Dog Smells Like Fish: Causes and What to Do
Why does my dog smell like fish? Anal gland fluid is a common explanation, but the smell can also come from the mouth, ears, skin or urine. Finding the source tells you more than the strength of the pong.
We’d start with three questions: where is it strongest, when did it start, and what else has changed? A whiff after a fright is a different situation from a sore ear or repeated attempts to pee. Here’s how to work out the next step.
Key Takeaways
- A fishy smell doesn’t automatically mean blocked anal glands.
- Look for other clues: scooting, sore gums, head shaking, urinary changes or discharge.
- Gentle cleaning removes residue; it doesn’t treat an infection.
- A sudden gland release after a fright can happen in an otherwise healthy dog.
- Trouble passing urine or suspected pyometra needs urgent veterinary care.
Where Is the Fishy Smell Coming From?
Notice the source during normal handling. Don’t squeeze the bottom, force open a painful mouth or poke inside the ears. If your dog objects, stop.
Anal Glands: A Fishy-Smelling Bottom
Two small anal sacs beside the anus hold a strong-smelling fluid. They usually empty when your dog poos, and the secretion can smell distinctly fishy.
A brief smell on its own doesn’t prove anything is blocked. Full anal glands may cause discomfort, but recurring odour with scooting or licking needs a closer look. Expression is only appropriate if an examination shows the glands need emptying. See our guide to dog anal glands for how the sacs work, or why dogs scoot for other causes of an itchy bum.
Why Does My Dog’s Breath Smell Like Fish?
A fish-based meal or treat can leave a temporary smell on the breath. Fish oil or salmon oil supplements can do the same; spilled oil may also leave the fur smelling fishy. A smell that persists between meals or isn’t explained by recent food needs a closer look.
Plaque, gum inflammation and dental disease can cause unpleasant breath. Look for red gums, visible deposits, drooling or chewing differently. Dogs may keep eating despite a sore mouth, as PDSA’s dental guidance explains.
Licking gland fluid can also leave a smell around the mouth. That doesn’t make the teeth the original source.
Why Does My Dog’s Ear Smell Fishy?
A dog’s ear that smells fishy, musty or simply stronger than usual may be inflamed or infected. Yeast and bacteria can overgrow in the ear canal; head shaking, scratching, redness and discharge are useful clues.
Skin folds can become sore and smelly too. The exact odour won’t tell you which organism is involved. Cornell lists the signs of ear disease and explains why a suitable cleaner depends on the problem. Bottom wipes and household remedies don’t belong inside ears.
Why Does My Dog’s Pee Smell Like Fish?
If your dog’s pee smells like fish, watch their toilet habits. A urinary infection can cause foul-smelling urine, frequent small wees, accidents, genital licking or blood. These signs can affect male dogs as well as females.
Smell alone cannot diagnose a UTI. Urine testing helps identify an infection and guide treatment. If your dog keeps trying but cannot pass urine, seek emergency care.
Compare the Other Signs
Anal sacs
- Other clues
- Scooting, licking the rear, stains or discomfort
- What to do
- Arrange a check if it recurs; seek same-day advice for painful swelling, blood or pus
Mouth or recent food
- Other clues
- Smell after a fish meal; or red gums, deposits and chewing changes
- What to do
- Check whether it clears after food; book a dental assessment for persistent breath changes
Ears or skin
- Other clues
- Scratching, head shaking, redness, damp folds or discharge
- What to do
- Arrange an examination before choosing treatment
Urine
- Other clues
- Frequent small wees, straining, accidents or blood
- What to do
- Contact your vet promptly; inability to pass urine is an emergency
Vulva or vaginal discharge
- Other clues
- New discharge, licking, illness or a recent season
- What to do
- Contact your vet; suspected pyometra needs emergency care
Use this as a guide to what to report, rather than a way to diagnose the smell at home.
Fishy Smell in Female Dogs
Female dogs can have the same anal gland, dental and skin problems as males. A smell near the vulva also brings vaginal discharge and urinary problems into the picture.
A season normally involves changes in discharge, but a new foul smell, pus-like discharge or illness shouldn’t be dismissed as being in heat. New or persistent discharge deserves veterinary advice, including in a spayed dog.
Pyometra is a serious infection of the womb. It mainly affects unspayed dogs and often develops in the weeks after a season. Signs can include unusual discharge, increased thirst, vomiting, poor appetite, a swollen belly or unusual tiredness.
