used to play with paper and bottle tops and whatever else he could... (14565 views)

Testicle tumor and incontinence. my 11 year old dog has a swollen testicle, (a friend told me it may be a tumor), he... (11743 views)

Cat straining and in pain. Last night, my cat began meowing as if she was about to vomit but was acting as if... (32190 views)

Cyst or cancer? About a year ago, Bella started limping occasionally. When I inspected her leg, I... (8547 views)

Puppy with diarrhea. Hi Dr. Marie I have a 10 week old OES pup, male. He is in good weight, healthy... (18829 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.