Dogs' Anal Glands

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camilla4

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Apologies to those of a sensitive nature, or who are eating! Has anyone had to empty their dog's anal glands before. I'm pretty sure that my Labrador bitch's need doing. She is constantly licking her bottom and rubbing it on the ground and seems generally quiet. I am abolutely positive that it is not worms and glands seem the most likely problem. I have tried though but nothing seems to be coming out. I have done this before with another dog so I'm pretty sure of my technique - any suggestions?!!
 
Latex gloves, something to catch the contents in,
but Id go to the vet for the first time with the dog as you can cause damage if done wrong (ask vet to help you do it correctly on the dog, that way you only have to go this once!)
 
Thanks Lucy -

I used latex gloves and some rags to catch the lovely liquid. I had no problems on the dog I had to do this on before but it was a while ago so yes, I think I will play safe and get the vet to give me a revision course!

Horrid job isn't it?!!
 
and smelly!
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That's what I remember! I wonder if my subconscious is preventing me from squeezing hard enough so I don't have to smell it again?!!
 
Sometimes they can be tricky to empty but otherwise, how are you/who are holding her when you squeeze them? Is it possible that she sort of avoids the pressure needed?
Personally I prefer standing over them, with my legs sort of holding them around their "waist"/just before the back end. That way I can focus on getting the job done and the back end stays where I want it. One hand holds the tail, the other one does the squeezing and just make sure you hold your head above the level of the anus!

Good luck and hope your girl soon feels relieved!

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Hello - that's exactly how I was standing!! She was actually pretty good and almost seemed to lean into my fingers, which suggests that the pressure was a kind of relief to her. Fingers were at 5 and 7 o'clock which I think is right? I'm sure I wasn't pressing firmly enough but don't want to push it in case the fluid has thickened up, in which case more pressure will be needed and I'm worried about causing any damage!

Thanks for advice!
 
5 and 7 o'clock, around 3 centimetres below, pushing upwards and inwards so to say, is what works for me.


One of my late dogs had her anal glands removed but before that, she had infections and one of the times when I hadn't been able to help her empty them properly, my vet told me that I could gently give a little extra help. So if you feel you know what you're doing and you have sort of surgical/latex gloves and the sort of lubricant you can put on top of a thermometer, you can put some lubricant on one of your fingers and just gently put in your finger about two centimetres or so inside her. Gently move your finger at the bottom left and right, both your moving finger and the lubricant can help to loosen up any stops in the glands so that when you try to squeeze again from the outside, they might empty themselves.

If that doesn't work or what comes out looks bad, you need a vet to help her.
 
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