How to relieve dogs anal glands

You caught your dog doing the booty scoot on your favorite rug and now you're wondering why they do it and how you can get it to stop. Whether that or excessive licking of your pet's hind region is what brought you here, it's likely that your dog's anal glands need attention. While that's probably the last part of your dog's anatomy you'd like to pay attention to, the fact is that anal gland problems in dogs are fairly common and often the cause of dog scooting problems.

Your Dog's Anal Glands

The only real function these anal glands are known to serve is in doggy communication: they're what dogs sniff when they say hello to each other. They also excrete scent whenever your dog goes number two, and may make it easier for your pet to pass stools. When they're working properly, these glands are emptied when your dog does their business.

Anal Gland Problems in Dogs

Unfortunately, things don't always function properly. Soft or small stools don't provide enough pressure to empty the sacs. If the glands fill until they become uncomfortable, your beloved pup scoots across the floor to get relief. When this happens, the glands are what's called impacted, says Preventive Vet.

Not only are impacted anal sacs uncomfortable for your pooch, but if ignored they might become infected and abscessed, requiring treatment with antibiotics. If the abscessed glands rupture, they may need surgery to repair, and your dog might also need pain medication to aid their recovery.

Anal Gland Expression

When anal gland problems in dogs begin to develop, human intervention may be required to provide relief. Impacted anal glands need to be manually expressed, a task that can be performed by a veterinarian, or a vet nurse — some dog groomer who's been trained in the tasked may do this as part of the routine grooming, but if you notice an issue, you should always bring your dog to vet over the groomer.

Manually expressing a dog's anal glands typically involves inserting a gloved finger into the rectum to locate the gland and gently squeeze it to empty its contents. If impacted anal glands become a recurrent problem, manual expression might need to be done on a regular basis. You could do this for your dog at home, but it's best to have a professional teach you how before attempting it on your own. A startled or uncomfortable dog could snap or bolt. The ick factor involved in the task might also convince you it's a job best left to the pros.

What Causes Anal Gland Problems in Dogs?

Other contributing factors include low thyroid function and obesity. And although it's less common, a tumor could be to blame. It's also possible that unnecessary anal gland expression, as is sometimes done routinely by groomers, could create scar tissue that prevents the glands from being able to empty themselves. If this might apply to your dog, talk to your groomer to make sure your pup's glands aren't being unnecessarily expressed on every visit, which could do more harm than good.

Signs of Impacted or Infected Anal Glands

While dog scooting could be one possible symptom of anal gland problems, this behavior could have other causes, such as parasites or digestive problems. Or, it could simply be an itchy butt. Typically, a dog with impacted anal glands will scoot more than once or twice, and can also usually be seen licking their rear end. Redness or swelling around the sphincter is an indication that the glands are becoming infected, as is blood or puss in your dog's stool or left behind on the carpet after they've finished scooting.

When to See a Vet

If you suspect your dog may have impacted anal glands, talk to your vet to see if your dog should be brought in. However, if you notice redness or swelling, or if the skin around your dog's bottom starts to look like a pimple that's coming to a head, the gland is likely infected or abscessed and should be seen by a vet as quickly as possible. A ruptured abscess is an emergency and needs to be treated right away to minimize the damage to your dog and lessen their pain.

You should also see your vet if impacted anal glands are a recurring problem for your dog, in order to determine whether there's an underlying condition that needs to be treated, like a tumor or a thyroid disorder.

Helping Your Dog

Here are some steps you can take to prevent or reduce the recurrence of impacted anal glands in your pup:

• Make sure your dog is getting enough fiber in their diet so that they're producing healthy stool. Talk to your vet about putting your dog on a diet that is formulated for healthy digestion and proper stool formation.
• If your dog is overweight, ask your vet about taking steps to help them reach and maintain a healthy weight.
• Work with your vet to identify and treat or manage any potential underlying causes.
• If your vet approves, supplement your dog's diet with fish oil, which Preventive Vet notes has anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce the irritation around impacted glands, or they may recommend a food enriched with fish oil.
• Again, check with your groomer to make sure your pup's anal glands aren't being expressed unnecessarily.

While it's not a pleasant thing to think about, anal gland problems are common enough that it pays to be vigilant in watching out for them. So the next time you see your dog scooting or licking their rear end, be sure to pay close attention to what's going on back there. Your dog may not be able to thank you with words, but they're nevertheless sure to appreciate the relief you can provide.

In order to express your dog’s anal glands at home you will need a pair of disposable plastic or latex gloves, Vaseline or some other lubricant, paper towels and a warm soapy washcloth. It is much easier to express your dog’s anal glands if you have someone to help you gently restrain your dog as the expression is often uncomfortable (though not painful unless there is an infection or obstruction) and your dog may feel some pressure while you are pushing on the glands. Stand or kneel behind your dog while your dog is standing up on all fours and your partner is gently but firmly restraining your dog. With the dog’s tail up, insert the lubricated and gloved index finger of your right hand into your dog’s anus. Placing your thumb on the outside of your dog’s anus , bring your thumb and index finger together and run them up and down the left side of your dog’s anus. The anal glands are located at approximately 4 and 8 o’clock and typically range from pea to plum sized (though they are commonly about the size of a small grape). Some anal glands will be firm while others will be more malleable if they are not as full. Once you have located the anal gland squeeze your thumb and index finger together in a squeezing motion and attempt to “milk” the fluid from the gland. The hole that the fluid will come from is just inside the anus- so be sure not to block the opening with your index finger. Using your other hand, hold a paper towel in front of the area as the gland can often express with force and squirt backwards. Normal fluid should be brown in color, with a thin consistency and a strong odor. Thick, chunky or discolored (green, yellow, grey) fluid is abnormal and indicates that a problem could be present. It takes practice to be able to express the anal glands so do not be discouraged! If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask your veterinarian or a veterinary technician to give you some pointers. Once you have emptied the left gland, perform the same procedure on the right gland. Some people are more comfortable using the same hand to express both glands, while others find it easier to switch hands. Once both anal glands have been emptied, use the warm soapy washcloth to wash the area. Anal glands have a very strong, sometimes fishy smell, so it is important to clean up your dog’s bottom as much as possible to prevent the smell from lingering.

Need more guidance on how to express your dog’s anal glands, or would you like to see this done by a veterinary technician, so that you can learn in our office and then practice at home? Call us at 802-649-3877.