[PeggyTheParti]

It’s been 3.5 weeks since the vet emptied her not-very-full glands and we just had our first leak. Precious Peggy, she did it on the waterproof couch cover so we have no major mess to clean up at our temporary vacation residence—my parents’ condo. Thank goodness.

Peggy seems very upset about it this time. She walked around with her tail flat to her bum until I could give it a wipe. And still her ears are hanging so low. We keep telling her it’s okay, but then she sniffs her bum and gives me this look:

 

[94Magna_Tom]

Ugh.

 

[Happy'sDad]

Poor Peggy

 

[Dechi]

Poor little thing…

 

[Skylar]

Do you think Peggy was reacting to the smell? Or was it physically bothering her? Is the area inflamed or red?

Poor you and poor Peggy

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Do you think Peggy was reacting to the smell? Or was it physically bothering her? Is the area inflamed or red?

Poor you and poor Peggy

No visible or palpable inflammation, no obvious signs of pain, and a clean bill of health (twice now!) from the vet. We suspect it’s anatomical.

After it happens, Peggy is quick to remove herself from the stinky spot on the couch, and lately she has seemed extra sensitive to any smell lingering under her tail.

The good news is she’s eager now to have me clean her up. After a puppyhood plagued by icky, sticky vaginitis, she learned to be very suspicious of wet towels approaching her nether regions.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

It just happened again—thankfully on a sheet and not directly on the couch. She followed me to the kitchen sink and literally turned around and presented her bum to me for cleaning.

I wasn’t planning to mess with her diet while we’re away, but I might try Metamucil as suggested by our vet (though even she was skeptical it would help).

 

[Dechi]

Such a clever and clean girl. Let’s hope Metamucil works. You never know.

 

[Itsonlyspiff]

I am very glad to find this thread. I do not have a poodle but couldn't find any info like the op. I have a rescue pitbull that is about 2 years old. I got her last October 2021 and she didn't have anal gland problems until a few months ago. It started with her looking angry at her butt when she went outside. Then it turned into butt juice on my bed. Multiple times in a few weeks. I took her to the vet and they internal expressed them. Said nothing was misaligned they felt normal one was empty one was full. A few weeks later she smelled like blood but I didn't see any. I took her in and the vet said infection. She was on antibiotics and then was fine for a few months. Then the smell again. It always happens in my bed with me. Usually while she is sound asleep. I thought weak muscles maybe. When she was spayed in December she had an infection in her uterus and almost died. She came out of surgery and was fecal incontinent for 10 days. They told me it was from the gabapentin relaxing her so much it would just leak diarrhea. They did an anal probe to her in January and said she had good muscle control. Now we call her juicy booty. She doesn't mind it. She licks it up yuck 🤮 I know when she is licking the blanket behind her butt it means something stinks. Lots of laundry. The vet told me about a procedure where they inject saline into the glands and that makes then harden and then they just go in an pluck them out. It still comes with a chance of incontinence which any is too much for me. We just changed her food from wellness to science diet perfect weight because she gained a few pounds when I got her and she is considered overweight now. That I also know could contribute to the leakage. She can not reach her actual butt hole to lick it so she licks her tail near it. She shows no allergies and doesn't scoot excessive lick or anything. Her poop wasn't as hard as I prefer so that is why we switched food. She has been on probiotocs and skin and coat supplements since I got her and I wanted to get her off of them. She also has been eating pumpkin mixed in with her food and it did make her poop harder. That has been for a few months. It also seems that when she poops she has either some poop left on her butt or she has a clear fluid on the actual hole that when I wipe sometimes it smells like anal glands and sometimes not. Also its not every time she poops. I never thought I would be sniffing a dog butt before she comes inside but it is easier if I catch it before she sits anywhere. We have everything covered with blankets and sheets and I use multiple blankets in bed but she always manages to scoot around and put her butt on the sheet. I hope this doesn't last her entire life. It does make me feel a little better to read this thread and that's why I wanted to comment just to show anyone that comes across this like I did that you are not alone. I do have some humor in the situation...I have to or I wouldn't make it through this stink..lol. we joke that she should wear a tracksuit with the words juicy booty on the butt and learn to twerk so she could make some money to put towards all these bills I have due to excessive anal leakage 😆 🤣

 

[PeggyTheParti]

