Anal Gland help

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BBH

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My Bulldog has taken to spinning on his bottom as if he has an itch, but the vet has said his anal gland was swollen and gave him a course of anti- biotics. But now they are finished the scratching has come back.

Does anyone know of anything I can do to help him or what other options are available.

Many thanks
 
Hi Gina B,

He is regularly wormed but not sure about emptying them? What does this mean, never had a dog before that needed that done.
 
It's quite vile, but if you feel just under his bottom (the hole
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) you can feel a slight lump, basically that needs squeezing. (Sadly for me this used to be prt of my job) I would've thought the vet would of done it also.
 
I would have thought the vet would have done it as well, unless he had good reason not too as surely when they need emptied they become a bit swollen? It is not very pleasant, a vet or groomer will do it for you if you don't feel comfortable. Warning you though, hope you have a strong stomach for bad smells
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You could try changing his food to a high fiber one, unfortunatly some dogs are prone to this problem, my old lab used to suffer with it. If you make an appointment with your vet nurse, they will be able do it for you!!!!
 
Thankyou everyone, I didn't envisage having to go bottom diving tonight and vet did have a poke but not sure what happened. Will defo try high fibre biscuits, thats an easy one.
 
I think that this is a job that is best left to someone who has done it before. If your dog is already sore in this area then you may make it worse prodding around and it can be painful for him.

Defo look at what you are feeding as it is small solid bowel movements that empty the glands as the dog toilets.
 
it's pretty easy to do, pair of thin latex gloves, BIG wodge of tissue/loo roll, for god's sake don't lean over and have a look as you do it (vet who showed me how to, said he's seen people do this and get a faceful), ideally do it out of doors (cos it reeks) with someone holding the dog still. gently pinch thumb and first finger together either side of anus at about " 10 to 2" position, and you should feel the glands. push towards head about 1/2" or so to get in deep enough, and then push fingers together, with other hand poised with wodge of tissue in it, over anus to collect the results. if it works, you'll know by the smell... obv do gently at first until you're sure you're doing it right.
 
When dealing with infected anal glands...leave it to your vet....but take note and ask them to talk you through the procedure so you can feel confident to try it next time, some as not that straight forawrd and have to be empted internally to or situated deeper and therefor harder to express....u really do have to empty the full sac's even more important when infected or the problem could get a whole lot worse.....some dogs have a repetative bouts of anal gland infection and build up and have to have them removed.

I would as suggested try improving his diet with fibre or faciliam husks (sp) they are used widely to help with the problem.
 
Feed raw bones as that is the whole purpose of the Anal Gland it is there to lubricate! It helps expel very SOLID excrement containing hard calcium dense poo, which a dog gets from eating raw meat and bone. A dog is not designed to eat fibre as we know it from plants, its whole evolution is centred around eating bones, meat, fur, and some feathers and toenails not wholegrain!

Modern soft cooked dog foods and the resulting soft slooppy poo makes the gland redundant and no hard poo means that the anal gland remains unemptied and problems occur.
 
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