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When we first rescued Toby the maltese in August we had him shaved at the groomers. This week he went for his second trip and while he looks adorable, he definitely is having trouble with his rear end. I checked and don't see any nicks or cuts but he walks funny, seems nervous and is licking himself a lot. I did not ask for his anal glands to be expressed but I think they just automatically do it. But" if it ain't broke why fix it?"
So is it necessary to have this done? about how long should I wait for him to settle down before I either call the groomer or take him to the vet? he seems very uncomfortable.
There are several utube videos about doing this yourself. The dog can be quite uncomfortable, the reason for licking. Just do a search for "dogs anal glands" and at least 3 videos will pop up along with other information. There is one by a vet tech that is quite informative. The dog he is using is a large dog (lab) and is quite calm. Smaller dogs often don't react as peacefully so have a family member assist you the first time until you know how your dog will react.
You shouldn't have it done unless Toby needs it done.
Is he scootching his bum on the floor?
Is he stinky in the bum region?
If you answer yes to either of these, then he needs to have them expressed.
That said, some dogs don't exhibit the scootching or stinky, and still need to have it done, but the scootching and stinky are tell-tale signs.
I agree, anal glands shouldn't be expressed manually unless it absolutely needs to be done. They will scoot, lick at the their bum and possibly emit a stinky fishy smell from the area (anal glands reek to high heaven!) if they're full. I do know that many groomers just do it as part of the grooming service so if you think it's not needed let them know when you take Toby in grooming.
Anal glands usually express naturally when the dog defecates, but they can become full if the dog has had diarrhea or soft stool for a time. There can also be physical issues that can prevent regular expression. My Miniature Schnauzer has unusually deep anal glands and I have to get them expressed manually about every three months. I hate to have it done but it has to be because they're so deep they don't express normally.
Keep an eye on him and if he continues to seem uncomfortable call your vet.
You can do it yourself but it is very stinky. Bella didn't drag her butt on the ground but she did lick it A LOT and she had very bad breath. Vet checked it and one side was 3/4 full. Took him 30 seconds and he charged me $13. Well worth it IMHO.
If you don't get them expressed when it's needed it can cause problems. Infection and more.
i dont express unless nessicary, dogs on a good diet dont need it done.
if hes upset with his rear id have a vet check the glands now, gnerally fussing over the butt is either they were done wrong (Which can lead to infection) or they need doing.
some groomers do it automaticlaly, others dont. personaly when i groom (my own and occaisonlly frineds dogs) ill have a feel but unless they feel impacted i leave em be..the more frequently they are manually expressed, the more likley the dog is going to become reliant on it.
If a dog has problems wiht the glands getting impacted i generally suggest canned pumpkin added to the diet a few times a week, adds fiber which helps naturally express the glands
Give him about 24 hours since the grooming apointment to see if he calms donw, fi not id have a vet give them a quick check.
I'd say have the vet check them - groomers sometimes (often?) only express them by pushing externally, which doesn't work for all dogs - some dogs need the internal probe, which is a little more tricky. Also not all dogs butt scoot on the floor so if you suspect something's up it's worth a check. They can teach you to do it but my vet really discouraged it (you can rupture the glands). She showed me anyway and when my poor dog was uncomfortable with me groping around in there, and I felt what seemed like a large grape, I said forget this...I do a lot myself but not this.
(my dog ended up having to have them removed, but that's not common)
Edited to add - food change doesn't always fix it - sometimes their conformation is just off (as with mine) and nothing is going to make those suckers empty out unless forced :-/
When we first rescued Toby the maltese in August we had him shaved at the groomers. This week he went for his second trip and while he looks adorable, he definitely is having trouble with his rear end. I checked and don't see any nicks or cuts but he walks funny, seems nervous and is licking himself a lot. I did not ask for his anal glands to be expressed but I think they just automatically do it. But" if it ain't broke why fix it?"
So is it necessary to have this done? about how long should I wait for him to settle down before I either call the groomer or take him to the vet? he seems very uncomfortable.
I'm going to deal with the immediate question. If his anal area looks inflamed or he is still experiencing discomfort tomorrow, I would get him into the vet. If he defecates this evening, look to make sure that there is no blood on the stool. If there is, definately get him to the vet first thing tomorrow.It is possible to rupture an anal gland if it is not expressed correctly or if it was infected/blocked and they tried to express it anyway. Dogs can be a little tender after they are cleared but I've never had one "very uncomfortable" afterwards. Check with your vet tomorrow if Tody doesn't seem any better or seems worse.
Thank you friends for taking the time to respond. I'm watching him a lot and he is very clingy. Don't know if he hurts or just going to the groomers was traumatic. She has done Lucy for 3 years with no problem. I'll look at his stools to see if there is blood. With 2 dogs it is difficult to tell whose rear is stinky. They are usually together, especially if I call one or the other- jealous babies.
For thing is for sure. Unless he is scooting around and especially stinky I won't get his anal glands expressed again and I'll be sure to put in his records not to do it.
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