Guest WoobiesMom Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Woobie's anal glands went icky in one quick day! He hasn't been biting at them or anything. We went on a nice long walk today and everything was hunky dory. I come home after 5 hours at school and he's going nuts! Biting, scooting, the whole bit. Everything looks red and raw back there. I tried expressing them externally but no luck. I must not be doing it right. I have no lubricant or anything handy to even attempt the internal move so I'm taking him in first thing in the morning and ewww, ick, gross and yuk! I'm going to ask them to show me what to do. I hate him being uncomfortable for any longer than he has to, so I'll suck it up and learn. Geez, the things I do for this dog! I'm dealing with raw food when I wouldn't even handle raw meat for my own family and now I'm learning anal expressing whatever you call it! When is this raw diet going to kick in and make a difference?????? We got ear infections and anal glands still causing problems after several weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Ohhh that sounds like fun I know it's gross, but it's something we all need to know I guess. It's like talking about poop, pee, private parts, and so on. I didn't think I would ask about half the stuff I have on here already. Tell me how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 A warm compress might make him feel a little better. Good luck tomorrow! Ruth n the BC3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo Peep Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 External cleansing of the gland is easy. Check the anal area as follows, before the bath. (I always look when clipping the anal area with a #10 blade) 1.Have someone hold the dog's head or restrain with a loop on your grooming table or tub. 2.With the dog standing, lift upward on the base of the tail firmly. 3.Examine the anal area. Below the rectum at 5 and 7 o'clock are the 2 glands. Feel this area with the tips of you index finger and thumb. If they are swollen, they can be expelled. 4.Place a paper towel, tissue or baby wipe covering the area to catch the secretion. 5.Gently press below this swelling, inward and upward toward the rectum. You should see anal fluid excrete from the rectum. You can increase pressure until nothing comes out. This fluid can be white, tan, brown, black or bloody. It can be watery, granular, like pudding or dough. Guaranteed it will smell horrible. Also be warned that it can ooze out slowly or expel explosively on you and your surroundings. Signs that the dog needs to see a veterinarian: 1.Blood in the secretion 2.A hole in the skin from one of the glands. This is an abscessed anal gland that has ruptured. In the second case, don't groom the dog, call the owner and refer them to a vet immediately. When should you expel the gland? 1.The customer says the dog's been scooting (dragging is rear) 2.When you notice very swollen glands. P.S. It's kind of like squeezing a zit. excuse the grossness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 See, that's the thing. I think he might be built differently or something. When we went in last, I checked all around the outside where you described. The only thing I could feel were two hard nubs which I guess are part of his bones. There wasn't any swelling that I could feel and I squeezed just as explained. Did it again tonight with a warm wet washcloth also, nothing came out or smelled. When the vet tech did it she said the swollen gland (one side only) was very swollen inside and I wouldn't feel it on the outside. So I guess he must be built in a way that when he swells it's more towards the inside of his rectum than the outside. Maybe that's also why it's harder for him to express them and the loose stools aren't helping the situation either. Guess I'll find out for sure tomorrow. I'm also going to talk to the vet about having him dosed as though he has Giardia to see if it will help with the loose stool situation. I've been switching foods for the 7 months I've had him and nothing has really worked for very long. Even after 3+ weeks on raw, we're lucky if he has semi-firm stoools for a day or two. I'm sure the vets going to probably give me a lecture about the raw diet too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo Peep Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 I know- that's just not an area I don't want to go sniffing around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadows Mom Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 I'm sure the vet will show you how to do an internal expression, its actually easier than an external one LOL. I'll add that the "fluid" can be grey too, this surprises a lot of owners, but its normal. Its also a good idea to pick up a can of deodorant (NOT anti-perspirant (I can't spell that word it seems )) This is good as "butt deodorizer" to spray in the area of the toosh after you've expelled the glands Don't spray it directly on Woob's butt, its more for the surrounding fur, covers the remaining anal glad smell until he can properly groom himself... unless you plan to bath him directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 I was way off base!!! LOL I was pushing on his bones! The area I *should* have been squeezing I thought was just his sphincter muscle and was aiming much lower. It does appear that he tends to hold more fluid internally because she showed me how to do it externally and when she could not get any more out, he had a bunch more that came out when she went internally. She suggested that she always does her dogs while in the tub with their butt under the faucet so that it washes the smell right down the drain. I have an appt. with the vet on Monday to discuss all the diet and allergy issues. He was a much happier puppy after the visit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 I'm sure glad he's feeling better today. That has to be uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie&MeBC Posted August 26, 2007 Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 Glad everything went well and he's feeling better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Criosdaidh Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I actually had a long time dog owner tell me its not good to mess those anal glands that the dog should take care of it his/her self. She also said that once you've messed with it that they are more likely to have problems down the road and that dogs take care of theirself by dragging their booty on the ground. My dad used to hunt professionally and we've raised many dogs in my family and I had never even heard of anal glands until I joined this site. Anyone else heard this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Well, he'd been working on them for a couple of days the first time and hadn't been able to work things out on his own. I've heard worse horror stories about them rupturing and getting infected so, I think I'll have to suck it up and help him out when it appears he's not able to do it on his own. The key is to keep their poops firm so that passing them also squeezes out the anal glands. At least that's what I learned today. Maybe those dogs never had problems because their stools took care of keeping the anal glands in working order. This is the first dog I've had with this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Does this happen to all dogs? I've never seen this happen with any of our dogs on the ranch. Is this something which must be manipulated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurBoys Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Does this happen to all dogs? I've never seen this happen with any of our dogs on the ranch. Is this something which must be manipulated? No, it doesn't happen to all dogs. Hard stools keeps the anal glands normal. Dogs that have diarrhea for an extended period of time are more prone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 No, it doesn't happen to all dogs. Hard stools keeps the anal glands normal. Dogs that have diarrhea for an extended period of time are more prone. I feel for the poor dog. Sounds like a very painful issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I have 2 dogs that have anal gland issues at the moment and neither of them have soft stools. For us it seems to be stress related. They don't scoot or seem bothered by them but my nose is. I express them about every other week and that seems to do the trick. They seem to flare up (get stinky) right after thunderstorms or other stressfull situations. I thought they were just expressing them during the stress but when I express them quite a bit will come out. I've tried to do the other dogs but nothing comes out. Mick seemed to start his issues when I had a young pup go into her first heat. Mick is 3 and neutered but I think he was stressed that the LGD's were bothering one of his ladies. He is my only male BC amongst 4 females besides the LGD's who are fixed also. The other one that has issues is female. She only seems to have them after being in a stressfull situation. Anyone else notice stress being an issue? Kristen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Wow, I never though of the stress angle. I can't associate a clear link between a certain situation and him flaring up, but in general he's pretty anxious and skittish outside of the house. Except at his favorite place on earth - the dog park. I'll have to keep an eye on the stress part of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverWolf73 Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Wow, I never though of the stress angle. I can't associate a clear link between a certain situation and him flaring up, but in general he's pretty anxious and skittish outside of the house. Except at his favorite place on earth - the dog park. I'll have to keep an eye on the stress part of things. My schnauzer mix Heidi gets very stressed/excited in the car and I have noticed the nasty anal gland smell several times in the car, followed by her licking that area...so it apparently is a stress reaction for some dogs. Little skunk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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