Dog acting sick, chewing rear, bad smell. Are anal glands the problem?

Question

Barlow is always very active. When we come home he will greet us at the door with the other dogs. Today he didn’t move off the couch and just wagged his tail a little. He did eat a little piece of meat I gave him. I think his anal glands ha e been bothering him for a few weeks now. He will lick there and then this awful smell is released. We smelt it earlier and he was chewing at the base of his tail. He acts like he cannot get comfortable sitting down. Could this make him feel that bad? Pet's info: Dog | Beagle | Male | neutered | 3 years and 4 months old | 26 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Barlow! Yes, anal gland problems can make some dogs lay around and seem to not feel well. If he's chewing at his rear end a lot and you've noticed a foul odor, it's very possible that this might be the problem. I would recommend taking him to the vet tomorrow to have this checked - if it is his anal glands, the veterinarian can express them to make him more comfortable, and will also check to see if they are infected or inflamed so that he can get started on appropriate medication if needed.

Dog acting sick, chewing rear, bad smell. Are anal glands the problem?

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