Anal glands

[Krista]

Okay my boy Rudy had to have his glands emptied again yesterday and both glands were full, but not infected. (I think the last time was sometime in early March -only the left was full). I only pay eight bucks each time, but if this continues to be a problem, that is money that I could be spending on Toys and Treats!

Those of you that empty them yourself: How did you learn? I tried to follow instructions in a Dog Care book, but bothing came out, and I didn't want to hurt him so off to the vet. Any advice or experiences with anal glands will be helpful.

Rudy is 11 mos old now and tipped the scales at 9.8 lbs! Such a big boy now! The vet thinks he has reached his adult size now, but could still stand to gain a few ounces. Rudy will be happy with a few extra training treats I'm sure. /ubb/smilies/smile.gif

[Mickamack]

My mom's dachsie, Oscar, had to have his glands expressed quite often. He went every 6-8 weeks. My mom couldn't really do it herself either. She was just afraid that she was hurting him. My only advice is that you just continue to keep an eye on him to make sure that he doesn't get an infection. I know that you said he didn't currently have one, but just keep an eye on him.

Oscar didn't have one for a long time. He'd get cleaned out every 6-8 weeks, but he started to get stinky quicker. To the point where he'd be there almost every couple of weeks. When that started happening, our vet went "looking" (Oscar felt so violated!)and found that the big O had an infection...and put him on antibiotics. Since then, O has been relatively stink free, and is back to his normal routine of getting expressed every 2 months.

[Penny's Aunt]

Krista, I don't see that most vets would have any problem showing you how to empty anal glands.

The only time you SHOULDN'T mess with them is if they are infected (swollen, reddish, very sensitive). Then they could rupture internally & you could have a real problem.

[wireweiners]

I think that your vet could show you how to empty them also. Its not that hard, you just have to develop a feel for it. /ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif I usually do my guys when they are being bathed so I can just rinse them off afterward.
Are you still feeding him puppy food or canned food. I find that a rich diet seems to make the anal glands more active and that when I switch my pups over to adult dry food they have less problems. Then some dogs just seem to have over active glands.

[Wienergal]

Peaches is one of those dogs with overactive anal glands; she has to have hers expressed really often too.

My vet has shown me many times how to do this myself, and I have tried--but I've never been able to get the hang of it. I gave her daily allergy shots, I learned to change a complicated dressing and irrigate a wound twice daily--I mean, I'm not an idiot! /ubb/smilies/biggrin.gifizzy: But I've just never been able to express the anals effectively. And I'm terribly worried about hurting her or causing a rupture (which may be why I'm not good at it....).

Someone said--either on this board or on That Other One--that groomers will do this; might cost less there.

[Krista]

As to food, Rudy has been on Flint River Ranch kibble -an adult food for several months. I'm pretty sure that isn't the problem. This was only the second time I have taken him in for expressing them.

As to the groomer thing, I think you buy it in a package deal with bathing and nail clipping (which I do myself) and I haven't yet heard of a groomer that I would tust with my boy anyway. I think that myself or a vet would pay more attention to anything abnormal in the fluid that could be sign of infection. Eight bucks isn't too bad, but next time I'll ask them if they will show me. I have found that our vet practice will let you schedule a time "to just have him taken in back" and have the glands checked and expressed if needed instead of scheduling an office visit which is easier and cheaper to do, so I actually don't see the vet when he gets them done.

Amy used to be in my boat, but now she says she has the magic touch. Amy, did your new holistic vet show you, or did your wonderful groomer???

[Owen's Mom]

Well, according to the vet.... Small dogs are simply prone to having their anal glads not empty naturally. It has to do with breeding a dog down in size, most everything got smaller except for these nasty glands. So, they fill up more and are tougher for them to empty. It's a sad but true dachsie fact of life /ubb/smilies/kfrown.gif

As for the touch... It's all kind of gross, but I was petting Owen while he was laying down on the carpet and I grabbed a handfull of tissues and gently pressed around his little bootie hole (sorry guys) until I found the right spot.... Then the goo game gushing out!! I call it smelly fish butt! /ubb/smilies/lol.gif It seems his right gland is the one that doesn't release naturally and when he starts getting a little smelly or licking a lot, I wait until he's relaxed and I grab more tissue and clear 'em out!

I'd have your vet show you and when you feel confident about it you'll be able to do it yourself.

~~Amy & Owen /ubb/smilies/facelick.gif~~

[Penny's Aunt]

Personally, I would do it outdoors. The stench is terrible.

[Wienergal]

Personally, I would do it in North Dakota. It really IS disgusting.... /ubb/smilies/eek.gif

[Cindi]

Ahh anal glands....a necessary evil. I am a dog groomer (to support my dachshund habit) and it is a part of MY business of grooming. It is not for many groomers. The 'stuff' comes in many colors and smells and is quite nasty...I totally agree. In my experience, the best way to do this, and the cleanest for all involved, is to do it in the sink or the bathtub (as part of his bath or not). Soap up the 'area' first. By having the soap against the skin, all the foul stuff will rinse down the drain and not stick around on the dog's hair and continue to stink.
Granted it is not a pleasant thing to do but it is extremely easy.

