My dog has a swollen anal gland and she had it on the other side only a week and a half ago and I took her to the doctor, shouldn't the doctor have released both of them then? I made an appointment to go to the doctor but, is there anything I can do to help the pain until i take her?
2007-03-15 20:49:52 · 5 answers · asked by nicole t 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Yes it is easy to express anal glands and you can do it for her if you not squeamish. First put her into the bathtub. Look at her anus and on each side of it there are two little holes at about 10 and 2 o'clock on each side of the anus. Now take your thumb and forefinger and put them on each side of those holes and lift the tail all the way up making the whole area pucker, now squeeze both sides of the anus and pull outward away from the body until it comes out. Be careful to stay out of the firing range of those glands it can squirt and smells like dead shrimp. If they are impacted they can get really painful. They can get infected and cause an anal fistula, which is an abscess basically that ruptures into the anal canal and requires surgery. If your dog is getting this regularly and it is painful each time, those glands can be removed surgically. There is really no reason for a pet dog to have to keep them, they are just scent marking glands. I have assisted on those surgeries a lot and they aren't that bad. The vet should have expressed them both together, but maybe one was fuller than the other, or the swollen one just fills up quicker. Ask your vet about having them removed.
2007-03-15 21:16:32 · answer #1 · answered by ER Vet Tech 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Dogs will normally rub their bottom on the floor and scoot across it to release the glands themselves. Yes your doctor would have released both of them. Sometimes like in my dog one side fills up faster than the other side. The good side to this is you can learn how to clear them out yourself and save a whole lot of money or you can just have them removed by the vet.
There once was a purpose for anal glands in dogs but nowadays they really don't serve a purpose. Your dog will release the pain him/or herself. Just have your vet show you how to take care of it or just have them removed.
Mary
2007-03-15 23:45:23 · answer #2 · answered by Alphabet 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Add bran to her food to prevent this condition from reoccurring.It will help to empty the glands naturally & you won't have to keep visiting the vets.You will need to get them seen to as quickly as you can,because they can burst if they become to full. If they do burst the opening is called a fistular.These are nasty holes that often refuse to heal.
2007-03-15 22:34:18 · answer #3 · answered by Another Planet 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why anyone (unless it sickens them at the thought of doing it themselves) would pay a vet or vet assistant to preform such an easy solution to the discomforts of their dog.
We did it after every bath our dogs got - put them in tub/shower or outdoors - put on a pair of rubber gloves - lift the tail - aim the butt away from you and gently squeeze it as if to help them "poop". Yes the stuff is nasty and smelly in its release - but it better than another vet bill to keep having them do it.
Or take your dog to a groomer for a bath and have them do it for you. At least it's cheaper than your vet.
2007-03-15 21:20:32 · answer #4 · answered by ThatsThinkingWithUR Dipstick 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, you can give a dog baby aspirin. If she is a very small dog, give her half a baby aspirin. Of course, consult a vet b4 administering any aspirins, and you can't substitute things like Tylenol and Advil for aspirin.
2007-03-15 20:57:36 · answer #5 · answered by Jay S 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