Anal Glands

[SteffiS]

Just been back to the vet for Toffee's 3rd Parvo vaccination and his anal glands were full again , so once again he had them emptied. This is after having a course of antibiotics a couple of weeks ago in case they were infected.
The vet seemed to think it was due to the shape of his bottom .

I've not had this before with any of my labs, and obviously we don't want to need to have them emptied every two weeks. His poos are solid enough and bulky enough so I don't think it's that. The vet has suggested massaging them gently with a warm wet cloth 2 or 3 times a week and then we have to see him in 3 weeks time.
Can anyone make any other suggestions for overcoming this problem. I will eventually move him to a diet with some raw in it but not until he's a bit older, and the food I'm feeding him is high in fibre, so I don't think changing this will help.

 

[MellowYellow]

Hi Steffi, if it were me I would start giving him some raw meaty bones, just for one of his meals. Poor lad, and poor you! Hopefully it's just something he grows out of, but it might help to have some more bone in his diet.

 

[SteffiS]

@MellowYellow What difference would the bones make if his poos are already solid and well formed ?

What sort of bones are ok for him at 16 weeks? (bearing in mind he's already scared me by swallowing a large piece of pizzle stick ).

 

[MellowYellow]

Well, his poos are likely to be even more solid with some bone in his diet. I started giving both my dogs a chicken wing or chicken thigh instead of one meal at around 16 weeks. It's not a cure-all, of course, just a suggestion...

 

[FayRose]

I hope someone has a good solution for this as I have the same problem with Molly and it's very difficult to deal with.
Our vet said her anal glands are very deep inside so not easy to clear So far we've had them 'squeezed' by a vet every time we've had to see them - whatever the reason - and each time they have been full.

 

[SteffiS]

I knew I wouldn't be alone in this, it's not very nice for them @FayRose . The vet didn't say Toffee's were deep inside, just said about the shape of his bottom, but I don't really know what he meant.

 

[Ashley]

Quinn had some issues with her anal glands when she was a puppy, but thankfully grew out of it. Same thing as Toffee, she always had solid well-formed poops. She still seems to get bothered down there at times, and will plop her bum down funny on the ground (but no dragging, and just a one off), and seems to expel them randomly if she is bothered, which is gross but better than them being impacted. But she hasn't had to have them emptied by the vet since about 6-7 months old.

 

[SteffiS]

Did the vet say what the problem was @Ashley ? It's good she's grown out of it.

 

[Ashley]

Did the vet say what the problem was @Ashley ? It's good she's grown out of it.

No, at the time he just told us sometimes puppies can't express their glands properly and they checked her every time we went.

Just my own thoughts thinking back, is that in the early months it didn't take much to give her an upset tummy (bully sticks, peanut butter, anything rich) so likely having runny poops here and there probably didn't help.

 

[M.F.]

My vet said anal glands can fill due to allergies—much like a runny nose, the anal glands overreact to an allergen. He also said they can fill when a dog is anxious.

Snowie’s anal glands bother him from time to time. He is raw fed, but he does suffer from allergies from time to time. He gets much relief when I massage them with calendula cream, or wipe the area with cotton wool soaked in a dilute solution of apple cider vinegar. Yep, what I do for my dog! Be careful when you’re massaging that they don’t shoot—I had it happen, into my hair!!!!! Euw!

I’ve observed that when he poos, after the last one is expelled, he contracts his bum and out pops some anal gland secretion. I understand the secretion is a type of marker.

 

[Jen]

e careful when you’re massaging that they don’t shoot—I had it happen, into my hair!!!!!

OH GOD! I would have cried. I was hysterical when Stanley popped his on the couch, let alone on me!

 

[Jennifer]

When Scott was having anal gland issues a couple of months ago I got some Glandex wipes mainly to try and remove any smell as for some reason it was getting Scout very excited !!! Glandex also do food supplements for anal gland support. The wipes moisturise too. The vet thought it was actually his skin not the anal gland that was causing Scott to lick his bottom so much, possibly allergy. The wipes seem to have helped with this too. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8...t=&hvlocphy=1007230&hvtargid=kwd-298995640979

 

[SteffiS]

Be careful when you’re massaging that they don’t shoot

Thank you for that tip, perhaps I'll get OH to do it when he's back from his work trip .

Thanks for the link @Jennifer , that's really helpful .

 

[Emily]

So, um, we haven't * touch wood * had an analysis gland incident. To be honest, I'm not even sure where they are. Can you actually see them of is it just somewhere in the "either side of the bum" vicinity?

 

[Emily]

analysis gland

Haha "analysis gland" thanks autocorrect

 

[Jennifer]

How to Empty Your Dog’s Anal Sacs - dummies

@Emily There's a diagram in this article showing where the anal glands are. This article explains how to express them yourself. Personally I would'nt just incase I caused further issues. Doing it wrong can cause impacted anal glands if they weren't impacted before. If your dogs anal glands are impacted apparently it will feel like two hard peas one either side of the anus but basically from my experience if your dog really won't leave it's back end alone no matter how much you try to distract them it's quite often the anal glands.

 

[SwampDonkey]

To he honest it one job I don't mind paying someone else to do when doug got old and slack muscles he only had to sneeze hard and they would express themselves. Oh those were the days

 

[FayRose]

Umm, thanks for all this info. and the diagram. How does my vet decide Molly's glands are 'very deep' from that type of procedure ? can't understand that. On the basis she has allergies though, that fits.
I think I'll talk to the vet and try to find out if I can do anything to help Molls without having to drag her in there every few weeks.

Good luck with Toffee SteffiS.

 

[Ashley]

My vet said anal glands can fill due to allergies

This is interesting, I didn't know that.

 

[Jennifer]

@FayeRose Another method of emptying the anal gland is to insert the index finger and sort of squeeze the anal gland inbetween the inserted finger and the thumb on the outside. This is the method used by vets and enables the vet to get a good idea what is going on. Not a method recommended to do yourself.