Removing Anal Glands on a Dog?

Question

Has anyone ever had their dogs anal glands removed and what are the results? I have a choc. lab who is three years old and his anal glands are leaking, so I would like to have them removed but would like to know what other people have experienced by doing this to their pet.

P.S. We also have them expressed about every six weeks and just had them done about two weeks ago and they still leak.

Wow! Thanks for all the quick responses. If it is allergies or a poor quality dog food can anyone recommend a better dog food. He is currently on Science Diet Light.

Answer 1

My dog had the same problem.The surgery was a great sucess ,but my dog was in pain to go to the bathroom and to sit down. The vet told us that it is like hemorrhoids for dogs and that the pain would subside in a few days.

Answer 2

Dog Anal Gland Removal

Answer 3

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/axCLt

You are really getting some poor advice here. Jessica Rose: You're a groomer and you've never heard of anal glands being removed? I definitely feel for you, and can honestly say that you're not alone... and neither is your dog. I'm sure he does feel embarassed, poor guy! Anyhow, there are many theories to why dogs eat their own poop. It's not just a vitamin deficiency, which many people on here tend to write as their common answer. Yes, it *can* be a vitamin deficiency (vitamin B to be exact) but I would be leaning more towards the stress and anxiety of the past surgery. In stressful situations, or a situation where a dog may feel anxious, they will eat their own poop. Dogs who are reprimanded for pooping where they should often end up being a Coprophagic (poop eater). When your dog does eat his poop, please do not get angry with him or show your disappointment, this will only cause him to feel MORE anxious, resulting in him eating MORE poop more often. So, just clean it up as soon as you see him go, if you can get there in time, and tell him he's a good boy. There is a product that the Veterinarian's offices sell which is called For-Bid. It's for Coprophagy. What is does (if it's even possible!) is to make the poop taste bad. You sprinkle it on his food at every meal, and his poop should become less appealing to him. It's a safe product, and can be used while recovering form Anal Sac removal. It's not expensive, either, so that should help. If he continues to do this after he's off the pumpkin and off his medication, please take him back to the vet to have a thorough physical done. It may be possible that he's developed a medical problem that has caused him to become a Coprophagic. Take it one day at a time. Buy some For-Bid and go from there. Good luck! ADD: someone suggested pineapple, please don't do this, it is far too acidic and will burn poor pups bum! ADDII: OK Puppy Breath, whatever.

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

The only way a vet would ever surgically remove anal glands if it were cancerous. This anal gland is needed and if god didn't intend for the need, the dog or any animal for that matter wouldn't have one. Take a cotton swab to his clean hind end and squeeze, BUT better make sure you have newspaper under him and old clothes on because it can squirt all over you and the dog. The glands are impacted is why the dog is leaking. Clean it for him you don't need a vet bill for just doing that. Or...better yet give him a bath in the bathroom tub and take a wash cloth and squeeze the gland, then you wouln't be affended by all the matter that comes out which can just be rinsed down the drain! Your dog will thank you for that. Happy squeezing!!!

Answer 6

Ask the vet to check the anal glands for blood- often times the glands if infected with have a fishy scent to it when it leaks, nasty! The vet can give the dog an anti biotic.
If the glands were irritated or bleeding after having them squeezed they can get an infection, my parents dog had an infection and leakage after, as did my neighbor across the street, her dog kept biting his rear and appeared in some discomfort, she took him back and sure enough he had blood in one of the glands, they placed him on an antibiotic and by the 3rd day he was fine.

Answer 7

Has a vet actually advised this? It's not always indicated in every situation. If a vet has advised this as an option, they're the best person to talk about possible consquences.

Anal gland removal is a pretty tricky op actually, and SORE! Course the dog will get over it fairly quickly, but I would discuss this thoroughly with a vet.

Chalice

Answer 8

They can be removed, but I would try to see if I could figure out why they're leaking so much before I take that step. Have you checked to make sure he has good firm poops? That's important because firm poop will naturally empty the glands when the dog has a bowel movement. If the poop isn't firm, you should try switching to a food that will help improve that. It can take several weeks to notice any changes in your dogs poop when you switch to a new food, so be patient. You can also add a couple of spoons full of 100% pumpkin from the can (but not the sweetened pie filling) to his food each day. That will help firm things up.


EDITED to add:
I switched my dog to Canidae and it firmed up her poop. Corn is a big allergen in dog foods. It's also nothing but filler. Science Diet foods contain corn. Look at this website for reviews. There's a ton of good information about dog nutrition. Check out the 5 and 6 star foods for the best quality, human grade ingredients and no fillers.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com

Answer 9

I am having issues with this situation right now.

My dog's anal glands got infected. He's never seemed to have problems with them and I've never had them expressed...then all of a sudden it was swollen and hurting him. I expressed some of it, but it kept filling back up.

We took him to the vet yesterday who expressed it more thoroughly and flushed it out. He was then put on pain meds and antibiotics. She said if that doesn't work, he will have to have his duct surgically drained. And, then, as the last resort if none of that works, he would have to have his anal gland surgically removed. So, I would think that would definitely be your last option as it's complicated and painful for the dog and expensive.

Answer 10

If your dog has problems with chronic anal gland impaction, you should be addressing his allergies or obesity rather than having them removed.

Addenda- the anal glands CAN be removed, but they do indeed play an important part in assisting with bowel movements, and the surgery should be avoided if possible. Chronic problems with the anal glands are caused by allergies causing the anus to become itchy and inflamed, occluding the gland ducts, or the dog's inability to clean their bottom because of obesity (they are so fat they can't even reach their tongue to their bum).

The issue here is not the anal glands, but all the OTHER problems allergies and obesity can cause, and therefor you should not be looking at removing the glands as a solution, you should be working to fix the main problem.

Answer 11

I was luckyt enough to find a woinderful Jackson Russel at the pound a half year ago. He has a probblem with hi anal glands, He twirls, cries, wscoots and licks his anal glands constantlky. I take him to the vet to have his glands expressed but the cleaning doesn t lawst more than a few hgours and he s back to his wcoooting crying...I just want him to be comfortable He is a dear of a dog. Thanks