Anal gland expression

MyloMylo
edited July 2009 in Food, Nutrition, & Health
Mylo had his glands expressed by the vet last year around this time so I know the smell. It's horrible. I'm starting to get very faint wiffs of that pungent smell every once in a while and I'm wondering if he might have to get it done again. How can I tell? Do dogs at a certain age need it done every so often? I can't remember why he had it done before (what signs he was showing) since it was at his first ever check up with me.

Comments

  • shimaurashibalover92shimaurashibalover92
    edited November -1
    haha. sorry to laugh but Katsu has been very expressive with her anal glands. I'm not sure how ofen they're done, but if your starting to smell it I would do something about it.
  • MyloMylo
    edited November -1
    lol I remember you telling us about her expression after the bath lol. Mylo doesn't express his own to that extent though. I was thinking of calling my vet but it's a useless call to ask for their opinion because they say "bring him in" to EVERYTHING. Speaking of which... I don't know if I like my vet... but that's a whole other topic.
  • shimaurashibalover92shimaurashibalover92
    edited November -1
    haha. Maybe when Katsu get's better she can come up there and show him how to do it the right way!
  • MyloMylo
    edited November -1
    HAHAHAHAHAHA Oh dear... I don't know if I like that idea.
  • StaticNfuzzStaticNfuzz
    edited July 2009
    The conventional thought now is that if you get in a habit of having them manually expressed by the vet it becomes something that ends up being habitual.

    However anal glad thing depends on each dog. It is not something I would have done unless there is a serious problem though. They can get infected and irritated so if there is (gross I know) seepage and scooting with classically a red butt hole then by all means get the dog to the vet.

    Basically it is recommendation now to change the food so the dog does not get impacted and so he/she can relieve it themselves before it becomes a big problem. More fiber in the food should be of help for dogs with ag problems. A small teasp of fiberall mixed in with some of watered kibble may help. Adding green beans or pumpkin is also and option.

    However if you have a concern and the dog is irritated already, certainly see the vet rather than having a sick pup.

    Snf
  • MyloMylo
    edited November -1
    He's not scooting or anything like that. I took a look, and there's no swelling or anything out of the ordinary. I'll pick up some green beans next time I'm at the store. He'd probably love that. I just wash them and feed them raw, right? How many beans would you say I should give him? Should it be a continual thing, or just for a couple of weeks?
  • CreamyShibaMomCreamyShibaMom
    edited November -1
    trust your gut, if you don't like the vet, move on. It's not worth the $ nor aggrevation. We changed vets 3 times (i eventually went back to my old vet from when i was younger living back home). Farther away but i trust him and his vet techs and the pup seems to like them too.
  • MyloMylo
    edited November -1
    It just seems like they're just after the $$$. When I first got Mylo, I brought him in about 3 times in the first few months... they were all minor things but every time I went it was still at least $100. I should find my statements and figure out what the hell they were charging me for... I was more naive then... you know, the whole new mom thing.

    The last time I brought him in (for his annual) the vet asked me if he needed his rabies shot, to which my response was "I have no idea". I didn't know how often they're supposed to be given (I now know it's 3 years) and i wasn't the one with the CHART in front of me... It just struck me as odd when he had the info right there... I mean if you're going to show up to my appointment 10 minutes late, you can at least read his chart.
  • StaticNfuzzStaticNfuzz
    edited July 2009
    I generally steam the veggies so they remain light green but not overly cooked. Basically has some substance but not mushy. I am sure some folks feed them raw but I cook to make sure the dog can break the down the cells a bit in the plant material and not get too much tummy upsets, ie. farts.

    Start out with a small amount (1/4 c or less) for 18 lb dog and go from there to see how he tolerates it. Also take a look at the kibble to make sure you don't need to change that up for another type/brand too. In your case too high a protein or all meat base may not be the best for your pet. It really depends on your dog.

    Snf
  • MyloMylo
    edited November -1
    Mylo is currently eating Acana Pacifica. It's got less protein than the Orijen 6 fish he was getting before. I've thrown out the bag, so I don't know exactly what the balance is, but I'll check it out on their website.
  • CaliaCalia
    edited November -1
    If that doesn't work, or you still feel that you need to get someone to express the anal glands, take him to a groomer if you don't trust the vet. Certain dog breeds have a hard time expressing them, so when they are taken down to get groomed expression is one of the things they do. You can call up a place and see if they can do just the expression, and skip the bath and cut.
  • shimaurashibalover92shimaurashibalover92
    edited November -1
    "I came for the grooming but stayed for the anal glad expression."
  • MyloMylo
    edited November -1
    Yeah, I was thinking of taking him for his semi-annual groom anyways... Isn't it more risky to get it done by a groomer though? since they do it from the outside, rather than the inside?
  • JessicaRabbitJessicaRabbit
    edited November -1
    I have never had to have my dogs glands expressed. They do it naturally. Feed your dog some raw carrots. That will do it for you.
    I have heard some gnarly stories about groomers doing more harm than good expressing anal glands.
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