Why does my dog express their anal glands when stretching?
Dogs can accidentally leak or express their anal glands during big stretches or sudden movements, releasing foul-smelling fluid onto people or furniture. This startling occurrence catches owners off guard and leaves them dealing with a sudden, unpleasant mess.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Scrubbing intensely and taking bleach baths
- 2Giving dogs daily fiber supplements to help naturally express glands through firmer stools
- 3taking the cat to the vet
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Suddenly, liquid dribbled on my face.”source ↗
“That’s when I was jarred backed into a terrible reality where my Akita had just expressed her anals glands onto my face.”source ↗
“My dog often expresses his accidentally when he does a big stretch. It's gone in my face once before when he used to share our bed. I really feel for you!”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 3House-trained dog won't go to the bathroom outside after moving
- 2Why does my puppy pee indoors right when I come home?