Anal glands.

[Heavymetalmater]

we have had our cocker pup for just over a week now. She has been doing really well but the last day i have noticed a really fishy smell around her rear end. I think her anal glands may be the problem but have never come across this in any pup we have had. I will take her to the vet tomorrow but wondered if anyone has seen this in a ten week old pup.

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

Hi, they can fill up at any age, especially if their poo has been a bit soft (sorry!) It's worth popping her along to see if they need emptied, just to avoid fishy anal gland secretion all over your carpet (and I speak as someone who has had my fair share of anal-gland-gunk over me!!!)

[Heavymetalmater]

Thanks. Lovely topic isnt it. Do you think its caused by us changing her food. We have changed part of diet over the last week but wonder if it was too quick. She was on raw meet and skinners kibble from breeder. We have slowly changed the raw meet to naturediet. Still mainly giving the kibble with a bit of the naturediet on top.

[Heavymetalmater]

I mean meat.

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

I doubt it has been caused by changing her food, as long as it didn't cause diarrhoea?? Some dogs seem to be far more prone to overfull anal glands than others, cockers are one of the breeds I seem to empty more frequently! The anal glands were there to scent the dog's faeces/ den areas. As diets have become more refined (no skin/ hair/ whatever else they can scavenge!) and digestible, and dogs have become more domesticated with less need to overtly mark their turf the glands have become pretty much vestigial structures, which don't always fully empty each time they poo. Some people advocate adding bran to the diet to bulk out the faeces and so squeeze the glands more, but even that isn't always successful, and with such a young pup I probably wouldn't alter her diet again.

[Heavymetalmater]

Had one episode of diarrhoea after her first vaccinations but poo generally good. Has been a bit softer today and seems to be doing massive poos for such a little girl. We may be over feeding perhaps. Still trying to judge how much to feed her as manufactures guidelines seem so varied.

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

Manufacturers always seem to overstate the amount a dog will need- they want to sell more food! I often tell clients if they are unsure to make a mental image of the size of the wee things stomach, and then don't feed it more than that at one sitting! I'm sure she will be fine- honestly, her anal glands are nothing to do with anything you have done