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My dog's butt leaks smelly liquid before pooping, what should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | spayed | 4 years and 1 month old | 61 lbs

Hi, my dog has this smelly liquid that comes from her butt and it sometimes gets on to the floor and leaves a terrible smell. It usually happens before needing to poop.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 10th, 2018

It sounds like the liquid is coming from her anal sacs. These are two small sacs located on either side inside the anus that release this smelly liquid to help lubricate the feces as they pass. The anal sacs are a normal part of a dog's anatomy, and the smell is terrible! Sometimes these can get impacted, or dogs can have overactive anal sacs. I would have Mali checked out by a vet for this issue. They may be over-full and need to be expressed to stop the leakage. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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