Can stress cause anal glad release?

shobbsie

New member
Mar 28, 2013
52
4
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Two
:whatsthat?: Tonight was the first night fireworks are allowed in my county. Lucy barked and became very nervous. I turned up the TV, but she would run to the front window and bark. I could tell she was really stressed but I didn't want to make it a big deal. She came over and sat beside me so I started to rub her back....then I smelled it ....then I saw the wet spot on my couch. This was not urine. My boxer never did this. Is this common with stress? I cleaned her bottom with wipes and cleaned my couch.
I've read about thunder shirts and trying to distract her. Things have quieted down now and she is exhausted.
I know groomers express the anal glands but I've not had another dog release on their own. Should I be concerned if this happens again, or does it take a while to accumulate again? I feel so bad for her.
 

Libra926

Pistol Packing Bullyagrapher
Staff member
May 5, 2010
7,482
734
Washington
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Vegas and Orion
:whatsthat?: Tonight was the first night fireworks are allowed in my county. Lucy barked and became very nervous. I turned up the TV, but she would run to the front window and bark. I could tell she was really stressed but I didn't want to make it a big deal. She came over and sat beside me so I started to rub her back....then I smelled it ....then I saw the wet spot on my couch. This was not urine. My boxer never did this. Is this common with stress? I cleaned her bottom with wipes and cleaned my couch.
I've read about thunder shirts and trying to distract her. Things have quieted down now and she is exhausted.
I know groomers express the anal glands but I've not had another dog release on their own. Should I be concerned if this happens again, or does it take a while to accumulate again? I feel so bad for her.

We call this fish-butt. Orion is forever doing this. Most of the time, the anal glands empty themselves during defecation. Yes...being startled can do this. In our case, Orion's right gland is the issue. Occasionally she will wake up and her gland had leaked during the night. Sometimes she will be sleeping and we smell it. With her...it just happens. We use baby wipes...but the smell is still there. This is what we've been doing...Bath & Bodyworks makes a foam soap with some great smells. A small amount of this on a baby wipe cleans and removes all smell of fish from her bottom. We also have a product from Petsmart that we spray if it ends up on the couch or carpet. It's a nasty nasty NASTY part of owning a bulldog with a faulty anal gland. Orion knows when it happens that her bottom needs attention...she will get off the couch and head for the booty wash station located by the back door.
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
Staff member
Mar 21, 2011
13,407
848
Katy, Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
[MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION] has given you some great info. I have never had a problem with any of mine, (knock on wood) at least not yet.
 

RiiSi

Well-known member
Community Veteran
Sep 30, 2011
5,014
535
Sysmä
Country
Finland
Bulldog(s) Names
Taisto, Kylli, Salli, Angel-Usko and Angel-Voitto
Yes it can. Fear, stress, anxiety, relaxation...can all cause it. My Boy Usko will release when lifted on the vets table, but also when he's really relaxed beside me when I'm stroking him...Voitto is still so young that I haven't noticed when's his time...
 

Jennifer Clark

I can handle the whiskey, if you can handle the nu
Community Veteran
Apr 16, 2013
2,872
117
Searcy, Arkansas
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Sheldon A.K.A Shelly Bean (06-12-19); Duecy (9-13-14); Maddie (4-16-19)
:whatsthat?: Tonight was the first night fireworks are allowed in my county. Lucy barked and became very nervous. I turned up the TV, but she would run to the front window and bark. I could tell she was really stressed but I didn't want to make it a big deal. She came over and sat beside me so I started to rub her back....then I smelled it ....then I saw the wet spot on my couch. This was not urine. My boxer never did this. Is this common with stress? I cleaned her bottom with wipes and cleaned my couch.
I've read about thunder shirts and trying to distract her. Things have quieted down now and she is exhausted.
I know groomers express the anal glands but I've not had another dog release on their own. Should I be concerned if this happens again, or does it take a while to accumulate again? I feel so bad for her.

This has happened once with Sheldon it was the first time I had ever had him on the bed I have a mattress cover on my bed (thank goodness) so all I had to do that night was clean the mattress cover and put clean sheets on the bed.

