Dog people - mingy question

My last dog (a Springer Spaniel) had his anal gland squeezed fairly regularly as he was on a very soft diet due to ongoing problems. As his diet was so soft, his poo wasn't firm enough to empty his gland naturally.

Its a painless, 2 second job but exceptionally smelly. I never had anything excreted in the house, but he did nibble at his behind as a tell tale sign he needed it done.

Ahh, tell tale nibbling..

Thanks, i'll get him booked in with the vet tomorrow.

Yeah my dobermann has to have his done every few months. In fact he only had them done a month ago and he's nibbling again. The vet has suggested feeding him bran to help the situation.

My dog has had his done once and the smell was beyond disgusting.

I second the All Bran suggestion, we give ours a bowl once or twice a week (with some water to soften it) and the extra fibre seems to be working has he hasn't shown any symptoms since.

WEES

my dog had it done 3 or 4 times as a youngster, but hasnt needed it doing since she has been an adult, for some reason. the smell is bloody awful, but the look on the dogs face when they are squeezed is priceless!?

One of our pugs suffers a bit from this- she's been a lot better since we changed her diet to oscars, but every now and again I notice her scooting across the floor on her bottom (usually when somebody has been feeding her something naughty behind my back) and I know it's time to milk her glands- I just do it myself. It only takes two minutes and it's really easy- just get your vet to show you how.

I just knew that this was going to be about anal glands! ?

One of my dogs (mastiff cross ***) has to have hers cleared every so often- you ar right, it is the worst smell ever! My vet offered to show me how to do it- I passed- it's worth every penny for me not to have to!

My springer had his glands squeezed 3 weeks ago and had antibiotics but it didn't work. So he went in to have them flushed last week under sedation - £750 later and he came home, flushed and castrated (they found some growths while rootling around in that area). Poor dog didn't know what had hit him!!

His get infected about once a year, smell, nibbling and some dragging of his bum across the carpet. The vet did suggest that squeezing them was really easy and he was happy to show me so that i could do it at home ? - I said that I would pay pretty much anything to avoid that!

Thanks everyone ?

We have an appointment for this evening.

I think i'll pass if the vet offers to show me how to DIY..

I can understand it's not the nicest thing in the world, but it does cause them quite a bit of discomfort and unless you're able to get a vet's appointment there and then, is it not better just to put your dog out of its discomfort rather than have him wait?

We feed our dog raw chicken wings and this means that he has clean teeth and fresh breath but also doesn't have anal gland problems. I know not everyone feels comfortable with doing it but it does mean he has less problems.

As the vet that has to squeeze the glands - I can confirm that it is truly the worst smell ever ?

Nothing gets rid of it either- it's like highly concentrated and slightly 'off' sardines. (I've had to bin clothes in the past when weve had an over excited squirting incident). I now check and milk (as necessary) avec latex gloves and wads of kitchen paper/ old cloth with great enthusiasm because it means we avoid any little surprises. ?

Well we're back from vet and dog has been squeezed out. The vet said his glands weren't blocked but that she thought he had a small infection so we've got a course of antibiotics. Hopefully it won't be a recurring thing. She's shown me what to look out for for any future infections but has asked that we bring him back if I suspect he has a problem again - in case he needs more antibiotics.

LouM - of course I would do it myself if I really had to, it is just easier (and more pleasant) to let the vet do it. The vet could poke my dog in the eye with a rusty screwdriver and he would barely flinch - currently it takes two of us to chase him round the house and pin him down to give him the steriod spray he needs daily (and he goes in the huff for at least an hour afterwards ?)