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Dogs and anal glands

(35 Posts)
veejay Tue 24-Jan-23 14:19:06

I am more used to cats.but I have a little dog I adopted about 28 months ago
When I collected her from the groomer last week she said she thought her anal glands needed draining
I know that scooting is a dihn.but she hasn't been doing yhat.but was making some very nasty smells
I took their to the vet a nurse saw her She said Molly's anal glands were full
After seeming to empty them she showed me a piece of tissue and said it was done,there couldn't have been much in it
I haveMy doubts, because I know it really stinks.
I have taken my previous dog and I remember the smell
Now my dog is scooting,and still making bad smells.
Should I ring the vets and ask they see her again.
I don't want to have to pay again
I really believ were not emptied

MayBee70 Tue 24-Jan-23 14:21:57

I saw a Facebook add for something that is supposed to help this. I’ll see if I can find it. Thankfully it’s one thing my dogs have never suffered from!

veejay Tue 24-Jan-23 14:39:39

MayBee70 I think I have seen that as too.perhaps she is just feeling uncomfortable now.
I have read that nurses aren't allowed to do this now
.but could depend on vets
I did read too that dogs usually empty them when opening their bowels naturally
I have read as well that the charges for this varied ,from £10 to over £60
I was charged £17_50,with a nurse but could cost more with a vet

Beautful Tue 24-Jan-23 14:50:10

Have you some type of pet insurance, I may be wrong, depending on type, also whether vets own insurance, as this may well be covered, without charge, apologies if I am wrong

MayBee70 Tue 24-Jan-23 14:58:50

What kind of dog is she? Might they be prone to that sort of thing? There might be a breed specific Facebook page that could advise you.

veejay Tue 24-Jan-23 15:07:34

I do have let insurance but doubt it would be covered.
At £17 I don't mind.but I do know our vets charge less if a nurse can treat them rather than a vet

After saying that though.I rang the regarding one of my cstdd.and they were going to charge me £31 for a 5 minute call back
I complained about that and they didn't charge me in the end.but in any case it was about a cat undergoing treatment so should have been paid by insurance.but still Quite ridiculousconfused
I wouldn't have minded a small charge..but £31hmm

Oopsadaisy1 Tue 24-Jan-23 15:09:12

MissOops dog had hers done recently,(£70.00) only one gland was affected, but she was still scooting afterwards so she went back to the Vets, after checking her out and assuring us that the gland was clear, they prescribed some sort of Antibiotic (another £70) but she is still scooting,
Vet says if she doesn’t stop she will need an X-ray!
I think that she was so uncomfortable before she was sorted that as soon as she feels the need to go, she scoots, the Vet calls it learned behaviour. I’m not convinced.
We had a Springer Spaniel who was always at the Vets for this, he ended up having them removed ( very expensive) as they were always impacted. But after each ‘emptying’ the scooting stopped.
You can buy a powder to go onto the dogs food, online. It’s supposed to bind them up and so emptying the gland when they poop.

Blondiescot Tue 24-Jan-23 15:31:02

Feed them furry rabbits' ears - the fur helps to empty the glands naturally.

dogsmother Tue 24-Jan-23 15:55:34

I use Glandex daily and a bit of weetabix with breakfast for my small dog who is prone to this and has had x2 anal abscesses because of it.
It would be useful also if your vet could educate you in how to drain them.

veejay Tue 24-Jan-23 18:01:57

Thanks everyone.She is a Bichon ,by the way.
I will look into that stuff online.and rabbits ears
I did notice yesterday she produced some yellow stuff which was a bit runny.and I'm told that. What comes out of the anal glands is yellow.so might! Just have cleared them out now
Not prone to that problem as far as I know
I will give it a few more days and see.how she goes

kircubbin2000 Tue 24-Jan-23 19:06:38

What is scooting? Gs has just got a pup but I will refuse to look after it if they go away.

veejay Tue 24-Jan-23 19:14:40

Scooting is when they slide on the floor on their bottom
Sometimes I have heard it could be caused by worms.
My dog is wormed and flea a treated regularly.even though I haven't seen either

Iam64 Tue 24-Jan-23 20:16:24

veejay, when we were young, dogs ate left overs and no one had heard of anal glands.
I tried the various powders like Glandex, made no difference
I sprinkle weetabix on their breakfast, give a carrot twice a week and a small marrow bone once or twice a week, plus furry rabbit ears . Pearly teeth, anal glands clear

Oldbat1 Tue 24-Jan-23 20:36:31

You tube have videos of how to do it. Some dogs really suffer and glands could need emptying every 6wks or even less. Antibiotics may be needed if glands are infected. It is a very pungent fishy smell. Once you have smelled anal gland discharge you will know! I’ve always had dogs but only one (a lab) ever had anal gland issues.

Oopsadaisy1 Tue 24-Jan-23 20:40:23

Please don’t try to do it yourself, MissOops dog had to be sedated and she was still yelping because it hurt her so much.

veejay Tue 24-Jan-23 22:21:01

I wouldn't try it.myself.but I was just saying to my daughter this morning.before all this fancy dog and cat food they didn't seem to be all these health problems
I don't think they should be eating biscuits .dogs are meant to say meat
My son had 2 yorkies.never gave them dog biscuits and they have never been to the vets apart from neutering and vaccinations,and they are both 11

OnwardandUpward Tue 24-Jan-23 22:23:20

I don't know what the vet did to mine, but her bum was bleeding a bit when she came out.

veejay Tue 24-Jan-23 22:28:26

*Oldbat1I know from my previous dog the stuff stinks . I haven't smelt a fishy smell with Molly,and not even when the nurse was doing it ,but still getting awful smells.I think it's just wind
She is a better for trying to e at the cats poo.out of their trays though.I watch her like a hawk.but can't always catch her
The cats mainly go out in the garden in summer

Esmay Wed 25-Jan-23 01:10:54

When dogs are scooting - they are in discomfort and it will get worse .
I've seen anal glands develop abscesses .

Economy and lots of dogs means that I've always expressed them myself .
A vet showed me how to do it .
I used to do it when bathing my dogs -washing the area with warm water makes it easier to express them .
I'd catch the yuk in big squares of gauze .
I must admit the smell is horrendous and it has made me gag !

Plenty of advice if you Google it .

Good luck .

nanna8 Wed 25-Jan-23 05:54:19

Reminds me why I never want another dog. Cats rule.

Blondiescot Wed 25-Jan-23 08:05:57

nanna8

Reminds me why I never want another dog. Cats rule.

Not all dogs need it done, none of ours ever have.

Iam64 Wed 25-Jan-23 08:17:44

None of mine till my current spaniel Blondiescott. I think a problem is once they’ve been done physically, they’re less likely to clear naturally

Juliet27 Wed 25-Jan-23 08:30:21

I remember watching a tv programme where a man was sitting on a bench on a hillside singing a hymn and his dog came scooting past!!

Juliet27 Wed 25-Jan-23 08:33:22

And it was a religious programme not a comedy!!

OnwardandUpward Fri 27-Jan-23 17:03:59

Juliet27

I remember watching a tv programme where a man was sitting on a bench on a hillside singing a hymn and his dog came scooting past!!

grin grin grin

They say never work with children or animals for a reason!