Love has a name and its name is Sheldon!!!<3
 
OP
shobbsie

shobbsie

New member
Mar 28, 2013
52
4
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Two
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
Thanks for the info. Riikka, Lucy went from extremely stressed to relaxed. It didn't happen until after I petted her, which was really more like a massage.
I felt so bad for her because she immediately started to try and clean it up (YUK!). I swear she looked embarrassed. We got her at 9 months old and have only had her almost 4 months.
I'll be so glad when the fourth is over! I love the holiday but hate that she's so stressed.
 

Jennifer Clark

I can handle the whiskey, if you can handle the nu
Community Veteran
Apr 16, 2013
2,872
117
Searcy, Arkansas
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Sheldon A.K.A Shelly Bean (06-12-19); Duecy (9-13-14); Maddie (4-16-19)
Thanks for the info. Riikka, Lucy went from extremely stressed to relaxed. It didn't happen until after I petted her, which was really more like a massage.
I felt so bad for her because she immediately started to try and clean it up (YUK!). I swear she looked embarrassed. We got her at 9 months old and have only had her almost 4 months.
I'll be so glad when the fourth is over! I love the holiday but hate that she's so stressed.

Awe poor baby!!! I just want to cuddle her and tell her it'll be all right and it'll be over soon. Sheldon has an embarrassed look if he accidentally potties in the house I swear he looks ashamed. ::hugs::

Love has a name and its name is Sheldon!!!<3
 
OP
shobbsie

shobbsie

New member
Mar 28, 2013
52
4
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Two
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Thank goodness my husband and Lucy are in our bedroom tonight and hubs has the TV on VERY loud. She loves spending time with her papa. There's a lot more and louder booms going on tonight. So far she's sleeping through it all. I'm slaving in the kitchen cooking for tomorrow..
 

kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
YOu've already heard all you need to know .. and yes fireworks can suck if your bully baby hates them. I'm lucky in that my 3 don't seem to mind at all .. which is lucky because people have been letting them off every night since the weekend!!! Funnily enough, I'm sat here in the office and tonight is the first night I haven't heard them!!!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Out of curiosity, is there a certain age with bullies when this starts?

don't think so..... [MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION] or [MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION] may have some insight
 

JeannieCO

Queenie
Mar 11, 2011
12,680
873
Tip of the Mitt, Michigan
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Emma, Charlie, Milo, Peekaboo and Jack
As the other's have said, yes stress and excitement can cause them to express their anal glands a bit. The first time I experienced it was at the vets office with Orion about 5/6 years ago, he was our pitty who has since passed. The vet tech took him from the for a blood draw and when she came back with him I thought I was going to gag. WTH was that smell I asked. "oh he expressed his anal gland." "HIS WHAT!!!", I said. I made her wipe his butt down right there but that didn't help at all cause the gland juice was already all over him. It by far was the worst smell my nose had ever experienced. LOL

Whodathought I'd go on to learn so much about anal glands...:ROFL: Here's a fantastic article I researched and prepped. It'll answer more questions than you ever wanted to know and anal glands. :2thumbs:

Anal Gland Care - Everything you need to know!

Out of curiosity, is there a certain age with bullies when this starts?
It can start at any age. It's really depends on who hard the stools are and if the anal glands are in the right position to be expressed when they poop. What happens for ALL dogs is when the poop is coming down the shoot, it passes between the two anal glands and applies pressure on them causing them to express a bit each and every time they poop. If the stools are too soft and the glands aren't in the right alignment, well they can't express themselves naturally. It can be at any age too.

It's some stinky stuff no doubt!!! :barf:
 
Last edited:

KMARINO

I couldn't make this sh*t up if I tried!
Jul 21, 2010
7,219
728
Bradenton Fl.
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
VEGAS and REBEL
don't think so..... [MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION] or [MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION] may have some insight

I noticed when Vegas was about a year old he was scooting across the area rug, I thought he might have worms so I took him to the vet. It was his anal glands and his glands are not in the right position. Since then, and Vegas is a little over 4 years old. About every 5-6 weeks, he lets me know by scooting, we go to the vet and have his anal glands expressed. He has never expressed them on his own
 

Most Reactions

📰 Latest posts

Members online

No members online now.
Top