# How often should anal glands be done?



## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

How often should they need their little anal glands expressed? Brinkley has needed it once a week since I have had him. I will take him this afternoon or tomorrow and that will be his third time. He is fine for a few days, and then starts the scooting thing again about the 5th or 6trh day after. The vet said last week, it was too soon to need to do it again, but it did need to be done. I am sure he will tell me something when I take him, but is this normal? WHY do they do this? Can I help prevent it? He charges 8.00 JUST to do that procedure...ugh!  that is 32.00-40.00 a month at once a week....and I DO NOT want to do it myself!








Anyway, my real question, was why is his problem occuring so often and can I prevent it?


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## Caesar's Mommie (Apr 8, 2004)

I have no idea. When we first took Caesar to pets mart when he was only I think 3 months old (we took him shopping for toys







) and stopped in to ask the groomer a few questions. She told us we needed to bring him in to her once a month to get his anal glands expressed no matter what. When we took Caesar for some of his shots I asked our vet about it. He said it is unnecessary unless they are scooting. He said yes they are small and some do have difficulty expressing them when they go to the bathroom, but others can do it just fine. He said if they aren't scooting and trying to express them theirselves that way that it isnt needed and can cause unneccessary discomfort. We've never seen Caesar scoot at all, so Ive never taken him to have it done yet.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

what type of food do you feed brinkley..usually once a month is the min time period. normally the glands are expressed when the dog defecates. sometimes if the stool is not hard enough the glands dont get expressed. but some dogs need them expressed no matter what. sometimes a dog can scoot for other reasons like allergies and parasites. or the glands can get infected. seems like your vet would be concerned and would want to investigate why your pup is scooting so much. maybe this time when you go in you can talk to your vet more about trying to figure out why this is happening. good luck


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## ilove_d&m (Apr 7, 2004)

So far I been expressing my girls glands every 3-4 weeks. and I have notice that they are full when I do this. My vet was charging me about $35 per pet-it was too much for me. so I ask him to show me how to do it.


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## Mystify79 (Apr 6, 2004)

I've not had to do this.. thank goodness. I'm so sooooo grossed out by it that I will always have to take Tuffy to the groomer for it. Do you have to express their glands even if they aren't scooting? Are there any other "symptoms" of needing it done? I've never seen Tuffy scoot around so I just assumed he was fine. Blech... this is one of the nastier sides of owning a dog :wacko:


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

> _Originally posted by LadyMontava_@Jul 15 2004, 10:00 AM
> *what type of food do you feed brinkley..*


 He eats Science Diet wet/dry mix....his stools are hard...so I would think he would be able to express them himself...but, I don't know. Once a week just seems SO often to me...I am going to take him back to vet and see what he says. He needs his nails trimmed anyway...I am going to try that tonight myself, and then have him do that when he does the booty tomorrow if I can't get the nails myself.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

it is possible it could be the wet food...parker will scoot when he goes to my parents b/c he gets wet food over there. cant say thats def. the prob though.


> Are there any other "symptoms" of needing it done?
> no if he doesnt scoot he should be fine


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Mystify79_@Jul 15 2004, 12:21 PM
> *  Are there any other "symptoms" of needing it done? *


no if he isnt scooting he is fine


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## TikisMom (Jul 22, 2003)

I have never had to do this for Tiki..... I have had him for a little over a year and a half. The vet has never had to attend to this either and I groom him myself. Is it possible some dogs will need this and others won't?

Judi


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)




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## joe (Jan 5, 2003)

> _Originally posted by TikisMom_@Jul 15 2004, 05:27 PM
> *Is it possible some dogs will need this and others won't?
> 
> Judi*


 I think so because different people have different diets for their dogs, the "harder" the stool the less chance there is of it happening, Sampson and Maggie will "scoot" from time to time but not often so I dont believe it is a problem with either, here is a pretty good article on it...

http://www.dr-dan.com/analsac.htm


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

I took him to the vet today and they said it was not that bad. They got a little out, but said it shouldn't have been enough to make him scoot. They said the food should be fine. His stools are firm...I am just going to keep an eye on it. They were a little stumped themselves....


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## doctorcathy (May 17, 2004)

sprite, ellie, and gruffi eat the same food. sprite needs her anal glands expressed like every month or month and half and ellie has never had it done....cuz she doesnt need it. my vet charges $15.


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## Maxismom (Mar 24, 2004)

Ive never had Maxis anal glands expressed is that bad i never knew to do that ... I mean after he goes to the bathroom i always wipe him with a wipey he is also groomed every 3 weks with baths in between
i also have the groom shave him so that he doesnt get clogged up . Am i doing the right thing?


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)




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## paris'mom (Jul 14, 2004)

Regarding expressing their anal glands...

I asked my breeder about this issue. She said that some dogs can do it themselves and some will need help. 

She said that as a 3 month old puppy, don't do it unless absolutely necessary. There had been cases where people do it wrong or too often and it bruised their anal (I forgot what term she used) muscles. 

I told her that I read about inserting a finger and she told me that is too severe. She showed me how she puts her thumb and index finger on each side of the anus (as if we are pinching it) and feel for the little bumps. If they are very hard, then squeeze the area gently. Nothing shot out (she demonstrated on a 3 yr old maltese). It oozed out (still gross but at least it's not like PUUUUUUUUU out theere).

she then wipes the area with a lysol wipe and dusts them with baby powder to keep the hair back there clean. She said that she uses lysol because it's not too harsh but it's antibaterial.


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## Maxismom (Mar 24, 2004)

How do you know if they have to be expressed ? I wipe maxi after each poo poo with a baby wipe and i dont think he is clogged he hasnt had trouble going to the bathroom


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)




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## Maxismom (Mar 24, 2004)

he has done that but he does that because thats his way of telling me that he wants me to wipe him ,he has been doing it since the getgo and he hasnt had any trouble going to the bathroom , his routine is when he goes inside on the wee wee pad he comes to tell me and if i am doing something he than wipes his butt on the floor which alerts me he went and i pick him up and take him to the bathroom to wipe him

what are other signs of this..would he stillbe able to go normally


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## ilove_d&m (Apr 7, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Paris'Mom_@Jul 18 2004, 08:13 PM
> *I told her that I read about inserting a finger and she told me that is too severe.  She showed me how she puts her thumb and index finger on each side of the anus (as if we are pinching it) and feel for the little bumps.  If they are very hard, then squeeze the area gently.  Nothing shot out (she demonstrated on a 3 yr old maltese).  It oozed out (still gross but at least it's not like PUUUUUUUUU out theere).*


I will try that method to see if it works. I really dont like to insert my finger







but that how the doctor showed me....


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