Anal glands

[Andre Mendizabal]

Hi, Nala is about to be 14 months old and so far I have never taken her to the groomer, thus, her anal glands haven't been expressed (sp?) because I really can't do it. She hasn't done it by herself since I haven't seen anything like that in her poop, and she doesn't smell fishy... so my question is, is it a good idea to take her to the groomer every so often to have her glands expressed? Molly goes to the groomer every two months and she gets hers expressed. I'm only not sure if this is something that has go be done regularly or only if needed.
Thanks

[Susan Bacon]

Andre,
My experience is that it depends on the dog. Some need to have them expressed more regularly than others. Some express on their own without our further help. I tried to do it myself :confused: on a cocker we had without success, so had my vet show me exactly where the sacs were and how to "squeeze." Like anything else, it's not hard to do once you know how--just stinky and sometimes messy! Hope this helps!

[Andre Mendizabal]

Thanks Susan, so I have to look for signs. Is there a sign I can get from her that she needs them to be squeezed? I don't want them to explode all over the place!!!!

[Susan Bacon]

You asked for it: With our oldest Shih Tzu puppy, I notice him scooting his butt along the grass.... or carpet... right before he needs to go poop. That is the biggest tail-tell sign I've noticed (all puns intended). What has worked best, however, is proper maintenance. Our vet suggested trying to express the glands once every 2 weeks during bathtime--less messy that way, too. If the glands need to be released that often, then they will excrete. Otherwise there's no need. Since I started doing this, the "scooting" has stopped.

[Maria Juliano]

I haven't tried it yet, still waiting for signs...

One of my books says: "you can express the sacs by squeezing the two sacs( the size of peas ) at the five and seven o'clock position in and up toward the anus." Most vets don't recommend this unless there are symptoms.

[Susan Bacon]

Maria,
We must be reading the same book-HA! The 5 and 7 oclock positions are correct. I found myself squeezing too high toward the anus, however, and missing the sacs altogether--which is why I got my vet to show me exactly where they were. On a Shih Tzu they're very small so it's easy to miss them.

I've also read that some dogs can express them naturally more than others and have found that to be true. While Beans needs it about every two weeks, sometimes he can go longer. Other dogs we've had haven't needed them expressed at all.

I also questioned my vet about the danger of expressing them myself. He debunked the theory that you can do damage to the sacs, saying you'd have to squeeze extremely hard to rupture them.... All of that having been said, Maria, you are wise to wait for any symptoms. So far our younger puppy hasn't shown any and I won't be expressing his unless he ever does! It's a gross and smelly procedure, but what we wouldn't do for our furbabies, huh?
Susan

[Chris Smith]

I just saw this posting after I had already done a posting in the food section asking about fiber because of an anal gland problem!!

Since I have just been dealing with this issue, here is what I have found out. Don't try and express the dogs anal glands unless you see signs from them - scooting their butt, excessive licking of the anal area, or the fishy odor. Many dogs glands regularly express when they poop. Some dogs never need them expressed their whole lives. Other dogs needs them expressed regularly (about every 2-4 weeks). And some dogs just need it on occasion (a few times throughout their lives). If your dog is scooting or licking regulalry than you probably want to check the glands regluarly to see if they are full. If you touch in the 4 and 8 or 5 and 7 areas, you will feel little bumps sticking out. My vet said they could be the size of peas or walnuts depending on the dog and how full they are.

I have been shown twice how to express them and I still can't do it. It sounds easy, but Nalu is not too small and with his size, it is really not a one person job. And, in my area, it is $45 to see the vet so I better learn how to do it soon!!

The information Maria posted is very helpful and seems to agree with everything I've read. That is why I did my posting on adding fiber to the diet. Nalu's has been getting lots of soft treats because of his new obedience class and I've noticied his stool is very soft lately. That's when his anal gland problem started for the first time (he is 9+ months old). I started adding rice to his kibble this week and it seems to be firming up things. I think I will try canned pumpkin too.

[Grace Erick]

Hi,

Here is a link that tells you how to express anal glands. I tried it on Capri to see if she had anything to express, but nothing came out. I don't know if I did it wrong or she is empty. I think she will only scoot if she feels something on her butt, so I'm not sure she really needed to be expressed.

Chris, try to ask your vet if they perform the expressing without the exam. I think mine does it for $12 and no exam is necessary. The vet's technician may even do it. I was told that groomers will do it also for a fee also.

