 Grooming
Small and medium breed of dogs should be checked at every grooming. Large breeds usually don't have a problem and don't need them expressed but when I used to groom larger breeds, I would ask the owner if they do have a problem.
Maybe it would help if the purpose for the anal gland was explained if you didn't already know. There are two little glands just on the inside of the rectum that empty into the colon. In defecating, the dog (and cat) gland will release a bit of this stuff in the gland that coats the stool. The contents of the gland will contribute to scent or mark territory. When dogs were bred down into smaller and smaller sizes, the little outlet for the gland got smaller. Some dogs have trouble with this and the gland does not empty on its own. Some have to have the gland removed because of chronic infections, impaction problems or if the gland is tilted the wrong direction it will be hard to express at any time.
A little more fiber in the diet will often bulk up the stool and the gland will be more likely to empty on its own.
Your dog scooting on the rug will usually indicate a gland problem. After grooming and gland expression sometimes they are a little irritated at the rectum but more often than not the irritation is from clipping the anal area with clippers. I don't use clippers to trim the hair around the rectum, I prefer scissors, less irritation and risk of clipper burn. |