Expressing Anal Glands

[lizbud]

Maggie had been showing signs of distress by dragging her backside
around & making crying sounds either before she went outside or after.
These episodes seemed to really bother her a lot so I made a Vet appt.
and took her in Sat. to check out/and express the glands if needed.

The procedure went pretty fast & she seems to feel much better now
but, she literally screamed her head off the whole time.
I finally told them to stop the whole thing, I became so upset that
Maggie was so freaked out. I've never heard her scream like that ever.

The Vet Tech who did the procedure was one of the most experienced ones
there & I have confidence in her but.... Have you ever had your dogs anal
glands done at the Vets or Groomers? It's not supposed to hurt them or
is it?

[Karen]

I am guessing hers were infected and impacted, so she was uncomfortable to begin with, and that exacerbated the situation, poor girl!

[wolfsoul]

Most dogs DO show discomfort when having their anal glands expressed, even if they are not impacted. As a groomer, more often than not I am holding on to the tail of a 'bucking bronco' when I express glands. It's by far what dogs complain the most about, and if a dog is going to scream or bite for anything, it'll usually be the glands.
The only time that I find my dogs actually have anything in their glands at all is if their food is not quite right for them. That's one way I know a food is not quite agreeing with them. I've finally got everyone on a food that works for everyone. Nothing comes out when I express their glands -- Visa's actually makes a little "pffft" noise because only air comes out LOL. It's been two years since I've been using this food and still the glands are empty. I told this to a friend of mine who was having real issues with her Belgian, to the point that one glad ruptured. She switched the food and the dog no longer needs glands done regularily.
Try switching her food and seeing if that helps.

[Roxyluvsme13]

If they haven't been expressed in a really long time, it could definitely cause pain. When I was working at a dog grooming place, I got nipped at and growled at several times when I was expressing anal glands.

I hope Maggie feels better. Give her lots of love from everyone

[lizbud]

I am pretty new to the anal gland problem because my RB Buddy
had his glands taken out as a pup & I never had to deal with them.
Smokey had his done once a few years ago & while he was a little
uncomfortable, he didn't seem in pain like Maggie did.

They didn't say anything about infection or any other problems but
they did prescribe a sedative for her to take before she ever has to
have this done again. ( I should have asked them for a pill for myself)

I never want to experience that scene again.

[Glacier]

Not an unusual reaction at all!

Tehya has chronic anal gland issues. She has to be sedated to have hers done. She doesn't get knocked right out most times, but gets put into her "happy place" as my vet calls it! The only times Tehya has ever shown she might even be thinking about biting have always involved having her butt/tail examined! She hates having her tail touched for any reason!

It ends up costing much more than if she was a cooperative patient, but it's less stressful for her, me and her vet!

[Freedom]

Things you can do to prevent them needing manual expression: bulk up the stool. A firm (not hard) stool will express them naturally, as is "supposed" to happen.

Bulk up the stool with
- 3 table spoons canned pumpkin -- do NOT get pumpkin pie filling, that includes spices which you don't want. Add to food daily for a week, then cut back to 3 times a week.
- green beans
- apple


Tasha is prone to this problem. As long as I remember her pumpkin 3 times weekly, she will be fine. Lucky she loves it! Green beans she spits out on the floor next to her bowl. Apple she will eat if it is skinned, and only 2 small bits, too little to help.

Good luck!

[lizbud]

The only times Tehya has ever shown she might even be thinking about biting have always involved having her butt/tail examined! She hates having her tail touched for any reason!

That's Maggie to a tee. She won't even allow me to brush the longish
hair on her back legs, she will just sit down and not move. She's
always been this way.

I don't know for sure but think maybe her sore left back leg might bother
her when she squats down to poop, so she's not expressing normally.She
always has nice firm stools so the glands should work normally shouldn't
they? Geeze.

[Freedom]

She always has nice firm stools so the glands should work normally shouldn't they? Geeze.

Firm and bulky are 2 different things. One is texture, the other is size.

Poor analogy but I can't think of another way to explain it off hand: if something the size of a tootsie roll moves through a canal the size of a salami, it it not pressing on all the sides. That is why you want to bulk up her stools.

Hope this helps.