Here is the link. It's kind of funny when you click on the dog's butt. You'll see what I mean!!!

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_anal_sacs.html

Bye, Grace

[Grace Erick]

You have to click on the butt twice. The first time only gets his tail wagging.

Bye, Grace

[Maria Juliano]

That's a great site! I have it under my favorites. It's a library of doggie information.:dogrun:

[Maria Juliano]

Chris,

I would try the pure pumpkin on Nalu and see if that takes care of the problem.

The soft treats could be the reason he is having loose stools.

Try to give him the Trader Joe's chicken strips/jerky ( cut up in small bites ) as a reward instead of the cheese. They are 100% chicken with no sugar, salt nor other ingredients. My pups love them, I bet Nalu would too! :wink:

[Sheryl]

I think that Harley's express on their own. I have smelled 'that smell' a few times and noticed him licking a lot at the same time. I got my sister to check them and she said there was nothing in them, so I assume they emptied themselves. My sister (she's a vet) couldn't beleive that some people pay $10 to have her do it when they could easily do them at home. I told her that she could charge double that and a lot of us would still pay rather than do it on our own!!

[Chris Smith]

I would gladly pay someone $10 to do it. In my ridiculously expensive area of the country, it costs $45!!! each time. Unfortunately, that's the minimum charge to go into the vet even to just talk to them aside from charging extra for whatever they do.

I have not checked into a groomer doing it yet (which may be cheaper??) but I have tried twice to do it myself and so far, no luck. That's why I'm trying to add the fiber to his diet.

He really has minimal cheese since I know that it's not good for him and I don't give it to him. Part of the class requires the dogs to behave with all people so the dogs go around to the other owners and "perform" to get their treats. That's when he gets the cheese since many people bring that for their treats. Nalu is also a "Hoover vacuum cleaner" so he goes around sniffing the training room floor to grab all the treats that were dropped or not eaten!!

I do give him turkey hot dogs (just for training) bur he seems to get "looser" even from the hot dogs. I have just started on the Natural Balance lamb roll cut into tiny bits so we'll so how he does with that.

Grace, that is a great website - thanks for posting it.

[Jesse Cruz]

ok dumb question: i have yet to do this to my pups. is this something that HAS to be done to ALL dogs? or is it only if they show signs of a problem? i don't understand because it sounds like its something everyone must do. please let me know.

thanks

[Andre Mendizabal]

Hi Jesse, I originally posted this thread and well, my questions were like yours... but reading everybody's experience, opinions and some information I got on the net I can tell you this, I got to the conclusion that it has to be done ONLY if your dog needs it, I mean, if it shows the "signs". Otherwise, the most probable thing its that they do it on their own and won't need help from us. Nala hasn't shown the signs so far, and I checked her thoroughly this weeked and didn't saw anything that would tell me that was time to do it on my own. She eats a lot of fiber, since I give her once or twice a week pumpking puree (homemade), which she just loves. On the other hand, Molly has to go to the groomer every month or two months, and she has to have them done... :( She shows "the signs", specially a very nasty fishy smell in her rear. It seems its something that happens mostly in smaller dogs, but I guess that if yours don't show signs, they are doing it on their own and that's the best thing that can happen to you!!! 8)

[Grace Erick]

Jesse,

Andre is right. If your pups shows no signs of needing their anal glands expressed, then it's not necessary. Signs are a dog starting to lick their butt a lot and scooting their butt along the carpet.

Sometimes if a dog has diarreah for a while it can lead to the anal glands filling up but not always.

Bye, Grace

[Jesse Cruz]

hi guys, thanks for the info.
well chloe does have a fish smell sometimes in her private area and i see her lick but that's about it. no huge foul smell, no scooting or anything. i thought and from previous posts i've done the fishy comes from bailey somtimes licking her. i guess next time she goes to the groomer i'll ask them to double check if she needs it.

[Susan Bacon]

Jesse,

Great solution! Even though I express Beans' glands (hmmm... I'm starting to wonder about his name now), he shows signs of scooting every couple of weeks and needs regular "maintenance." With our last Tzu who lived to be 13, I just had the groomer check every now and then. Occasionally she needed it done, but not often, like Beans. Panda, our 6-month old, has shown NO signs of scooting, etc. yet (YAY!) So just ask your groomer to handle it for you if necessary--they do it all the time!

I love your Shih Tzu avatar. And I know everybody has their favorite breed, but aren't they the greatest little dogs????

