Question:
What is wrong with my dog? I was clipping his nails, and he hates it so he was struggling pretty hard. Then?
Tiffany A
2007-12-25 19:00:44 UTC
i smelt something NASTY. it turned out some diahrea was coming out. Just a little. so i stopped and put him down and he was fine. I took him outside and he didnt go potty. but now he keeps trying to lick his butt. Plus the smell isnt normal, is smells fishy?!?!
Thirteen answers:
Cavalier KCS mom
2007-12-25 19:16:26 UTC
What happened is when he was stressed out he expressed his anal glands. don't worry that it totally normal for dogs to express their anal glands. dogs have a gland just like a skunk and will express it when they feel threatened.
texpetk9@yahoo.com
2007-12-25 19:37:23 UTC
Some dogs don't like their nails cut, not because they've had a bad experience, but because you are hanging on to their leg, especially their front one. In the wild, when one dog defends its territory from another, they fight and what they do in their fight is try to break or injure the leg (usually the front one) of the other dog. If one dog can injure or break the leg of the other, then the other can't hunt and therefore can't survive. When your dog struggles from you holding its leg (especially a front one), he is not misbehaving ... he's acting on survival instinct and he really doesn't know why (he just does it - it's genetically in them to protect their legs).

When you insist and hang on tight and they stuggle hard, they will poop (sometimes diahrea), and sometimes bust their anal glads (excrete the smelly stuff). Even worse, while the dog struggles, if you cut a quick and the dog smells blood, you are going to have little chance calming him to finish the rest of his nails. They have very good noses ... one sniff of blood will panic them. You will then definetly have difficulty doing his nails in the future. The anal gland smell has left an impression on your dog too. Other animals, when they smell that much glandular excretion, will interpret it as the smell of fear, and they'll get suspicious, or eat it (domestication sometimes rules). If after excretion, the dog is not washed & rinsed off, the contents excreted from the glands are very potent and irritate the skin a bit, which is why the licking (or he's trying to eat it - domestication again).

My suggestion is that you have a groomer do your dogs nails next time. They have techniques & experience. It might be better that way for your dog. Or, have a groomer show you how to do it so as not to get into a struggling match with your dog. And learn how to express those glands too, it's real easy once somebody shows you how to do it.
anonymous
2007-12-25 19:10:36 UTC
Your dog might have excreted something from his anal glands. It's a real rank smell and when a dog does this they often will lick themselves.

Sounds like your dog has had the experience of having some nails cut too close, cutting veins in the nails at times. This makes a dog real nervous when someone cuts it's nails.

Have a dog groomer or Vet show you how to express his anal glands when you bathe him. This will cut down on the likelihood of this happening. Sometimes their glands get impacted and need a Vet's attention.
nebit214
2007-12-25 19:12:40 UTC
the smell is probably from his anal glands. Dogs can release them when they are very frightened or distressed and it smells rather fishy. One of our dogs with seperation anxiety does this when crated sometimes (yes we're working on it). Since nail trimming is so anxiety producing for him, you should really work on desensitizing him to it. First just work with him allowing you to handle his feet, then to handle his feet while holding a nail trimmer, than clipping just one nail and so on. The whole thing should go very slowly and involve lots of praise and treats. The other option is to take him to the vet and have them do his nails, sometimes the vet can do it easier than owners can because the dog can watch you and the vet will have the dog restrained safely and then clip fast. In severe cases he may need sedation. The best option is to get him more used to having his feet handled over time :) If he keeps licking his butt and it looks like somthing is wrong then take him to see the vet tomorrow, but it sounds like he was just so frightened that he released his anal glands and is now trying to clean himself :) -Neb
Tori
2007-12-25 19:11:20 UTC
could just have an upset stomach...maybe he ate something he shouldn't have. It could also be because he got so upset while you were clipping his nails that he used the bathroom out of fright. Just let him outside a lot to give him fresh air and he'll be able to eat grass which gives him vitamins he needs when he's sick...or you could go to your local pet store and get once a day dog vitamins that will help your dog fight off whatever he might have. If it gets any worse or starts having blood in it, I would consult a vet. Good Luck!
Jessica
2007-12-25 19:15:57 UTC
Sounds like your dog expressed his anal glands. Anal glands are two odor sacs inside of the rectum. They express themselves sometimes when the dog is having a bowel movement, other times they have to be manually expressed by a Vet. It's not uncommon for a dog to express their anal glands when stressed. It's normal and it's natural for him to clean himself afterward. If you have some doggie cologne, you can spray a little of that to mask the odor.
♪Majestik moose© ★is preggers★
2007-12-25 19:12:27 UTC
hahaha, he emptied his anal sacs out. Dogs can do this when they are extremely afraid or stressed. Basically, it was your dogs last ditch effort to let you know he was very uncomfortable with the situation.

They do it when another dog(or person) isn't reading/ignoring their other signs saying back off.

Work with your trainer/groomer on ways to get him acclimated to nail clipping. Some dogs just won't have it though, like one of mine, and i just take him to the vet, and let them muzzle him up and sedate him. Luckily, he only needs his nails trimmed 2 times a year, they grow slowly, and they get worn down from our walks.
Yeldell
2017-03-01 10:46:48 UTC
Long nails can be harbingers for bacteria, specifically if they are artificial, but they will are good for scratching and beginning those little foil wrapped containers that are so hard to get in to.
Shelby K
2007-12-25 19:13:19 UTC
LOL!!!!!!!



this is very common for a dog that is struggling....it is an anal gland in the dogs rectum....it stinks because that is how dogs determine who is who....and it is more prevalent in overweight dogs......but this is perfectly normal.....warm water and soap with get rid of the smell...I promise!
gary r
2007-12-25 19:19:04 UTC
Nothing wrong with your dog......just nervous at having toenails clipped.I have a little Fox Terrier,and have never managed to clip his nails.I simply exercise him on concrete or asphalt,and that wears the nails.He is 8 years old now,and doesn't have long nails,or problems.He loves his bath,and is incredibly affectionate,and loyal,and no long nails!
anonymous
2007-12-25 19:18:14 UTC
It wasn't diarreha. It was anal discharge. His anal glands probably needed to be expressed and the stress and struggling induced the expressing. It sounds gross but is totally normal.. If you don't know how to express the glands yourself you need to take him to the vet to have them expressed regularly.
babyobscure
2007-12-25 19:05:35 UTC
dogs doesn't like there nails clipped.

Hes probably licking its but

because possibly its dried or itchy or maybe hurts
feral_akodon
2007-12-25 19:30:48 UTC
He expressed his anal glands.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...