All about “shooting the glands”
Dog anal glands, as their name implies, are glands located adjacent to the anus. Each dog has a pair of them. They are relatively simple as far as glands go: They consist of a bulb and a duct. They produce a fluid with a a singular odor. It smells like a combination of rotting fish and feces.
Dogs’ anal glands may empty spontaneously. This commonly is referred to as “shooting the glands” because the nasty fluid, with its concomitant strongly unpleasant odor, has a way of spraying onto nearby objects. Anything that causes fear, stress, or excitement may trigger a dog to shoot his glands. This appears to be linked to sudden contraction of the muscles in the area.
In the event of a dog shooting his glands, the people present can take solace in one (and only one) thing: The odor of dog anal glands is typically very transient and it therefore does not linger for too long.
If you had no idea why a dog shoots his anal glands and now you do, I bet it now makes a lot of sense. That's why many vets believe that dogs have anal glands — to mark their territory.
However, dogs don't always experience spontaneous anal gland release. In fact, if a dog's tummy is upset and he's experiencing abnormal bowel movements, you may need to keep a close eye on him. To find out what symptoms to look for and what to do if Fido is experiencing discomfort, head to the next page:
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