Vet Says To Leave Anal Glands Alone?

[jaegertheweim]

A couple days ago I smelled something fishy around my pup and sure enough it was her anal glands. So DH expressed them and she's been fine since.

He took her in to get her final puppy shot yesterday and casually mentioned to the vet that he had expressed the dogs anal glads just the other day. The vet came back and insisted this was a big NO NO and to leave them alone to express naturally. And that if we humans messed with them too much they might lose their "elasticity" and not be able to express themselves naturally.

We've had other dogs before and have always expressed their anal glands when they needed to be and have never been told by any other vets not to do them. I checked with the breeder and she says my vet is wrong also, and that if we just left them alone they could get impacted/infected.

I'm inclined to take my breeder's advice over the vet's (same vet who tried to sell us on science diet junk so I don't find much validity in his advice).

What do you do? Do you express them or just leave them be?

[Stitch]

I have never had a vet tell me not to express the anal glands - but then I have not had a discussion about it either.

It is something that I tend to leave until I find that a dog emits that special smell - then I will express them when I wash that dog.

I have certainly had vets express the anal glands when they examine the dog though.

In my experience some dogs never have a problem or that smell and others will have issues.

Some give you a signal by trying to lick or chew their hineys and you know then that you have to do it for them.

I would rather have it expressed during bath time & shampooed away than end up with that smell on me 'down the track'!!

[persephone]

Hmm.. I believe that if a dog has a diet which is rich in bones/fibre..plenty of exercise and lots of liquid- they should never need their AG's expressed.

A diet which leads to smooth softish motions- passed with no effort does NOT apply enough pressure on the glands to squeeze them out, IMO.

I like seeing my dogs having to work a bit at toileting.....

With all the dogs we have had here over many many years- I think there have been only once or twice that AG's had to be done...and I am talking dozens of dogs ...

I must admit to being puzzled as to why it has almost become the norm that the glands are expressed frequently.... and puppies are having problems now as well?

While that vet has the right idea... I think with dogs being fed the junk they are a lot of the time.. it could be dangerous to leave glands unchecked... impacted /infected ones are very painful and nasty..

The glands will often express when very full, with extra exertion.. also if a dog gets a fright- the glands empty in a rush.

[Erny]

My attitude to this is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

I'm inclined to agree with your Vet on this one. If the anal glands are doing what they ought to be doing and there's nothing wrong to suggest they are becoming impacted, then let nature do what nature knows best to do.

[Miranda]

I agree with your vet. There is absolutely no reason to express anal glands unless they have a tendency to become blocked. The vast majority of dogs express their glands naturally when they defecate, if they become very excited or when they get a fright and certainly don't require human intervention. I never bother with anal glands unless there is an obvious problem and I've only ever owned one dog that suffered from blocked glands. Sure you'll get a whiff from time to time but that doesn't mean that there's anything wrong. Anal gland problems are generally more common in smaller breeds.

[spottychick]

Oh I'm happy to read I'm not the only one. I too have been puzzled when I read about people who "express" as a part of grooming.

I've only had to do it when it's clear there's a problem. Otherwise I leave well enough alone.

[Clyde]

I agree with your vet. There is absolutely no reason to express anal glands unless they have a tendency to become blocked.

I agree. I often have clients asking me to do with when I groom their dog, I always explain that I believe it's best not done as a routine thing rather, only as needed under vet advice.

[frufru]

Interesting comments (I don't offer this service as part of grooming) but one of my customers take their mini poodle to the vet once per month to get his glands expressed - why - because they have always done it Vet is more than happy to perform this service. I personally only do them if there is a problem. One of our standards did have a problem until we got her food allergies sorted and then very rarely had to have them done. Funnily enough the standard who always had the hardest motions did get impacted gland twice during her lifetime and yes they always had plenty of bones in their diet and very little junk.

[jaegertheweim]

She is a healthy dog and has firm stools. This has been a non-issue until a couple afternoons ago she was licking her butt and then there was that smell. If I leave it alone will it take care of itself the next time she poops?

Also, how do I tell if they do become impacted/need human intervention?

[persephone]

..and I guess it's like everything else- sometimes, genetics decrees that construction of something does not go as it should- and openings are angled wrong/muscles are a bit weak or something.... and there will be a problem .

[spottychick]

jaeger - I always know because they start "scooting" along the carpet and I know it isn't worms LOL

I have one dog that gets it sometimes, despite eating a great mostly raw diet with bones etc. It's never been a huge problem becuase it's not often - but I've always wondered why. Food allergies is an interesing thought.

SHe did it a lot after my other dog died and she was alone. Wonder if stress can cause it.

[persephone]

SHe did it a lot after my other dog died and she was alone. Wonder if stress can cause it.

?? less exercise/muscletone maybe? Stress- I would imagine stress would alter the muscles somewhat .. which may exacerbate a problem? Interesting concept .

[pebbles]

After reading all about the 'phew' factor when expressing the anal glands I'm glad that I've never had that problem with all the big, small and in between dogs I've had so far

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

Hmm.. I believe that if a dog has a diet which is rich in bones/fibre..plenty of exercise and lots of liquid- they should never need their AG's expressed.

A diet which leads to smooth softish motions- passed with no effort does NOT apply enough pressure on the glands to squeeze them out, IMO.

I like seeing my dogs having to work a bit at toileting.....

With all the dogs we have had here over many many years- I think there have been only once or twice that AG's had to be done...and I am talking dozens of dogs ...

I must admit to being puzzled as to why it has almost become the norm that the glands are expressed frequently.... and puppies are having problems now as well?

While that vet has the right idea... I think with dogs being fed the junk they are a lot of the time.. it could be dangerous to leave glands unchecked... impacted /infected ones are very painful and nasty..

The glands will often express when very full, with extra exertion.. also if a dog gets a fright- the glands empty in a rush.

i agree. i have had dogs over many years that have never needed their ag's expressed/

[oakway]

I'll bet the vet's don't want you to do.

They, or some of them will prefer to have your money for the work they have to do when the

anal glands get impacted and abscess.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

I'll bet the vet's don't want you to do.

They, or some of them will prefer to have your money for the work they have to do when the

anal glands get impacted and abscess.

maybe i was just lucky with the dogs i had but none of them ever had impacted or abscessed ag's. i wonder what makes the difference.

[persephone]

jaxx's buddy - same here- with all our working dogs and pets over the years... about 40 years that I remember- there have been many dogs- and never any trouble .

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

jaxx's buddy - same here- with all our working dogs and pets over the years... about 40 years that I remember- there have been many dogs- and never any trouble .

i know. i have a curious mind so i am thinking why this is. my dogs have always had bones, some have been working dogs as well so maybe the exercise helped. all my dogs have been fit and not over weight maybe this? mostly fed home made or raw food

i dont know but i am surprised at the amount of dogs that dont naturally express their ag's

[persephone]

..someone's probably done a study on it, somewhere ....

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

..someone's probably done a study on it, somewhere ....

for sure...i will just keep doing what i have been and hope it keeps going well