Can we help her ourselves without going to the veterinarian each time this happens?

Question

Our dog often has problems with her anal glands. She keeps rubbing her backside on the floor. Is she in pain?

Answer 1

Ask your vet to show you how to 'express' them yourself.
(ew).
As a very last resort-- if your vet thinks it's best, there is a surgery to remove the anal gland if it keeps getting infected.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Anal glands are two paired glands located within and below the external anal sphincter muscle and can often be a problem in dogs. They produce a thick substance that may have at one time been used to mark territory when dogs were wild. They serve very little purpose in the modern domestic dog.

When the anal glands become full or impacted, the dog may experience some discomfort. The glands become VERY itchy and irritated. Actual pain is difficult to assess, but some believe that they can be painful in some cases. When the dog licks, chews or scoots on its bottom, it is attempting to express the glands on its own.

To express anal glands does not require a veterinarian. Many groomers will do this as part of their service, and some pet owners will do it themselves. However, expressing anal glands is not a very pleasant task to perform, and many pet owners will give up after one try. Before trying this on your own, ask your veterinarian for a demonstration.

If anal glands become a common problem, they can be surgically removed. The glands serve no real purpose and, like a human appendix, the dog may do much better without them. Many veterinarians are uncomfortable performing this surgery; however, many others do the procedure with a great deal of success and minimal complications.

Answer 3

Check with your vet about at-home care. I personally wouldn't recommend it - expressing their anal glands (which is the derriere equivalent of popping a zit) is extremely gross and could cause additional problems if not done properly. Having said that, your vet may be willing to work with you to show how some form of at-home treatment can be properly accomplished.

She probably is really uncomfortable....hence the scooting motion with her backside. But you know, another reason for this could be the presence of worms...something that only a vet could properly diagnose and treat, since worm medication can vary depending on the type of worms she might have or how advanced the infestation might be.

Final thought: If she keeps having a recurring problem with her backside, you might want to discuss possible preventative measures with your vet (a change in diet? a change in hygiene with routine baths, etc?) You might also consider any surgical alternatives....I THINK some of those glands can be removed if need be. If you feel like your vet should have already addressed some of these issues with you, or you feel another opinion is needed, then consider going to another vet if need be.

Bottom line? (No pun intended....) You and your dog shouldn't have to live in this viscious cycle of problems with her rear.

Good luck!

Answer 4

All dogs will need anal glands expressed at times. You can ask your vet or a groomer to show you how to do it although be prepared for the smell and the need to clean her quickly after they are expressed. I imagine she feels uncomfortable. When they scoot along the floor they often leave some anal residue on the carpet, etc.

Answer 5

She doesn't have worms most likely. My dog does that sometimes. Frankly, I think their butts just itch. Haven't you ever had a scratch on your bum? Lol. But make sure that the groomer or vet does expel (empty) the anal gland when it is full. He or she will know when. It shouldn't be done every 3 or 4 weeks, that's usually too often. Every 6-8 weeks is usually more normal. Good luck!

Answer 6

Ok, she doesn't have worms, that's an old wives tale. I don't think it's exactly painful for them to have full anal glands but I it probably is a little uncomfortable. You can ask your veterinarian if he/she could show you how to express them yourselves. Just make sure that, if you do start doing this yourself, to have the vet check her glands whenever she goes in for her yearly exam.

Answer 7

Your vet can show you how to express the anal glands yourself, provided you are willing. It can take some practice, but can save you vet visits if your dog regularly needs this.

Answer 8

Yes, you can express the anal glands yourself. We have to do this more often than I'd like with my dog...change in diet didn't help him.

If your dog is small to medium sized, I can give you pretty detailed instructions about how to do this, either internally or externally. But it's nasty, so send me an email if you want to know.

Your vet can also show you how to express them.

Answer 9

No she is not in pain...she just needs to go to a groomer to have her anal glands squeezed...this is normal for dogs...if you dont go to get your dogs anal glads squeezed and they start to smell and stuff then they might get an infection from it and believe me you dont want that to happen...hope this helps and good luck...

Answer 10

you can keep from going to the vet, but the only reason I dont recomend this is if she gets an infection. My dog has the same problem, and we take her so often to the vet but for the most part she is more content to stay at home where she looks like her rumps on fire and shes trying to put it out.