Q:  We have a female Beagle who is 2 years old and has been spayed. She has an occasional problem with a bit of fluid on her anus. The problem occurs at odd times meaning times when she is not necessarily excited. In fact, sometimes when she is just sleeping at home or sitting in the car we will see a brownish spot. We expressed her anal glands, and a lot came out. I didn’t think having the glands expressed was necessary for a healthy dog, and I don’t think the expressing fixed the problem. She eats a high-quality food, gets tons of exercise, is very happy and otherwise healthy, and she is not on any medicine. 

A:  If your dog is leaking anal sac secretions at unpredictable times (the secretion will usually have a fishy-metallic smell), it does not necessarily mean she is sick. It is normal for some discharge to come out during times of stress or excitement. For example, you noted that she discharges in the car and for many dogs car trips are often either stressful or a bit exciting. However, you also mention that she discharges when she is just sleeping. This leads me to think that perhaps the glands are not expressing enough when she defecates which is what normally happens. Sometimes this may be due to the fact that the stool she produces is either not firm enough or not wide enough to cause the anal glands to express sufficiently when she defecates. This problem can usually be remedied by adding some fiber to your dog’s diet. With your vet’s permission, you can add a tablespoon of Metamucil or a handful of cheerios daily to the diet.