Please help me understand what I did wrong?

[Mom2Max]

i havent read all the replies so far, but i do know that if you add a little pumpkin to their diet it will firm up the stool. regular canned plain pumpkin not the kids you put in pie, but plain, this is the reason anal glads get like that, their stool isnt firm enough to express them.i add yogurt to max and sams food everynight and this also helps. id try the pupkin for a few days after he gets done with the meds. ive had to do this with max once and i expect i will have to do it again. its a easy cheap solution to the problem.

[Mom2Max]

also cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese are all actually good for dogs. yogurt helps alot with the intestines, it breaks down food. both of my dogs get it every morning for breakfast with their kibble. they both get sliced cheese as a treat after a bath. it will not hurt them unless they are alergic to dairy!

[stinky]

It sounds like you didn’t do anything wrong. You did the best you could with the information you had. I know people who never mess with their dog’s glands and they’re fine. Some dogs are more prone to certain things.

I agree with the other TYer. It sounds like your groomer would rather not empty the glands so said it wasn’t necessary. I imagine it’s not the most pleasant job. Ginger gets hers done at the groomers every 6 weeks, whether she needs it or not.

I hope your baby is better soon. And if the cheese thing doesn’t work, try a glob of peanut butter. It’s a little easier to hide it in there.

[JillandJack]

Just this afternoon I took our new addition Kenzi to the vet because she was scratching and scooting across the floor. Well, it was her anal glands that needed expressing. Vet simply put on a pair of gloves, squeezed the behind area, and gasped when he saw how much they need this. He suggested that dogs that don't have enough fibre in their diet sometimes have trouble with the glands and suggested the canned pumpkin or even sprinkling a little Metamusil on their food. What a coincidence I read this thread.
Hope your little baby is feeling better soon.

[rox626]

My dog will be five and she is a little one at three pounds too. She has never had hers expressed. I have never taken her to a groomer either, so I know this has never been done for her.

You did nothing wrong. No one can generalize. Some yorkies need this done and some never will. Why do some people develop hemmorhoids? I wouldn't have a groomer do it anyway. Some of them can't even give a dog a decent haircut. Why would you risk something this important? You need to consult with your vet and don't feel guilty. Now you know what to watch for and how to handle it. I hope little Kodak feels better and doesn't run into this again.

[SnowWa]

There is no doubt that some little dogs have more problems with their anal glands than others.

I have never had a dog with bad problems and only took mine to the vet if I noticed that they might be having problems --- which was probably not even once a year.

It hurts to have their anal glands expressed, and I have never approved of letting groomers do this prophylactically.

As far as diet - dry dog food and a high fiber diet is best. These form more solid stools - and these are what continuously keep the anal glands secreted naturally.

My vet told me that some dogs have almost continuous problems and other dogs almost never have any problems at all. So - you'll just have to treat your dog accordingly. If he/she ever starts dragging his little behind on the grass or floor - it's time to get him checked. Sometimes, a dog can express their own anal glands by doing this.

My dogs rarely have a problem - but I keep a watchful eye on them.

PS: You didn't do anything wrong. This is just one of those things we learn more about as we go along....


Carol Jean

[christinebock]

We put our pills in a spoonful of peanut butter, they never even realize the pill was there....and they love it1

[SweetCuteness]

Actually some dairy products are okay to give them. I give Ferdinand cottage cheese every day for the protein as the Natural/Wholesome food I give him suggest the extra protein until 9 months of age.

I don't know that I'd do the peanut butter as it's high in fat, and fatty foods can cause pancreatitis - but maybe I'm just paranoid.

[christinebock]

Our Vet recommended the peanut butter.

[mmyorkies]

Originally Posted by Kodak

Yesterday while getting ready for work, Kodak wasn't up and ready to go out as usual. He was sulking around and when I called him to go out he hesistated. Once he finished outside, I noticed he kept trying to lick/scratch his rear end. When we came back in, I picked him up and noticed a round pink patch. Now, last year he was scooting his butt on the floor which created a similiar pink patch. I took him to the vet and they told me his glands needed squeezing. I read about this in my yorkie book, and it suggested the groomer squeeze them before cleaning him. My groomer told me that she doesn't do that because she feels it is not needed. So on her advice, I never got it done, but once the vet explained it to me, I

I'm sorry, but I don't think your groomer is very well versed on toy dogs. It is not her call if the dogs need it or not, it is your vets. It is true that some do not need it all the time, but if they appear to be swollen, they do need it, and a good groomer should be aware of that. I have one that needs it every time I bathe him, and another that only has it done once every few years, but not all are the same, and if let go too long they can become impacted and require surgery. Your vet should check them every time you take your baby in for a check up.

[Kodak]

Thank you all for the replies, and concerns, I thought It was something I was feeding or not feeding him. My mind is at ease knowing I did not do anything wrong. What type of yogart do I need to feed him, and the cheese has been working when the pill. He likes peanut butter but I was told by "grandma" that would clog him up, so I stopped giving it to him. I would put a little on my finger for him to lick off, and she would start with the old wives tales.
I thank you all and I'm glad I was browsing one day and found the link to this yorkietalk site.