# Nobody mentioned.....



## Tecstar (Apr 17, 2013)

Just heard this one yesterday - expressing Anal Glands!!!

No-one mentioned this to me ever!!! I thought they were joking!!


What's your thing hing that you never heard about before you got a dog?


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

lol, yes it does come as a bit of a shock that one  Fortunately my friend is a dog groomer so had heard about it beforehand. What I didn't expect, was that I would be the one emptying the anal gland  Oh the things we do to keep our dogs comfortable and happy :baby:

A lot of people spent a lot of time trying to persuade me out of getting a dog and told me lots of negative. So the one thing I never expected is the shear unconditional love they give and the immediate love you have for them in return.


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## NikkiB (Jan 16, 2013)

What!!!!! I've never heard of that!!!!! What do I have to do?????
Is that something my groomer will do????


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## Twinkle Toes (Apr 27, 2013)

Now I'm scared! What is this???


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Relax - the groomer will do it, or the vet - some dogs never need it done.
I seem to remember that ten to two is the posiion!!!!!
Google it, too yucky to go into details 
I suppose when I got my first pup I just was not prepared ever for how much it would hurt when she had to be put to sleep as a relatively young dog of 7, after 8 months of becoming increasingly ill and the vets trying everything. Also that having been through that the pain of not having another dog was worse....


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## Twinkle Toes (Apr 27, 2013)

I don't think I want to google it, thanks! I will use my imagination!


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Do a search for this as there was a nice (read gross) thread about it on here one day. Yes I love Jake and Willow to the end of the world and back. :love-eyes:
No I won't express their anal glands myself. :wof:


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## Nellies mum (May 12, 2013)

A very stinky job!! But I left it to the vet to do...Nellie had to have hers done on Saturday


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

we have tried to do Lady's anal glands ourselves...with no success...we have the groomer or vet take care of it for us.


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## Jeanie (Jan 23, 2012)

Tilly has to get hers done every few weeks. 
I YouTubed it and started to do it myself. 
Do it once and it's like changing a babies nappy 😄😄😄😄
It just comes automatic. Lol


Jeanie x


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Marzi said:


> Relax - the groomer will do it, or the vet - some dogs never need it done.
> I seem to remember that ten to two is the posiion!!!!!
> Google it, too yucky to go into details
> I suppose when I got my first pup I just was not prepared ever for how much it would hurt when she had to be put to sleep as a relatively young dog of 7, after 8 months of becoming increasingly ill and the vets trying everything. Also that having been through that the pain of not having another dog was worse....


LOL, its 8 and 4 position, unless you're looking upside down, then I guess 10 - 2 would be right 

As Marzi says, its not essential for all dogs. Vets and good groomers offer it.

Its two scent glands in the bum that other dogs like to sniff and it also leaves their calling smell when they do a poo. Occasionally the anal gland doesn't empty properly or more to the point gets too full. Signs that this is the case is nibbling on their back legs as if they have an itch they can't reach, scooting on their bum or a smell. 

Most dogs naturally empty their anal gland and you never have to worry about it. Unfortunately my Millie for reasons unknown seems to need hers emptying frequently, say every 6 weeks. I've had to master it for convenience and comfort for her. But this is very unusual.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

From what I understand it helps to have firmer poop in order for this to occur without human intervention. I think the stress of new home, new treats, and different feeding approaches, my puppies poos were too soft and Beemer started scooting. Vet said a lot to express so would need a second go. Had the groomers do that too. 

As to what didn't I expect - how little sleep I got in the beginning and how quickly they change/grow. I swear we went down from a nap and Beemer looked an inch taller when we woke up.


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## NikkiB (Jan 16, 2013)

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna try and make sure that Samson's poos are firm so that it happens naturally ha ha!!! Blimey, the things you learn on here!!!


