Dog Anal Gland Concerns
October 19, 2006 by pet-admin
Q. I have a question regarding my dogs anal glands. How often is it necessary to bring him in to the vet to get them expressed. If it is done too frequently will it be a problem for him? Is it a sign that they need to be cleaned out when a dog scoots their butt on the ground?
A. I am not aware of any problems associated with expressing the anal sacs on a regular basis. I have had one patient recently who needed his anal sacs expressed every 2 weeks so it is not entirely uncommon for regular visits to your vet for this type of problem. Some dogs never need to have their anal sacs expressed in their entire lifetime.
The difficulty really is in figuring out whether the sacs need to be expressed. Symptoms that may indicate the need for expression include scooting the rear end on the ground, licking or chewing at the area around the rectum or any other sign of discomfort in this region. Anytime you see signs that the anal sacs are irritated it is a good idea to have them checked out.
If anal sacs aren\’t expressed and the dog can\’t express them on its own they may eventually rupture. When this happens there is usually a draining tract about 2 inches below the rectum and about 1 inch from away from the rectum on whichever side the anal sac ruptured on.
Lots of dogs can express their anal sacs by scooting their rear end on the ground. If they do this once or twice and then the behavior stops it may be that they have successfully emptied the sac. If the behavior goes on longer than that it is probably a good idea to have your vet check things out.
Many of my clients have learned to express the anal sacs themselves but until you have a good idea when it is necessary it is best to have your vet check your dog to be sure that is the problem.
Dr David Brooks is part of the online veterinary team at WhyDoesMyPet.com - Expert answers to all your pet questions. Visit us today to ask your pet question.
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Hi- We have a 9 month old female rottweiler.
She is a beautiful 85lb dog. We’ve been feeding her Science diet for puppies most of her life. Occasionally, I get the high end puppy Purina brand. We have had a terrible time with her anal glands lately. She smells TERRIBLE!!! It’s an awfull “sour” smell that we can not get rid of. She has been to the vet to have them drained before. Why is this happening so often? Could it be because of diet? We are ready to keep her outside because of it. Please help!!!
Thanks - Jean Carley & “Bear”