question about expressing anal glands

[LuckiLab03]

i apologize for the yucky topic..


How often do your dogs need their anal glands expressed?
I ask because it seems like Riley (3 month old pup) needs hers expressed a lot. As most of you know, it REALLY smells and when we notice it we end up wiping her behind with a paper towel (and you can see some of it). She's not scooting or anything but its really annoying because it gets all over everything. Does this seem normal? Or normal for a puppy? Our vet said that the more you have them expressed the more they need them done.. We never had a problem with Brooke's until she was 6 or so, she started scooting and had them expressed a few times. We're going back to the vets tommorow (but our vet isn't really concerned about it).. what do you guys think?

[binka_nugget]

It varies from dog to dog. Kai has never needed his expressed. Kaedyn got them expressed once since he has come to live with us.

Are her stools firm? I've heard that when they're firm, some of the yucky junk from the glands/sacs should come out as well.

[Shelteez2]

My dogs have never had them done. Emily is 7.5 years old and Clipse is 4.

It seems weird to me that a large breed dog would be having such troubles. I know she is still a pup though, but generally the large breeds don't have an issue with anal glands. I also think it is weird for her to have needed to have them expressed so often.

[MariaM]

I don't know... I read in a vet book you should express them every day...but I had never even heard about it before the book, never heard about anyone doing it and I never did. Major doesn't scoot, lol the only "wrong" or "bad" thing he does is....pee without lifting his leg lol. I don't think he'll ever learn that, he just squats lol.

[heinz57_79]

It really varies from dog to dog. When I was a groomer, there were some dogs that ALWAYS needed it done, others who never needed it. Just remember to NEVER do it yourself. If you don't know how to really do it you can do some major damage. If in doubt, take to a vet or reputable groomer.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by luckilab03

Our vet said that the more you have them expressed
the more they need them done.

Originally posted by heinz57_79

Just remember to NEVER do it yourself.
If you don't know how to really do it -
you can do some major damage.

The above two "quotes" sound like they came directly from our Doc Mike!

Cinder & Smokey each get "caught" doing a *scoot* maybe
ONCE every Two MONTHS...
When I report this to Doc Mike - I get the one or the other
of the above quotes! HIS thought is to Leave em ALONE! unless
there is almost daily *scooting*!

IF there is a constant problem with a dog *scooting* -
Doc has said the anal glands CAN be removed with surgery...
but that it is not a very common procedure.

Originally posted by MariaM

I read in a vet book you should express them every day...

?? I've never read or heard that "daily" anal gland expressions
were required.

LuckiLab ~
I'd suggest that you have a chat with Riley's White Coat -
Possibly a change of diet might help.

And try to teach Riley to do any "required *scooting* when
she's OUTside - rather than on the rugs!

/s/ Phred

[Logan]

I have been told that adding pumpkin (canned pure pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie mix) to the diet will help with this. Perhaps a tablespoon in the food, daily, will help to solve the problem. My dogs have rarely had this done, and I have 4 large Retrievers. The only time it has ever been done is when they were at the groomers that did it as a part of their grooming process. Daily expressing seems to be a bit aggressive to me.


Try the pumpkin. It won't hurt. My dogs LOVE it, but they do not get it regularly.

Logan

[MariaM]

Sorry everybody. I realized I made a mistake. It didn't say express them daily, it said "check them daily" I am now quoting from the book. It said something like if they are too full, to get a kleenex and gently squeeze them. Don't ask me though, like I said, I had never even heard about it before. I'd listen to your vet lol. But I know that's what the book said.

[LuckiLab03]

We took Riley to the vet and she had them expressed, there was a lot of it.. she said that its possible she might outgrow it (i doubt it) but at this rate she will probably have them removed when she is full grown.

I've never heard of the canned pumpkin, but i'll look into it! Right now she gets a little spoon of yogurt in her food and she loves it. thanks for the replies!