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

MillieDog said:


> LOL, its 8 and 4 position, unless you're looking upside down, then I guess 10 - 2 would be right
> 
> Ooops - so I'm confusing it with correct hand positioning on a steering wheel!!!!
> Fortunately my current dogs don't need help in that area at all. Phew


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Ooooo I have heard of this one - I will gladly pay someone to do it on my behalf.
Ralph has his first grooming session tomorrow - I shall make enquiries! X


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Cmon...it's not that bad people. It's like changing a baby's bum, gross but you just get on with it.  

Ok this will gross you all out . I once expressed Obi's glands whilst I was grooming him on the kitchen table...they were obviously quite full and the napkin I was holding didn't catch it all but the white wall opposite did! 
I now only do it when they are in the bath :laugh:.


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## NikkiB (Jan 16, 2013)

Jedicrazy said:


> Cmon...it's not that bad people. It's like changing a baby's bum, gross but you just get on with it.
> 
> Ok this will gross you all out . I once expressed Obi's glands whilst I was grooming him on the kitchen table...they were obviously quite full and the napkin I was holding didn't catch it all but the white wall opposite did!
> I now only do it when they are in the bath :laugh:.


Ha ha that's sooo funny! It's a good job you weren't looking too closely!!!!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Going back to original question I did not expect to have a new hobby of studying dog poo so closely!!


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## Yogi bear (Feb 25, 2013)

*Anal glands and sweaty spaniel ears!*

As for the anal glands-our little pup had to had them expressed by the vet when we first took him home. As has already been mentioned-the firmer the poop, the more this is aided naturally. We added chunks of apple to his breakfast, he loves it, and ....no further A-gland problems! Fingers crossed. Also, we initially thought he had worms as he was bum shuffling-but was reassured by the vet that this was because te A-gland needed a squeeze.... No further bum shuffling since! 

Sweaty ears well what can I say-guess our poos are more prone to this than many other dogs. I've been told to give them a good smell every now and again -delightful, and clean them out with cleaning solution once weekly.

It's a good job he's so darn cute!


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Jedicrazy said:


> Cmon...it's not that bad people. It's like changing a baby's bum, gross but you just get on with it.
> 
> Ok this will gross you all out . I once expressed Obi's glands whilst I was grooming him on the kitchen table...they were obviously quite full and the napkin I was holding didn't catch it all but the white wall opposite did!
> I now only do it when they are in the bath :laugh:.


Jesus!!! How much gunk comes out of these glands???? It's definitely not one for for me.........
I admire your dog grooming skills - I take my hat off to you!
Did you have to repaint the wall??? Lol x


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## Mclisa (Dec 26, 2012)

Well we just had our first anal gland experience at the weekend...well I think that's what it was. We had Charlie out on a walk in a forest we hadn't been too and got lost so we were out for a good two hours (he's only just 8 months), he also had his first experience with swimming properly when he accidentally fell into river. when I got him home and washed him he was growling when I was touching his rear end which he wouldn't normally do, I thought he'd maybe hurt himself or was just sore from long walk...that was until I was on the couch with him and smelt the worst smell ever. My husband described it as rotten fish sauce, searched high and low for it until I saw a wet patch on my good cushion where Charlie was sitting. It had to be that, how can a small stain smell so bad!!! I didn't realise that they could express themselves like that so I was wondering is a vet trip needed?


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## jedonspring (Jul 5, 2013)

I've just become a member with my new puppy. But my angel, Simon had this issue - our groomer and vet would express him about every other month, finally I learned how to do it myself. One particular time, when Simon was about 6 I woke up to his licking licking licking, and constant whining. I didn't know WHAT could be his problem. We rushed him to the vet, he was in lots of pain and we found that his anal gland had ruptured. Poor Simon, it took about a month to heal, steroids, pain meds, stool softeners. After that I added a lot of people-types of fiber to his meals and we always joked he had the best looking turds anyone ever saw. But, seriously, it is something to watch out for.


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## Kipling krazy (Apr 23, 2013)

Our vet sorted Alf out when he was younger but said if he started bottom shuffling-to ignore it for a few days and it would probably sort itself out. Too much messing with glands might make nature less effective? Seems some have more problems than others!


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I've never had to do any anal gland emptying! Good girl Lola!


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