Male Dog is Leaking Brown Fluid – What to Do Next

It can be very concerning to look over and notice that your male dog is leaking brown fluid. The anal gland is responsible for giving your dog a unique scent, which is why you will see a dog smell another dog around the behind when they meet. In this article we will touch on just some of the explanations for your dog leaking brown fluid, including issues caused by the anal gland.

Your Dog Has an Anal Sac Disorder

Anal sacs can be found on both sides of the anus and it’s responsible for holding the fluids that are produced by the anal gland. Sometimes medical issues can occur as a result of an anal sac disorder that will result in your dog leaking brown fluid. There might be an abscess or even simply inflammation happening around the anal sac, which happens mostly due to the fluid being impacted.

Your dog might be scooting his butt on the floor and be licking or biting near the anal area. Your dog also might chase his tail, have trouble taking a bowel movement, and also experience itching near the anus. Your veterinarian will do a variety of tests and perform a physical examination to see if there is an issue with the anal sac.

How to Express a Dog’s Anal Gland

There is a risk if you express a dog’s anal gland at home, so it should be done by a professional veterinarian or groomer only. The main issue is that if you express the glands too often, you will end up causing a lot of irritation within the area. If the irritation gets worse then you might end up causing your dog pain and it could lead to a possible infection.

You first need to make sure he’s standing up and then have someone hold your dog so that he won’t move around. Use latex gloves and put a little bit of lubrication on your finger. Lift the tail and then put your finger into the anus about one-inch. Run your thumb and index finger along the outside of the anus. You’ll find the anal glands near the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions. It can be tricky to find, which is also why it’s best to leave this to a professional.

The anal gland will feel similar to a pea in size and once you find it, you want to place a cloth or paper towel down in front of this location. Just use a little pressure and begin to milk the anal gland, you want to milk towards you. You’ll notice that the gland is beginning to feel smaller and once your to the point you can barely feel it, then you know it’s completely expressed.

You want to repeat this process for the other anal gland and then wash the area with soapy warm water once you’re finished.

Other Possible Causes of Brown Fluid Leak

There are other causes that could contribute to your dog leaking brown fluid as well that you should be aware of. It depends on where the brown fluid is leaking as it could be coming from either the vulva or the anus. If the brown leakage is coming from the vulva then there could be either a urinary tract infection causing the issue or it could be vaginitis.

Brown fluid leaking from the anus could mean that there’s an anal gland infection or a gastrointestinal issue going on. Most of the gastrointestinal issues that cause brown fluid to leak either are due to colitis or gastroenteritis.

The veterinarian will perform various tests to find the cause including blood work and a urinalysis. An examination of the rectal area is performed and fecal samples might be taken to look for bacteria or parasites.