# how many times do you have to express the anal glands??



## chi_cutie26 (Sep 9, 2007)

I'm just wondering for those who express the anal glads yourself how often do you have to express them? Is this an on going thing?

I find myself doing it every once a month. 

I just check her when I can and see if she needs it. I don't wait to clean her when she starts to scoot. 

That just me, I don't want her to feel uncomfortable at the moment that they are full.


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

I've heard from the vet that it's not good to express the glands too often. Now, I have no idea what is considered as being too often. I know I've been shooting to have my Minky's glands expressed once a year, and I was thinking that was too often, so I'm not sure. I guess it depends on the dog. Like if your dog is scooting her rear on the ground, then that may indicate that it's time. Also, like you said, if you feel a grape size lump back there, then that can indicate that it's time. I'd like to see what other people have to offer on this topic.


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## chi_cutie26 (Sep 9, 2007)

kimmiek915 said:


> I've heard from the vet that it's not good to express the glands too often. Now, I have no idea what is considered as being too often. I know I've been shooting to have my Minky's glands expressed once a year, and I was thinking that was too often, so I'm not sure. I guess it depends on the dog. Like if your dog is scooting her rear on the ground, then that may indicate that it's time. Also, like you said, if you feel a grape size lump back there, then that can indicate that it's time. I'd like to see what other people have to offer on this topic.



Oh really.. hmm I didn't know that. hmm yes i would like to know what others have to say about it.. 

Thanks for the info, it is interestig what your vet said..


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## *Tricia* (Dec 1, 2007)

From my experience, I had two cockers that wouldn't always express their own, so we would use the "scoot" to tell us when it was time (on average probably 3 or 4 times a year). With Holly, I asked the vet to show us how to do it on her because her little butt was so tiny compared to the cockers, and the vet said it's best to NOT do it to the dog unless it really becomes necessary. They should express their own when going to the bathroom if their stool is firm enough. And she said Holly wasn't full, so not to do anything. The next thing we knew, she was laying on my husband's lap one evening relaxing and all of a sudden she expressed them herself! I couldn't believe it until I talked to a friend of mine with a mini daschund who said her pup did the same thing. The vet said it's totally normal for it to just happen like that when they're relaxed and that was good because once you start messing back there, I guess you're going to have to do it forever. Since then, she's done it about 4 times in the 13 months I've had her. I would definitely say that once a month is too much, and if you just wait it out, she'll probably take care of it herself.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

My newest Chi I have only done it once, I myself wait until I smell the odor. Mine do not scoot so I do not have that as a warning? I have expressed my dane when he was a pup at the most once a month but as he ages it seems to not be as often and is prob. about once every 3 months now if at all? My vet when teaching me to express them myself never said anything to me about there being a too often but I am sure like everything else there can always be some side effect. I had taken my dane puppy to the vet about once a month when I was smelling the odor and that is when he taught me how so I wouldnt have to keep bringing him.

Just to be sure I would just call your vet and ask him how often is too often and what the side effects could be?

Most will release this when pooing but not always so I would definately wait until there is an issue


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## chi_cutie26 (Sep 9, 2007)

Thanks for more comments on here. 

And my chi is a 22 weeks old, she is still a puppy. But I notice the first time she scoot, I did clean it out myself. 

But a month later she was scooting again. So I did it again, so from then on it seems she gets that way every month. 

And NO I would not wait till she express herself ANYWHERE I got kids and it an unclean thing to just let it be express anywhere. 

But it alright if she just did it when she poop..

She just let out the smell when she was with me yesterday, so I knew it was time... I cleaned her last month, this month again.. 


But as she grows i am sure she will be like Yoshismom.. Lets see time will tell..