[Roobyrocks]

Personally, I'm happy /ubb/smilies/ksmile.gif to pay Rooby's vet the $19 to do it as often as it needs to be done! There are some things that should be left to someone other than the weiner's Mother, for crying out loud!! /ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

We just went last week for the first time to get her butt squeezed (that's what we call it) and as many of you know, Rooby is 15 months old (2/14/99 bday!), so hopefully she's not prone to this problem.

Amy, does it just come out you know where, when you squeeze around on the O's butt??

[Owen's Mom]

Well, I'd rather not give exact details... But, yeah... It just kind of squirts out... I have tissue in hand, and yes it's stinky, but it doesn't last long.. and it's nothing a little lysol or fabreeze sprayed around the house can't cure. The funny thing is that Owen always wants to smell the tissue right afterwards! /ubb/smilies/eek3.gif

I pay the groomer $15 for a butt squeeze, pedicure and shampoo!! You're getting ripped by the vet charging you $19 for a simple anal sac expression.

~~Amy & Owen /ubb/smilies/facelick.gif~~

[Krista]

I agree Hope, Rooby's vet is ripping you off. Do you have to schedule an office visit for that? I just call and they take Rudy in the back check them and express them and bring them back out to me about five minutes later and charge $8. IF you notice the signs again, I would ask and see if your vet does something similar when you know it is an anal gland problem.

I might try it again at home if I notice scootie bootie -in the bathtub. If I can't do it, oh well I pay the eight bucks.

I have heard it described like this if the anus is the center of a clock, wearing a glove and holding tissues place your thumb and forefinger at 8 and 4 and press in and up. Does that sound right?

A Tip: Bring some hypoallergenic fragrance free baby wipes along if you go to the vet for expression. Wiping the area afterwards with the wipe makes the ride home cleaner and odor free.

[WOTANSMUTTI]

A whole section dedicated to the little poopers of dachsies... only here,guys!

I'm glad WE don't seem to have that problem.The big doggies oouch-a skootch across the pasture when they need to "express themselves", but the only time Wo smelled THAT way was after he got attacked by the You Know What.

Is the downsizing thing really the reason little dogs have more stinky butt than big doggies? Maybe they need to chase geese and kill woodrats /ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Tanya]

We pay our vet $12 to express Josie's anal Glands. We have to take her every 6 weeks and sometimes more. I've tried to express Josie, but she is a real screamer so I let the vet do it and even then she acts like she is being tortured. Anal gland problems seem to be the only dachsie trait Josie has. Poor dachsies and their bottoms.

[wireweiners]

Wotan, if I was attacked by a coyote, I'd probably smell like that too. Pippin would always "lose it" when he had to go to the vet. I never had to have the vet express his, just walking through the office door was enough. With enough practice, you can feel the gland on either side of the anus if they are full. If I only had one dog, I'd probably pay to have it done but with 6 weiners running around the house, I had to learn to do it myself. Maybe because I grew up on a farm and have smelled worse things but the smell isn't that bad to me. Or maybe my babies are so sweet, their **** don't stink./ubb/smilies/lol.gif

[Roobyrocks]

Yeah, I know $19 is ridiculous for a butt squeeze... this vet is really la-tee-dah... very state of the art facility... everything is higher there (they charge about $165 to spay a dog!!!), but I feel very confident in the abilities of the Vet that sees Rooby, plus she is always soooo sweet to Rooby and I'm a sucker for that!! So I pay the extra $$.
We had a terrible experience last year with another less expensive Vet in the area... one of our Cats actually stopped breathing and the country bumpkin Vet couldn't find a pulse!!! All this because he was drawing blood??? Almost a minute later, she just kind of woke up and looked around. Scared the hell out of us AND the Vet! Needless to say, we decided to go back to taking the Cats to the pricey Vet! Now I call that Cat the 'Pet Cemetary' Cat!! /ubb/smilies/angry.gif
But, NEXT TIME, I'll inquire about just stopping by to have them squeeze Roob's butt... surely they'd do it for less, like ya'll said.

[Mandy]

Okay..I've always heard about this...but I've never actually experienced it. Is this something I should check?

Henry is 2 1/2 and Jakey is ten months. Neither has ever been "expressed." Is there something to look for when they need to be expressed? Could it be that they are expressing themselves when they defecate? They do have stinky, stinky poop.

I need dachsie bum advice....

[Krista]

Mandy
yes there are signs and yes some dogs never need to have someone express them. Pooping is supposed to take care of them, but doesn't always work for every dog.

Watch for:
dragging bottom along ground
licking anus persistantly
a foul smell from the anal area -very strong and might be kinda fishy
redness and puffiness around anus

hope you never have problems. Just ask the vet to feel them at each exam to make sure they aren't swollen and you should be fine.