Yuch! Anal gland!

ncmc

My two year old cocker spaniel's anal gland seems to fill up really quickly and emits quite a strong smell (as well as being uncomfortable for her). I've been assured by my vet, that this is just normal for some dogs and that there isn't anything we can do other than empty it regularly. However I don't fancy forking out for the vet to do it every time, is it difficult to learn how to do? Any tips or hints on how to do it? TIA!

00112984

Most vets are happy to give you a little tutorial on how to do it yourself.

I know that my mother's Jack Russell had awful gland problems for quite a while and our vet showed Dad how to squeeze them properly.

With the JR, diet was a problem as her poos were very soft and her glands weren't being squeezed naturally when she went to the bathroom. They ended up changing her food and general diet which really helped.

luckat

http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/analsac.htm

This is the easy way, with no sticking fingers into the dog's arse - which also hurts the dog, while this way doesn't.

helimachoptor

00112984 wrote: »

Most vets are happy to give you a little tutorial on how to do it yourself.

I know that my mother's Jack Russell had awful gland problems for quite a while and our vet showed Dad how to squeeze them properly.

With the JR, diet was a problem as her poos were very soft and her glands weren't being squeezed naturally when she went to the bathroom. They ended up changing her food and general diet which really helped.

My own GSD has this problem up until he was about 3, he'd be basically chewing his ass cheek trying to scratch it and use to get infected pretty bad, after the 3rd time of the vet doing it he showed me, man its pretty bad for the person doing it but the dog will thank you for it. Boy does it stink!

I did it every couple of weeks for about 6 months and it'd been fine for the last 4 years.

junkyard

Also if you feed them bones on a regular basis it helps in a big way, my Cocker Spaniel used to have similar problems but since we've fed her bones shes had no problems and they love bones too.

MissyN

My dog has had bad anal glands for the last few years and I took her to the vet everytime too but its easy enough to do it yourself, it really does just take practice and patience. You have to try to make an ok experience for the dog with loads of praise and tummy pets and they'll always be more comfortable with you doing it than a stranger.

I use lots of KY lubricant (bought in supermarkets) and plastic gloves and the dog will tighten up initially but if you keep the experience as pleasant as possible then you should be fine.

But it does smell bad !!! Thats how you know you've done it properly.
Once you get that odour.

MissyN

junkyard wrote: »

Also if you feed them bones on a regular basis it helps in a big way, my Cocker Spaniel used to have similar problems but since we've fed her bones shes had no problems and they love bones too.

Bones can be quite unsafe as they can became lodged in the dog’s digestive system or they can choke on a bone. I'd never give my dog a bone just in case.

Toots

My cocker's glands get blocked up sometimes too, my vet showed me how to sorta squeeze the glands to clear them out (yes it's yucky but if it stops her dragging her bum across my couch I'm willing to do it:p).

His recommendation to me was to only feed her the dried food, which makes her stools more solid and helps clear out the glands on the way out , it also makes it easier to clean up after her. Have to say since I've stopped giving her soft food as a treat, I've really noticed a huge difference.

junkyard

MissyN wrote: »

Bones can be quite unsafe as they can became lodged in the dog’s digestive system or they can choke on a bone. I'd never give my dog a bone just in case.

Not really true tbh, small bones maybe but bigger ones are ok, ask your vet, just take them off the dog before they get too small. Raw meaty bones are very good for their digestive system too.

andreac

Feeding raw chicken wings will help too, make sure they are raw, not cooked.

Noopti

MissyN wrote: »

but if you keep the experience as pleasant as possible then you should be fine.

Okaaayyy...... :P

Seriously though, just ask you vet to show you. You can read all about it online, but the only way to really learn how is to do it, and it is best to do it first with the vet.

luckat

Noopti wrote: »

Okaaayyy...... :P

Seriously though, just ask you vet to show you. You can read all about it online, but the only way to really learn how is to do it, and it is best to do it first with the vet.

Beg to differ. My vet had never seen the way shown in that online piece, and was impressed.

ncmc

Thanks for all the replies, she is due a trip to the groomers, who normally does it for me, so I might get her to show me. That is interesting about the bones, I do feed her dry food, but give her some of my porridge in the morning as a treat :rolleyes:, so maybe i'll try cutting that out. The more I think about it, it used not to fill so quickly before I started the porridge treat!

andreac

If theres milk in the porridge it wouldnt be good for her as dogs are lactose intolerant, so maybe cut out the porridge. Theres no need for her to have it.

ncmc

andreac wrote: »

If theres milk in the porridge it wouldnt be good for her as dogs are lactose intolerant, so maybe cut out the porridge. Theres no need for her to have it.

Thank you for that, I knew cats were lactose intolerant, but didn't realise that dogs were too. Maybe i'll make her a bit of porridge with water (she looks at me when I eat it and makes me feel guilty if I don't share - those big brown spaniel eyes are a curse!)

sorella

Cooked bones are dangerous as they can splinter; raw are fine. Ours get raw chicken, bones and all and love them, and never a problem.

Good for their teeth also.

But never cooked bones.

MissyN wrote: »

Bones can be quite unsafe as they can became lodged in the dog’s digestive system or they can choke on a bone. I'd never give my dog a bone just in case.

sorella

Most can take goat's milk...

ncmc wrote: »

Thank you for that, I knew cats were lactose intolerant, but didn't realise that dogs were too. Maybe i'll make her a bit of porridge with water (she looks at me when I eat it and makes me feel guilty if I don't share - those big brown spaniel eyes are a curse!)

seanybiker

I never knew about this arse gland until i seen it on television a while back. Some dog groomer was messing with the dogs arse for some reason. Poor dogs and poor ye for doing it.
I wonder do the dogs like it ha ha.

ahaaha

my fella definately didnt like it - he howled d whole way through it today. they were v bad... he's recoverin on d sofa next to me

lg123

junkyard wrote: »

Also if you feed them bones on a regular basis it helps in a big way, my Cocker Spaniel used to have similar problems but since we've fed her bones shes had no problems and they love bones too.

ya, our king charles had similar problems and bones seem to have sorted it.

Skillie

lg123 wrote: »

ya, our king charles had similar problems and bones seem to have sorted it.

my golden retriever suffers from this but not as bad as when she was younger. politely nicknamed "cocacola arse" by us as when you brush under her tail or her "short pants" (fluffy bits on her back legs) at times this pungent stuff drips out. maybe she just tenses up when i'm brushing these areas as the hair is longer.

anyway what kind of bones do you give? where do you get them i'd like to give ours bones but worried in case they splinter or chip their teeth or find them hard to break down etc

lg123

he has been getting chicken bones (leg and thigh), i know i know. dont give dogs chicken bones but he hasnt had any problems so far. our dog at home (collie) gets them as well and never a problem*.

when i go to the butchers i usually ask for some lamb bones too, the front legs. he cant get through these yet but makes a good effort on the joints. i always cook these in case he notices the similar smell to the sheep across the road. i just boil them up for 40 mins.

* famous last words.