THanks you all


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## dahlia (Aug 16, 2005)

When Lucy was a puppy, she would scoot and I thought she was going to have anal gland problems. Then I read that sometimes with the little dogs, their poops aren't big enough so the anal glands don't get expressed. Also, dog foods today don't have as much filler so that leads to smaller poops. Anyway, Lucy loves carrots, so I started giving them to her regularly and that helped to add some bulk to her poop--don't mean to be gross. So, that helped her with that issue and as she got older, it was easier for her to do it on her own. No more scooting!


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## chi_cutie26 (Sep 9, 2007)

dahlia said:


> When Lucy was a puppy, she would scoot and I thought she was going to have anal gland problems. Then I read that sometimes with the little dogs, their poops aren't big enough so the anal glands don't get expressed. Also, dog foods today don't have as much filler so that leads to smaller poops. Anyway, Lucy loves carrots, so I started giving them to her regularly and that helped to add some bulk to her poop--don't mean to be gross. So, that helped her with that issue and as she got older, it was easier for her to do it on her own. No more scooting!


Hmm interesting about the carrots. It bad for them to digest it everyday?? how regularly do you mean??

Yes I am aware about why it harder for them to express their glads while they poop. I read that many times about how now the dry food, makes dogs poop soft. So you right on that


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

This isn't to scare you but sometimes, scooting can be an indication of another issue. Is her poop firm and normal looking?


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## dahlia (Aug 16, 2005)

I think when she had this issue, I gave her a baby carrot everyday. I don't think they are bad for them at all. She loves them so much as a treat, that I still give her some carrot 2-3 times a week.


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## chi_cutie26 (Sep 9, 2007)

kimmiek915, 

Yes , carmel poop looks normal. No worms.


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## Pauline Leland (Oct 9, 2006)

Uh, once? I asked the groomers to do it when she was shampooed. That was some time ago, and she'd been butt scooting. She hasn't scooted since so I haven't even thought about it. She's now 21 months.


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## carachi (Mar 20, 2005)

How do you express their glands? Pepi's like.... exploded once and he had to have a tube in his butt for a couple of weeks for the rest to drain out.


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## Jangles021204 (Sep 20, 2006)

I've been reading a lot about anal glands lately, so I thought I would mention a few of the things I have learned.  (I apologize in advance if I go into too much detail).

Anal gland problems are common in small dogs, as has already been pointed out. But that said, it really varies from dog to dog. Some will never need their glands manually expressed, while others might need it as often as every few weeks. I have heard more than once that you should not express the glands unless they truly need it, and it apparently has something to do with disrupting the normal balance (see link below).

Anyway, in order for a dog to express their glands naturally, their poops need to have some bulk (fiber adds bulk), and they ALSO need to be firm. Beau's anal gland issues started when I upgraded to a premium brand food -- I had previously fed him Science Diet -- and the better quality food caused him to have smaller poops. That was a GOOD thing, except for the fact that due to the smaller poops, he was less able to express his glands by himself...and so his glands started filling up and bothering him. I took him to the vet and had them manually expressed, that one time, which was well over a year ago.

But since then, I have been able to avoid manually expressing his glands by adding Nature's Variety raw medallions to his diet. The medallions contain ground bone (among other things), which firm up his stool enough that he is able to express his glands naturally when he poops. I feed him the medallions any time I see him exhibiting signs that his glands are starting to fill up and are bothering him. I give him 1 or 2 a day, for a couple days. And so far, that has worked for us.

BUT, there are several other things that you can try. Not everyone is comfortable feeding raw, or wants to. A simple food change might do the trick -- perhaps something higher in fiber. I'm actually getting ready to look for a different food for Beau, I just haven't decided what yet. But fiber is one of the things I will be looking at. I have also heard that a food higher in calcium might work, such as EVO, assuming your dog can handle it.

Another trick I have read about is drying out some cottage cheese between paper towels before feeding it to your dog. That is supposed to firm up poop.