I am very glad to find this thread. I do not have a poodle but couldn't find any info like the op. I have a rescue pitbull that is about 2 years old. I got her last October 2021 and she didn't have anal gland problems until a few months ago. It started with her looking angry at her butt when she went outside. Then it turned into butt juice on my bed. Multiple times in a few weeks. I took her to the vet and they internal expressed them. Said nothing was misaligned they felt normal one was empty one was full. A few weeks later she smelled like blood but I didn't see any. I took her in and the vet said infection. She was on antibiotics and then was fine for a few months. Then the smell again. It always happens in my bed with me. Usually while she is sound asleep. I thought weak muscles maybe. When she was spayed in December she had an infection in her uterus and almost died. She came out of surgery and was fecal incontinent for 10 days. They told me it was from the gabapentin relaxing her so much it would just leak diarrhea. They did an anal probe to her in January and said she had good muscle control. Now we call her juicy booty. She doesn't mind it. She licks it up yuck 🤮 I know when she is licking the blanket behind her butt it means something stinks. Lots of laundry. The vet told me about a procedure where they inject saline into the glands and that makes then harden and then they just go in an pluck them out. It still comes with a chance of incontinence which any is too much for me. We just changed her food from wellness to science diet perfect weight because she gained a few pounds when I got her and she is considered overweight now. That I also know could contribute to the leakage. She can not reach her actual butt hole to lick it so she licks her tail near it. She shows no allergies and doesn't scoot excessive lick or anything. Her poop wasn't as hard as I prefer so that is why we switched food. She has been on probiotocs and skin and coat supplements since I got her and I wanted to get her off of them. She also has been eating pumpkin mixed in with her food and it did make her poop harder. That has been for a few months. It also seems that when she poops she has either some poop left on her butt or she has a clear fluid on the actual hole that when I wipe sometimes it smells like anal glands and sometimes not. Also its not every time she poops. I never thought I would be sniffing a dog butt before she comes inside but it is easier if I catch it before she sits anywhere. We have everything covered with blankets and sheets and I use multiple blankets in bed but she always manages to scoot around and put her butt on the sheet. I hope this doesn't last her entire life. It does make me feel a little better to read this thread and that's why I wanted to comment just to show anyone that comes across this like I did that you are not alone. I do have some humor in the situation...I have to or I wouldn't make it through this stink..lol. we joke that she should wear a tracksuit with the words juicy booty on the butt and learn to twerk so she could make some money to put towards all these bills I have due to excessive anal leakage 😆 🤣

Yes, you do need to keep your sense of humour! Welcome to the forum.

It sounds like your girl may have something a little different going on. If Peggy was experiencing any infection or that level of discomfort, I would be seriously considering surgery. As it stands, we go back and forth.

Are your girl’s poops consistently firm now? If poop is sticking to her butt, I’m guessing no.

I would personally be getting her on a good, healthy diet (maybe even consulting with a holistic vet) and sticking to single-ingredient treats. Absolutely no glycerin at all. For weight management, I’ve had much better luck just keeping my dogs active through play (trick training is a favourite around here), purpose (a regular routine seems to promote overall health), and loose-leash fun walks (gentle hikes on soft ground, sniffy explorations of big box store parking lots, etc.). Regular exercise is also good for bowel health.

 

[Itsonlyspiff]

Yes, you do need to keep your sense of humour! Welcome to the forum.

It sounds like your girl may have something a little different going on. If Peggy was experiencing any infection or that level of discomfort, I would be seriously considering surgery. As it stands, we go back and forth.

Are your girl’s poops consistently firm now? If poop is sticking to her butt, I’m guessing no.

I would personally be getting her on a good, healthy diet (maybe even consulting with a holistic vet) and sticking to single-ingredient treats. Absolutely no glycerin at all. For weight management, I’ve had much better luck just keeping my dogs active through play (trick training is a favourite around here), purpose (a regular routine seems to promote overall health), and loose-leash fun walks (gentle hikes on soft ground, sniffy explorations of big box store parking lots, etc.). Regular exercise is also good for bowel health.

