Joey had this problem as a puppy; the vet said that dogs normally empty the anal glands when they poop. The anal glands contain a strong smelling liquid and a few drops of this used to "mark" their poop. Some dogs have a problem with pushing hard enough to empty the glands, and the glands become too full. Years ago, this was a regular part of grooming, but vets found that if a dog doesn't need the help, it's best not to do it. You can also do it incorrectly and push the contents further up, leading to impaction and infection. Some people say that adding more fiber to the diet helps. We added a tsp. of ground flax seed, and about 5 green beans, (for other reasons) to Joey's diet, and the problem stopped, but I don't know if it was connected to that or he simply outgrew it. |