Some people swear by carrots, as Lucy mentioned. Others recommend adding a bit of canned pupmpkin to the diet, because it's fiber and will add bulk. The problem I have had trying this however, is that although it adds bulk, it also softens the poop, and so in my experience it did not help any. But if one thing fails, try another. For instance, you might try experimenting with different types of squash. Or try apple pulp (juice an apple and feed the left-over pulp). Or try giving a small amount of ground flaxseeds. But it you try a dry type of fiber like flaxseed, be sure to *ADD WATER *TO IT FIRST, or else it could cause intestinal impaction or choking.

I also read on another forum that giving a probiotic may help (such as a concentrated Lactobacillus acidophilus probiotic powder). On the other hand, it might also soften the stools, so it would be a matter of experimentation.

One more thing -- anal gland issues are sometimes allergy related, so by getting the allergies under control (if that applies), the gland issues might actually resolve themselves.

Here is a link that explains a little bit about anal glands and how to express them: http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/behavior/l/aa031104a.htm

And, umm, sorry for the length...


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## Jayne (Jul 8, 2005)

Jangles thankyou do much for that fantastic post  

Tyson has been scooting a little for the last few weeks and its not worms so this has really helped.


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## Jen (Sep 13, 2005)

i've never had to express my guy's glands.


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## Jayne (Jul 8, 2005)

To be honest Jen I dont fancy doing it ukeright: So Im gonna try the diet things  If not I will book a vet visit !


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

Jangles..great post and very informative! I may try to find those medallions myself. Where can you get those? 

Yoshi, our Weim and our Sheltie never have had any issues with their anal glands, however My first dane and my new dane have both had issues with their glands. Chibi has only had the smell one time himself.

I have fed canned pumpkin before for diaharea (sp?) and it worked wonders but you are right it was still soft.


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

Great info! Thanks so much. My Minky will be going to the vet soon for her yearly visit, and I plan on having her glands checked out.


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## Sidech (Apr 3, 2006)

I never ever do it. In all the dogs I've had (more than 10), I only remember one dog having it, and I was a kid so it was my parents who had it done.

My Chi scoots once in a while, when she's outside, and it takes care of it. She's 3 and she's never had it done. Like others have said, once you start, the habit is created and you have to keep doing it.


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## Jangles021204 (Sep 20, 2006)

Yoshismom said:


> Jangles..great post and very informative! I may try to find those medallions myself. Where can you get those?


Their website has a store locator. I am not trying to push this brand in particular, it just happens to be the only pre-made raw I can get in my area, and so it's the only one I have tried.  But I do like the fact that the ingredients also contain flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, and butternut squash, which I feel might be helpful.

http://www.naturesvariety.com/where.lasso?r=2228117

I have seen the Honest Kitchen pet foods recommended as well, if you can find that in your area. I have not tried this brand though.

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/stores/stores.php


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

Sidech said:


> I never ever do it. In all the dogs I've had (more than 10), I only remember one dog having it, and I was a kid so it was my parents who had it done.
> 
> My Chi scoots once in a while, when she's outside, and it takes care of it. She's 3 and she's never had it done. Like others have said, once you start, the habit is created and you have to keep doing it.


I wouldnt necessarily say that. My first dane grew out of it with age. Also my dane now the older he gets the less it has to be done. IMO I really cant see vets recommending it be done and/or teaching owners to do it themselves if it would cause issues? I think that it being done to often and unecessarily could cause issues possibly? The best thing you can do is discuss it with your vet


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## Jangles021204 (Sep 20, 2006)

I found another link that explains more about why manual expression is best avoided, if it can be helped. *Warning -- it contains a graphic picture*.

http://www.crvetcenter.com/diseasesofmodliving.htm

This link also mentions a couple things I forgot in my previous post. First, diet is not the only answer -- sufficient exercise is also important. And second, if trying the flaxseed (or any other type of dry fiber), BE SURE TO ADD WATER TO IT FIRST. That is very important, because otherwise it could cause intestinal impaction or choking. I am going to go back and edit my other post to include that.

And one final note: They suggest using Metamucil, but personally I do not think I would try that, unless, perhaps, as a last resort. But that is JMHO.


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