# Anal Sacs/Glands



## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

Months ago we had an incidient where Odie went to the bathroom and there was a yellow discharge with a bit of blood in it. We had her stool tested and she was examed and the vet thought it could have been from straining, but I requested to have her anal glands checked since she was scooting sometimes and they were full. 

Well she started scooting again and looking at her bum and whining so I took her in yesterday to have them expressed again. My question is, what gives? She eats a good diet that includes raw bones and her poops are firm and regular. So why aren't her glands expressing on their own? Could this be a sign on an underlying issue? I'm okay with bringing her in to have them expressed but would like it to happen naturally if possible.


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

I have been giving Lily a little pinch of bran on her meals(tiny tiny bit) and she never suffers with Anal trouble now


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

I may try the bran that Michele suggested, but like you, Krystal, Lulu eats a commercial raw diet only and has for a few years now, and I still have to have her gland expressed from time to time. There is no rhyme or reason as to when it must be done I just have to watch the signs. I never just randomly do it which is what I would love to do as I would know it would be done and that would be that, and she wouldn't have anything in there to cause any issues as she has developed fever with them before, but that is not in a dog's best interest. All I can tell you from my personal experience is it may just be the individual dog and try the bran as Michele has suggested. If you learn anything--please share!  

BTW, anal gland issues is what caused us to find Chi Ppl in the first place over 2 years ago!


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Do give it a go it gives them bulk ,so when they poo it helps to express the anal glands as well.I just give a small pinch every other day


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## bexamundo (Apr 24, 2014)

My Toby had issues with his anal glands for years. He had to have them regularly expressed, even when eating raw, and it was costing me a fortune. The only thing I've tried that has worked has been something called 'slippery elm' which is powdered bark of the slippery elm tree. You mix it with a bit of water to make a 'slippery soup.' Toby loves it; he laps it all up before you can blink. It's 100% natural and 100% safe.
Give slippery elm a try! I hope it works for Odie, and if not, then I hope you find something else that works just as well as slippery elm has for Toby.


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

michele said:


> I have been giving Lily a little pinch of bran on her meals(tiny tiny bit) and she never suffers with Anal trouble now





lulu'smom said:


> I may try the bran that Michele suggested, but like you, Krystal, Lulu eats a commercial raw diet only and has for a few years now, and I still have to have her gland expressed from time to time. There is no rhyme or reason as to when it must be done I just have to watch the signs. I never just randomly do it which is what I would love to do as I would know it would be done and that would be that, and she wouldn't have anything in there to cause any issues as she has developed fever with them before, but that is not in a dog's best interest. All I can tell you from my personal experience is it may just be the individual dog and try the bran as Michele has suggested. If you learn anything--please share!
> 
> BTW, anal gland issues is what caused us to find Chi Ppl in the first place over 2 years ago!





bexamundo said:


> My Toby had issues with his anal glands for years. He had to have them regularly expressed, even when eating raw, and it was costing me a fortune. The only thing I've tried that has worked has been something called 'slippery elm' which is powdered bark of the slippery elm tree. You mix it with a bit of water to make a 'slippery soup.' Toby loves it; he laps it all up before you can blink. It's 100% natural and 100% safe.
> Give slippery elm a try! I hope it works for Odie, and if not, then I hope you find something else that works just as well as slippery elm has for Toby.


Thank you! I'm going to look into both the bran and slippery elm and see what's available here. Hopefully I can find a natural solution that's better for her and cheaper than the $33 it costs to have them expressed. I feel so bad for her when she's scooting.


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

lulu'smom said:


> I may try the bran that Michele suggested, but like you, Krystal, Lulu eats a commercial raw diet only and has for a few years now, and I still have to have her gland expressed from time to time. There is no rhyme or reason as to when it must be done I just have to watch the signs. I never just randomly do it which is what I would love to do as I would know it would be done and that would be that, and she wouldn't have anything in there to cause any issues as she has developed fever with them before, but that is not in a dog's best interest. All I can tell you from my personal experience is it may just be the individual dog and try the bran as Michele has suggested. If you learn anything--please share!
> 
> BTW, anal gland issues is what caused us to find Chi Ppl in the first place over 2 years ago!


Wanted to pop back here to tell you that I just read that pumpkin is really high in fibre and is supposed to also work! Odie loves pumpkin so I might pick up some cans of baby food to try.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

KrystalLeigh said:


> Wanted to pop back here to tell you that I just read that pumpkin is really high in fibre and is supposed to also work! Odie loves pumpkin so I might pick up some cans of baby food to try.


Thanks! Also, wanted to tell you that if you can find a groomer they are MUCH cheaper than the vet and you don't have to leave her with them. I take Lulu to the person that grooms Gidget. I even walk back to the table and stand right beside her when she does it. She always tells me no charge because it literally takes 1 minute, but last time I tried to give her $8 and she took my $5 bill. I walked out with Lulu and wasn't in there all of 5 minutes.

Vets charge that much because it's a smelly task they really don't want to do. :coolwink:


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

lulu'smom said:


> Thanks! Also, wanted to tell you that if you can find a groomer they are MUCH cheaper than the vet and you don't have to leave her with them. I take Lulu to the person that grooms Gidget. I even walk back to the table and stand right beside her when she does it. She always tells me no charge because it literally takes 1 minute, but last time I tried to give her $8 and she took my $5 bill. I walked out with Lulu and wasn't in there all of 5 minutes.
> 
> Vets charge that much because it's a smelly task they really don't want to do. :coolwink:


Oh thanks for the tip! I didn't have to leave Odie at the vet, but it was expensive for something that took 2 seconds.


