Expressing anal glands
 

I groomer expresses Mocha's anal glands. However, a friend told me I should leave that alone and tell the groomer not to do it. I googled the subject and still can't decide whether it should be done regularly or only when there's a problem. Help!

Only when there is a problem, but it is important to check back there often...

How do you know if they need to be expressed? xxx

The dog will do a couple of things. the most obvious sign is when they scoot their backside on the floor. My will tend to sit down on our walks. the other day, Hot Rod started to walk funny--his butt was sideways and ahead of him, lol. When I took him to the vet to have them done, she said that they weren't totally full but were ready to be done.

URGENT ~ need help!
 

Ok...so we took Teddi to the groomer 2 wks ago. When I picked him up she said she had expressed his anal glands as well as the trim, bath etc. I asked if he really needed it and if there was stuff in them and she said "A little." I was a bit bothered by that because I don't feel anyone but my vet should be doing it.

I took him a few days ago and he has been at his butt constantly like something is biting him in the butt. He will be fine and then suddenly turn to his butt really quickly like he is being bitten or something.

So tonight after my hubby came back from their walk Teddi pooed on the pee pee pad and Dave noticed it was stuck a bit - (he's been doing the typical puppy thing of putting everything in his mouth and I shed long blonde hairs). so it was stuck in there and he pulled it out but felt like there might be something still in there. He had me look at it and when I did I saw a little pink lump inside his puckering poop shoot. The anal glands are located on either side of his anus correct? Could the expressing have caused a hemmoroid?????:eek: I just am kind of freaking out a bit. Needless to say he will NOT be going back to that groomer, besides this incident here, the last time I took him in I had to leave him there for 2 hours before I could pick him up.

We used to groom Gizmo ourselves after several attempts to find someone decent and them screwing it up. I just thought it would be easier for him to get used to it with the groomer first. I am so mad :mad: at myself for this!

Any feedback or suggestions would really help!! Am thinking of taking him to the ER tonight.

My groomer used to be a vet tech and I trust him 100% but I told him not to express Sammy's glands. Thankfully, he hasn't needed it to be done but I told the groomer I would only want the vet to do it. He understood, he goes to the same vet too with his pets.

My vet has always told me that if I can smell my dog discharging his anal glands (and that smell is quite distinct), then they are doing what they should be doing and nothing more needs to be done. I think my groomer expresses them regardless whenever I take my dogs to get groomed. However, recently Vinnie started licking his butt a lot (no scooting that I saw). I took him to the vet because I suspected an issue with his anal glands and she confirmed that one had gotten quite "full." And I had noticed that I was not smelling them like I usually do.

Also, I've noticed that Vinnie tends to express his anal glands spontaneously when he gets scared or angry at something.

my cat does this :eek: Usually when I am holding her and trying to get her into the crate in order to go to the vet- blech! :thumbdown

I never knew anything about this when I got my dog. One day I felt a lump on her neck area. I took her to her doctor and in amongst the situation he asked if I had her glands done. I said glands? Nooo. So he explained and did them. They were quite full.
The lump on her neck went away.
We continued to go on the intervals the doctor told us too.
She had been sometimes scooting previous too.
Each time I went, the glands were full.
I started to notice around the time she needed to go, her eyes would get a bit goopy and her breath would start to turn funny.
The morning after the day we'd get her glands done, her eyes were better and her breath back to normal again.
I was concerned about my dog having to go in to have her glands done every three to four mnths.
Someone told me to take some oat bran and sprinkle on her food in the mornings. In doing so I have noticed a huge difference when she goes in to have her glands done again.
Not as full.
Since we moved. Her doctor claims that a dog does not express their glands when having a bowel movement. That oat bran wouldn't make a difference. Perhaps not but then why is there less to express on the regular intervals?
I too get only the vet to do her glands while she is in to also have her nails done.
As you can tell from my pups mug, she doesn't see a groomer. I brush her several times a day. My sister is a groomer if i want her hair cut.
The same vet asked me why I bring my dog in to have her glands done. I told her that it is because she has a history of scooting. The vet agreed then that it is a good idea to bring her in every four months to have them expressed. Better to be safe than sorry.
I can generally tell when she needs her glands done. Since they are not as bad now as they were originally, I take her when she shows signs of needing it doen. Usually by her eyes and breath, before she even starts scooting.
It is just a good idea to have it done regularly.
I wouldn't try it myself as I don't know what I am doing. Same with her nails, especially since they are black. I rather her be at the doctors when they do it in case something happens and just because they for sure know what they are doing.
We have had a bad experience with a fill in, having her nails done so now we are working getting her over that. Have used a groomer to help with her nails since in hopes we can get her to overcome her now frigid reaction to having them done.

I would not wait until there is a problem because if you wait until say her glands rupture because they have been full, it can run you thousands of dollars. Just take the dog to your vet and have them express her glands in at least four months after the last time and ask how full they were and then ask the vet how often they should be done.
From what I understand if the dog does not have a history of scooting, the dog may not need them expressed at all. Or at least not regularly as say others, such as my own since she does have a history of scooting. Best to talk to your vet, once they have examined your dog and had a chance to talk with you about the dog's history.