Cheers!
Susan

[Grace Erick]

Does anyone have prices that their groomers charge for expressing anal glands and do you need to have your dog groomed before you ask for this service or can you just bring your dog in for it?

I think my vet wanted $12.00.

Bye, Grace

[Jesse Cruz]

thanks susan! i love my babies to death. that pic is my all time favorite, i have it on my screen saver at work and i printed it and posted it in my cube ;)

shih tzu's are such amazing little creatures. they are sooooo smart and so cuddly not to mention hypo allergenic. what more can you ask for??? LOLOL

[Rowena Fry]

Hey everyone!
Gum Gum has had to have her anal glands expressed several times in the past, both at the vets and the groomers. Both times it was just counted as part of the service/check up, so we didn't pay extra for it. (Sorry Chris, I live in HK, so I won't be any help with the prices in the US)

I did try at home before but was a bit wimpy about it so the vet taught me again the last time I was there. He said that the two anal sacs are located at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions - if you think of the bum hole as a clock. You place your fingers on the 4 and 8 o'clock positions, then push in and UPWARDS, then pinch (gently) outwards for the discharge to come out. I was going wrong with the upwards motion.

If you look at the diagram on the page Grace posted about, you will see that the sacs themselves are slightly lower than the bum hole. That's why you need the upwards motion to actually express them. http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_anal_sacs.html

Oh, also, you can check to see if they're actually full and need expressing. As well as looking for scooting, licking or the fishy smell, you can feel if the anal glands are full. You use one hand to raise the tail, and the other hand to feel the 4 and 8 o'clock positions and if they are full, you can feel two little bumps there. The vet said it VERY important to raise the tail up, in checking and in expressing.

Hope that's helpful! I'll let you know how it goes the next time I try the at home procedure! :?

[Maria Juliano]

Rowena,

Thanks for sharing your experience... well explained! :)

I have one question, when you do it yourself, do you cover the area to catch the smelly fluids? :oops:

[Grace Erick]

Maria,

I have seen it written many times that you should be prepared for what comes out with a lot of guaze. I don't know why they don't say napkins or tissue. Maybe tissue shreds too easy or is too weak? I do know they say it's best to do it in a tub. It's definitely not something you want to do on carpeting. I think a linoleum or tile floored room like the kitchen or bathroom would be good too. Putting a dog in a tub could make the dog nervous and jittery.

Bye, Grace

[Rowena Fry]

Maria,
Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot to mention that bit! Silly me! :-P Yes, you DEFINITELY have to use something to catch what comes out! My vet actually just used two tissues folded over, but he also had gloves on so he knew nothing was going to get on him. I would use more at home just cos it is kinda gross, or as Grace suggested, gauze.

[Colleen]

I always do it while we're in the shower. :) Dexter loves taking showers so we just do it there then it just washes down the drain. No mess, no smell, and it takes just a second.

[Jill Ramsey]

I came across this page and thought it might help.

http://vetmedicine.about.co m/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=vetmedicine&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. marvistavet.com%2Fht ml%2Fanal_sacs.html

[Maria Juliano]

Maria,
Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot to mention that bit! Silly me! :-P Yes, you DEFINITELY have to use something to catch what comes out! My vet actually just used two tissues folded over, but he also had gloves on so he knew nothing was going to get on him. I would use more at home just cos it is kinda gross, or as Grace suggested, gauze.

Rowena,

I hear that the smell is so horrific... perhaps a mask might help too! LOL!:lol:

[Chris Smith]

From what I've seen so far, it is a very small amount of "discharge" type liquid - thick and just a small squirt of it. Having a tissue available for one quick, small wipe should definitely suffice. In what I have seen, it is not particularly messy or even that smelly. A bit of an odor but not too bad (considering we already pick up their poop and vomit). My vet also recommended expressing them when you are bathing them for the "cleanest" approach.

[Maria Juliano]

I came across this page and thought it might help.

http://vetmedicine.about.co m/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=vetmedicine&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. marvistavet.com%2Fht ml%2Fanal_sacs.html

Jill- That's so cool! I had no problems dragging the cloth onto the "area" but in reality, I think I would fail.:confused:

[Gaddy Mep]

Naturally the glands would empty a little bit onto the poop when the dog "did it's business". Some dogs need their glands expressed by humans. A diet change may help, or adding some canned pumpkin to it's meal.