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## ChiChiLove (Feb 4, 2013)

KrystalLeigh said:


> Oh thanks for the tip! I didn't have to leave Odie at the vet, but it was expensive for something that took 2 seconds.



Keep in mind that groomers generally express the anal glands from the outside whereas vets express them from the inside. Expressing them from the outside generally does not completely empty the glands and can cause issues if done on a regular basis.
Honestly, learning to express anal glands yourself will save you in the long run. There are plenty of videos on YouTube that show how to do it. It really is super easy to do. You just need gloves, a lubricant, and paper towels. 😉


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

ChiChiLove said:


> Keep in mind that groomers generally express the anal glands from the outside whereas vets express them from the inside. Expressing them from the outside generally does not completely empty the glands and can cause issues if done on a regular basis.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I have watched the vet do it and watched the groomer do it and it looks to me like they do it the same. What's the difference?


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

I found these articles that you may find helpful, Krystal. Lulu had her first issue with her anal glands when she was six months old, and she had never had them expressed before that time. I only have them expressed when I feel it's necessary, not just because. I think she falls in the category of a sentence I saw in the second article--I think she has some scar tissue from past issues that causes her problems even now. I think it has made the opening of her glands so tiny that she has a hard time expressing them herself. When I see what is expressed whether by the groomer or the vet, at the risk of being graphic, it is not liquid, it has consistency to it. She could never express it by herself. If I left her alone it would get infected and has before which makes her run fever and she has had to have her gland flushed with antibiotic and take an antibiotic. I watch her like a hawk because I don't want anything concerning her gland to turn into anything painful for her, but I also don't express ever "just because."

Yes, anal glands are generally thought to serve no purpose today and can be removed, but I would never do this unless it was an extreme last resort to make her quality of life better because of the side effects of the surgery. Truly, her anal gland issues on a day to day basis are no big deal.  

Also, yes there are a plethora of videos and step-by-step instructions on how to express the anal glands, but I can tell you I may have to have Lulu's done 2-3 times a year depending on her "signs." I tried to do it myself. For me personally, if I were not comfortable with the groomer (which I am), I would pay the vet no more than it has to be done rather than do it myself, but I'm not confident that I could do it without hurting her. 

Anal Glands

Concerned About Anal Sac Disease? | VCA Animal Hospitals


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## ChiChiLove (Feb 4, 2013)

lulu'smom said:


> I have watched the vet do it and watched the groomer do it and it looks to me like they do it the same. What's the difference?



The vet (or tech) should be placing their pointer finger just inside the anus and applying pressure between their pointer and their thumb. This technique pulls everything out to the opening. It also allows the vet to feel for thickening in the tissues and other abnormalities. Groomers, on the other hand, pinch the anus from the outside with their pointer finger and thumb and squeeze (think of popping a grape).
I have expressed more anal glands in my life than I care to count! Some dogs do naturally produce a thicker or even gritty fluid versus the normal liquid (which is a little thicker than water). Many of my clients have added fiber to the diet which sometimes does help. Other times, a diet change helps. The anal glands producing an odd secretion can sometimes be due to a food sensitivity/intolerance.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

ChiChiLove said:


> The vet (or tech) should be placing their pointer finger just inside the anus and applying pressure between their pointer and their thumb. This technique pulls everything out to the opening. It also allows the vet to feel for thickening in the tissues and other abnormalities. Groomers, on the other hand, pinch the anus from the outside with their pointer finger and thumb and squeeze (think of popping a grape).
> I have expressed more anal glands in my life than I care to count! Some dogs do naturally produce a thicker or even gritty fluid versus the normal liquid (which is a little thicker than water). Many of my clients have added fiber to the diet which sometimes does help. Other times, a diet change helps. The anal glands producing an odd secretion can sometimes be due to a food sensitivity/intolerance.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I saw a small explanation of inside vs. outside expression in the research I did, but your explanation is much better!! Thank you! I have tried once or twice to do Lulu's myself, but I'm a big scaredy cat that I'll hurt/damage her, so I stop before I really even get started. She has eaten several different brands of commercial raw and several different proteins within the brands over the past two years, so I wouldn't know how to begin to figure out the diet change that would help. Right now she eats freeze dried Primal, but I am thinking about going with frozen Primal as well. I don't know if that would make a difference. I read in the research I did that the research on bran was divided. Some believe it helps--some believe it "bulks up" the excretion making it difficult for the dog to express on their own, therefore, causing the glands to need to be manually expressed. I would tend to go with those who have personal experience, and also believe every dog is different and that some dogs just have anal gland issues like some have allergies and some have LP and some have more tartar on their teeth and so on.


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## Zorana1125 (Oct 24, 2010)

I don't have any advice! Just wanted to say I'm thinking of you and Odie! Hope she feels better love! 

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## ChiChiLove (Feb 4, 2013)

lulu'smom said:


> I would tend to go with those who have personal experience, and also believe every dog is different and that some dogs just have anal gland issues like some have allergies and some have LP and some have more tartar on their teeth and so on.



This is SO true! Some pups will always have anal gland issues, despite any changes that are made to their diets. I've had clients who bring in their dogs once a month due to quickly filling glands. However, I have learned, that the more you get them expressed the less likely it is for the dog to be able to do it on their own. So only having them expressed when needed is key! Some groomers do them every time they see the dog, which can lead to issues. So only go in as needed for expression.


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