OMG no one warned me about...anal glands
 

So...my stomach is still lurching. I had Ruby-Sioux into the vet today...just to make sure she wasnt sick..she has had kinda a rattle sound when breathing...vet says maybe a slight upper respiratory infection. Didn't prescribe anything other then we are now sleeping with a humidifier in the room. Since I was there I thought id have her anal glands checked. I've never had a dog need them expressed before but she has been scooting a bit and biting her back end. Sure enough they were full and as they were being expressed the smell travelled over to my nose...OMfreakenG...I almost lost my stomach contents right there in the vets office....horrible horrible horrible. We left and the stench was so bad (the vet cleaned her up as best as she could but...) I had my windows rolled down and the fan going in my car. I decided since we had a 70 mile drive back home I would stop at the pet store...maybe give the girls a break from the stench too...oh lovely Ruby...she preceded to squirt runny poop w the smell of anal gland all over the shopping cart and all over the floor (where a 3.6 pound dog put all that sheet I will never know) I gagged the whole way home...I swear...even after a bath she still reeks...I will never ever be the same again...god how awful!

LOL Yeah, stinky.....!

Do you groom them yourself? Some dogs cannot express them on their own. Zeus can't. The groomer does it but if there are long periods, I will do it in the bathtub. His squirts... XP

I'm sorry Bobbi, but I read your post and started laughing out loud. I know what you mean... I actually do express Jack's - have done his since he was little and yep, just a little bit of that stuff would knock a grown man off his feet! I express Jacks' right before his bath though, so he doesn't stink so bad or maybe because I do them more frequently... either way, it stinks.

These pups are so small and so cute but boy can they be stinky!!!!

I will do trims if necessary but they normally would go to a groomer...and I will be asking that the groomer do that...seriously...I almost lose my cookies now thinking about the smell. Even if I have to take her to the vet to get it done...will be the best d@*n $17.50 I spend as I don't think I could do it myself...uffda maedah feedah fah. GROSS

I think Im gonna bottle hers up and sell it to people who want to get revenge on their exes...can you image a container of that stuff under the seat of a car during a 90 degree day????? Im thinking I could be a millionaire!

omg!! Gag!!!!!

Lol sorry but that too made me laugh, I get the groomers to do all my babies so have never not had the pleasure of it but have heard its awful that why when the groomers I started using about 5 years ago said they do it I was really pleased and have never had a problem

Omg I was lol when I saw the thread. . . I was like oh know what happen. It is pretty stinky

I have a new baby Yorkie that is 4 1/2 months old. When do I have to do this or get it done? Now, I am worried...I have a very sensitive nose! I have not had him to the Groomer yet, should I do this and get them to do it?......is he old enough to do it and how often? If the groomer does it will they still stink when you pick them up? My stomach is lurching already just thinking about it! LOL...help ladies!

how often does this need doing. Since Ive only had Max a short time he has only bn 2 vet 1 time. I ask about that & she stuck her finger up there and said oh maybe a little bit, but I dnt see or smell AT. Did she not do a complete job or what? My stomach is churning thinking about it.

I was told that puppies should have it done monthly, but thought I'd go to the experts:)

Have read somewhere that its one of those things that if you do or have it done once then you need to continue to have it done and that some dogs don't have any problems and they don't need it done. It's a worth a little more research. I just leave it up to my groomers I trust them and they know what there doing

All I can do is LOL!

Huey is 4 and his have never been expressed as far as I know. I believe this is one of those "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" situations. If they aren't showing symptoms of discomfort like scooting and biting, and if they don't have a bad smell coming from the bum area, I would leave well enough alone. Ask your vet what he/she thinks. ;)

I agree. My vet told me that most dogs will express it naturally. I had Lola for almost 6 years and she never butt scooted or licked at her back end like Ruby did. I don't ever recall the groomer doing it for her either. I have had Rosie who is 5.5 years old for a year almost again never had an issue. I don't believe my groomer ever had done Ruby who is almost a year and a half and if she hadn't bum scooted and sometimes went crazy trying to get at her behind I would never have thought to do it.