Suspected pyometra is an emergency. Some dogs have no visible discharge because the cervix is closed. Don’t wait for a discharge or try bathing first if an unspayed dog is becoming unwell after a season.
When Fear or Stress Causes a Sudden Fishy Smell
Some dogs release anal sac fluid when scared or stressed. You might notice a sharp smell after a fright, followed by a small mark on their coat or bedding.
An isolated release can happen without disease. Let your dog settle, gently clean any external residue and wash affected bedding. Cornell describes this involuntary release as part of normal anal sac behaviour.
The release may be brief, although residue can keep smelling until it is cleaned. Frequent episodes, licking or soreness are reasons to investigate further.
Start with the source
Notice where the smell is strongest and whether it comes with scratching, licking or other changes.
How to Get Rid of a Fishy Smell From Your Dog
Remove the residue, then address its source. Perfume may hide the smell for a while, but it won’t help a painful tooth or infected sac.
Gentle Cleaning and Wipes
For a comfortable dog with a little mess on intact skin, use lukewarm water and a soft cloth. Clean externally, avoid scrubbing and pat dry. A bath may help if the smell has spread through the coat; use a dog shampoo and rinse thoroughly.
For quick clean-ups between baths, Scooch’s Anal Gland wipes offer a convenient hygiene option. Use them according to the instructions on the pack.
Our guide to cleaning a dog’s bottom safely covers wipes, baths and when to leave a sore area alone.
Dental Care
Build up to daily brushing with dog toothpaste and a suitable brush. Human toothpaste isn’t suitable. If the mouth is painful, arrange an assessment before starting to brush.
You can add Scooch’s Dental Sticks to a dental-care routine, using the feeding guide and an appropriate size. Chews complement brushing; they cannot remove the need for treatment of diseased teeth. Established tartar and gum problems may require professional care.
Diet and Gut Health
If recurrent gland trouble is involved, stool quality matters. A consistent diet and enough drinking water are sensible starting points. Additional fibre may help when stools need more bulk, but it should suit the dog’s existing food.
Scooch’s Anal Gland chews provide fibre-based nutritional support for this routine. They don’t treat a blockage or infection. Probiotics may suit some digestive problems, but the right choice depends on the dog and product.
Persistent soft stools need their own assessment. Adding more supplements without understanding the problem can make the routine more complicated without making your dog more comfortable.
Veterinary Treatment
Your veterinarian will match treatment to the diagnosis: dental care for diseased teeth, appropriate medication for an ear or urinary infection, or treatment of an affected anal sac. Pyometra usually needs urgent surgery and supportive care.
Call the same day for painful swelling beside the anus, blood or pus, painful urination or a dog who seems unwell. Severe distress, collapse or inability to pass urine needs emergency help.
What Can Be Managed at Home?
Reasonable home care for a comfortable dog
- Gently remove a small amount of external residue
- Wash bedding after an isolated gland release
- Check whether breath odour follows fish-based food
- Maintain an established brushing and grooming routine
Arrange veterinary care
- A smell that persists or repeatedly returns
- Ear redness, discharge or mouth discomfort
- Scooting with soreness or swelling
- Urinary changes or abnormal vaginal discharge
The emergency signs above take priority over home care.
Start With the Source
A fishy smell gives you a clue, but the next step depends on where it comes from and how your dog feels. Clean up a simple mess gently. For a smell that keeps returning, work out the cause before adding more wipes, chews or baths.
Dog Fishy Smell FAQs
Can a UTI make a dog smell like fish?
Yes, a urinary infection can change the smell of urine. Frequent wees, straining or blood are stronger reasons to suspect a urinary problem, which needs testing.
Do dog wipes help with fishy smells?
Wipes can lift fishy residue from the fur and leave the outside cleaner. A smell that keeps returning still needs its source addressed.
Why does my dog smell fishy only sometimes?
Occasional gland release or a fish-based meal may explain a temporary smell. Note the timing and source; recurring odour with other symptoms deserves a check.
Why does my male dog smell like fish?
Male dogs can have anal gland problems, dental disease, skin or ear infections and urinary infections. Being male doesn’t identify which of these is responsible.
Why does my puppy smell like fish?
Puppies have anal sacs too, and food, trapped mess or infection can also cause odours. A persistent smell, discharge or an unwell puppy needs veterinary advice rather than routine gland squeezing.
Can dogs express their own glands by licking?
No. Most glands empty as a dog passes poo; persistent licking is a clue to discomfort and can make the skin sorer. It shouldn’t be relied on to clear a blocked gland.