So the infection was different because at the time she had mush poop. Since I got her her poop has always been formed but not solid. She had anxiety when I got her and they said it was due to stress and give it time. That is why I started to add pumpkin. Her poop has been solid and perfect since then. The pumpkin actually firmed it up pretty well in a few days. She had no issue since then until about a month ago. The poop sticking to her butt isn't a piece of poop it is just a spot of brown in the pucker of her butt hole itself. That is where the clear fluid is also. So not actually a piece of poop just a drop of residue I guess. She just got switched to hills science diet perfect weight which was suggested by her dna testing and her vet. This is the 4th food switch since I got her about 11 months ago. As far as the exercise that is hard. She is a potato. I had her checked and she is just lazy. She doesn't like leash walks and is a puller. We have been working on it but she refuses to move after about a quarter mile. She has horrid recall so off leash isnt an option. I have hired multiple trainers and we are currently working on that as well. She gets spurts of energy but only twice a day. We do training sessions twice a day but she gets mostly mental stimulation during those. She goes out at least once week to stores with me sometimes twice. Her potty times outside are up to a half hour each time in the yard on leash snifari each time about 5 times a day. Plus she runs around with a toy for about 10 minutes several times a day. I never had such a lazy pitbull. I try to engage her in other things but she just isn't interested. I know there could be so many things causing the anal gland issue. One thing no one has every been able to tell me is that if they are leaking the fluid does that automatically mean they are full and need an expression? My understanding from reading literally days of stuff online is that it isn't always that way. I dont want to be someone that gets them over done and cause a bigger issue.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

One thing no one has every been able to tell me is that if they are leaking the fluid does that automatically mean they are full and need an expression?

No dog’s anal glands should need manual expression. If they’re not emptying on their own, there’s something going on.

Peggy has never had any trouble emptying hers. They express naturally when she poops, but sometimes they express spontaneously, too. Our vet believes this could be due to an anatomical anomaly. The fluid simply “spills” out. To prevent this from ever happening, we would have to keep them empty 24/7, which isn’t realistic.

 

[srettlin]

This has been an ongoing part of Life With Peggy and I'm ready to find a solution. Does anyone's poodle leak when they're relaxed? It only seems to happen when she's on the couch or bed with us, and generally it's just a strong fish smell, but sometimes she leaves a stinky spot of fluid behind. It will typically happen a couple of times a week for a few weeks, then nothing for a few weeks. Repeat, repeat. She has excellent, firm poops. Has never had diarrhea. We do give her Glandex (both the chews and the powder), which seems to bulk her stool up a bit, but just when we start thinking it's working.....NOPE. I'm so over it. She doesn't scoot or lick. She does often bite at the end of her tail. During a particularly bad week, we took her to the vet to have her glands checked and expressed, but they were only moderately full and the fluid was normal. It's almost like it's a GOOD thing that they leak? Because it means they're not impacted? But ugh. Not fun. Anyone ever experience or solve this? I can't think of a solution other than keeping them 100% empty at all times, which obviously isn't realistic.

hi is this still a problem for you? This is exactly our standard poodle too. She leaks whenever she is calm and relaxed and makes the whole room smell of metal/fish. It's unbearable. It's usually a quarter size mark on the bed or couch and we have to do the sheets immediately because the smell is so potent.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

hi is this still a problem for you? This is exactly our standard poodle too. She leaks whenever she is calm and relaxed and makes the whole room smell of metal/fish. It's unbearable. It's usually a quarter size mark on the bed or couch and we have to do the sheets immediately because the smell is so potent.

Welcome! I’ve found only a single drop of the fluid in about 6 weeks. We started giving her a few generous spoonfuls of home-cooked, unseasoned, lean animal protein every evening, not imagining it would have any effect on her anal glands. But her already very good poops have firmed up considerably, which seems to be keeping them emptier.

Of course it could all just be a coincidence, but I’m choosing cautious optimism. At the very least, she’s loving dinnertime now!

More info here: Our Experience Feeding “Human Food”

Edit: As you’re exploring what works and what doesn’t for your poodle (I assume you’ve consulted with your vet to check the fluid and area for infection or abnormalities?), consider using a waterproof blanket or very thick throw. You don’t want to be doing a ton of laundry every time it happens.

We’re careful to keep calm and not let Peggy know we’re upset when it happens, and streamlining cleanup helps tremendously with that, as does remembering it’s not her fault. She doesn’t like it either!

 

[Sammie]

I'm happy she's not in pain, but yep. So disgusting. And also really annoying when you're relaxing in the evening and have to do a stinky load of laundry.

