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...

Sensitive tail and belly. My cat was spayed almost 5 months ago, and I've noticed since then, that she does... (6387 views)

Lab with a cough. Two days ago, my chocolate lab starting coughing and dry heaving occasionally when... (54639 views)

21 year old cat is dying. THIS IS URGENt, BUT I DON'T HAVE 15.00 RIGHT NOW!! i THINK MY 21 YEAR OLD CAT IS... (15142 views)

Possible elbow hygroma. I just noticed a mass on my 4 month old puppy's front right leg. She is mini... (30589 views)

Will kitten be ok when I go away? My kitten will be just over 15 weeks old when we go away for 1 week. I was going to... (14479 views)

Child and dog have a virus. My puppy that is 9 weeks old has had all shot. Today he has terrible diarrhea and... (8781 views)

When to do shots? just wanted to know my dog got her parvovirus on 5/01/11 and her leptospirosis on... (10591 views)

Lentigo on a daschund. Dear Dr. Marie, I just recently discovered these black dots on my dogs chest when... (41547 views)

Pink bumps on dog. My dog has two small bumps on top of his head. I took a picture, but I don't see a... (41478 views)

Cryptosporidium and clostridium. I am hoping for confirmation that we are on the right track with treating our two 11... (22293 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.