I've been digging around online for a good 8 months, and have only turned up a handful of similar stories. Always seems to be the opposite issue.

I suppose we could just keep her off the bed and couch, but that's a sad thought. I love poodle cuddles. Maybe I should consider a diaper for her. Is that extreme for something that doesn't happen daily or even necessarily weekly?

Perhaps a peeped on the spots she likes to lay?

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Perhaps a peeped on the spots she likes to lay?

Guessing you didn’t read all 12 pages of this thread, and I definitely don’t blame you. It’s been a journey.

We did start using a waterproof couch cover, which made cleanup much easier, but she’s had only a single episode since December 5th and it didn’t follow the usual script.

For now, I feel we’ve found our solution, which is a generous portion of high-quality, human-grade protein at dinner time. We’ve even stopped the Glandex chews, which could have been working against us because of the glycerin (a stool softener). Her already good poops are now consistently impeccable, and the added firmness seems to be keeping her glands less full, preventing regular “spillage.”

Knock on wood!!

 

[BlosstheCorg]

I know it’s been awhile since this thread has been active but boy am I glad to have found this!! Thank you so much OP for giving your insights on this topic - this describes our situation with our Corgi, Blossom, to a TEE. She’s 3 and we just adopted her a few months ago and has had a few episodes of leaky fishy butt. (Our nickname for her is Fishy Butt). She was spayed the week before we got her and a few days after she entered into our care she was leaking sac juices. Which I read that you also experienced the same with Peggy. But since she’s our first dog, this issue had taken me by surprise and has sent me down the rabbit hole of anal gland research. Unlike Peggy she is prone to have soft stools (weird things like half firm and half soft) depending on what she eats which is likely the cause of her leaky butt. Been trying to keep her stools consistent and firm to see if that helps (and I am hoping that it’s not an anatomical issue) so just going through the phase of trial and error now which takes so much diligence and patience. Thank you all that have posted on this forum it’s good to know that we are not alone!

 

[PeggyTheParti]

I know it’s been awhile since this thread has been active but boy am I glad to have found this!! Thank you so much OP for giving your insights on this topic - this describes our situation with our Corgi, Blossom, to a TEE. She’s 3 and we just adopted her a few months ago and has had a few episodes of leaky fishy butt. (Our nickname for her is Fishy Butt). She was spayed the week before we got her and a few days after she entered into our care she was leaking sac juices. Which I read that you also experienced the same with Peggy. But since she’s our first dog, this issue had taken me by surprise and has sent me down the rabbit hole of anal gland research. Unlike Peggy she is prone to have soft stools (weird things like half firm and half soft) depending on what she eats which is likely the cause of her leaky butt. Been trying to keep her stools consistent and firm to see if that helps (and I am hoping that it’s not an anatomical issue) so just going through the phase of trial and error now which takes so much diligence and patience. Thank you all that have posted on this forum it’s good to know that we are not alone!

You’re definitely not alone! Not sure if you’ve read all the way through this (very long) thread, but the turning point for us was the introduction of human-grade proteins. This (on top of avoiding ingredients like glycerin at all costs) keeps her already good & firm poops REALLY good & firm, and that little bit of straining makes all the difference. We can now go months between leaks.

Note that adding fiber made her poops big and fluffy, which required no straining at all. That’s the most common suggestion I’ve seen online, and also what our vet recommended (albeit with the caveat that it probably wouldn’t do anything and the solution was likely surgical).

 

[BlosstheCorg]

You’re definitely not alone! Not sure if you’ve read all the way through this (very long) thread, but the turning point for us was the introduction of human-grade proteins. This (on top of avoiding ingredients like glycerin at all costs) keeps her already good & firm poops REALLY good & firm, and that little bit of straining makes all the difference. We can now go months between leaks.

Note that adding fiber made her poops big and fluffy, which required no straining at all. That’s the most common suggestion I’ve seen online, and also what our vet recommended (albeit with the caveat that it probably wouldn’t do anything and the solution was likely surgical).

Interestingly, before I signed up it only showed that this thread had 5 pages, and after I had signed up it showed 12, so I will go back and read through everything!

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Interestingly, before I signed up it only showed that this thread had 5 pages, and after I had signed up it showed 12, so I will go back and read through everything!

Post #234 (January 30th, 2023) was our turning point.