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I have done the anal glands expression about 3 times I had the vet show me, after those 3 times that was enough, you need a towel over your arm the one you use with your hand to express with, plus always rubber gloves, the towel is for the spray that will come out and it does stink bad !!
I have the vet do it twice a year or if I see her rubbing her butt.
When you do this it must be done right I know you don't want to, I sent you a message here with a video on how to do it, you cannot express the glands correctly without using the finger up the butt, reason is you have to push and pull outward fast at the 4 and 8 o'clock position, you can feel the glands before you do this so you know you are doing it right, doing it any other way can cause the expressed matter to go back into the colon and may cause bigger problems.
I'm sure you do this, but for any others out there, keep the anal area clean, check it at least once a week, wipe it off with a tucks pad or baby wipe, cut the hair around the anus and below it if your dog has long hair, the longer hair traps urine and feces which can cause an infection and also under the tail, you should also clean the urine area also this will prevent UTI's, if you think about it we use toliet tissue every day, so once a week use a baby wipe or a tucks pad to clean those areas, will prevent lots of grief for your pet and yourself.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,023,154 times
Reputation: 28903
Quote:
Originally Posted by rural lady
I have done the anal glands expression about 3 times I had the vet show me, after those 3 times that was enough, you need a towel over your arm the one you use with your hand to express with, plus always rubber gloves, the towel is for the spray that will come out and it does stink bad !!
I have the vet do it twice a year or if I see her rubbing her butt.
When you do this it must be done right I know you don't want to, I sent you a message here with a video on how to do it, you cannot express the glands correctly without using the finger up the butt, reason is you have to push and pull outward fast at the 4 and 8 o'clock position, you can feel the glands before you do this so you know you are doing it right, doing it any other way can cause the expressed matter to go back into the colon and may cause bigger problems.
I'm sure you do this, but for any others out there, keep the anal area clean, check it at least once a week, wipe it off with a tucks pad or baby wipe, cut the hair around the anus and below it if your dog has long hair, the longer hair traps urine and feces which can cause an infection and also under the tail, you should also clean the urine area also this will prevent UTI's, if you think about it we use toliet tissue every day, so once a week use a baby wipe or a tucks pad to clean those areas, will prevent lots of grief for your pet and yourself.
Thank you! I responded to your private message. Much appreciated!
Oh! I knew you said that only as advice. I didn't take it the wrong way. I appreciate you saying that, and I certainly didn't take it as an insult or anything. I was only saying that there was no way that I was doing him harm because I was being soooooo gentle, there was no way it was doing anything. Well, except making his bum feel massaged. LOL!
I can't put any strength in it. I'm too scared to hurt him. I realized quickly that this is not something that I can do.
I read that about pumpkin too! It's for the fiber, right? I've started (over the last week or so) giving him broccoli with his dinner. Do you think that's a good stool hardener as well, since that's the goal -- to make the stool hard so that it naturally expresses the sacs.
No worries at all. I too am scared to hurt them as well but I laughed when you said it's doing nothing but making his bum feel massaged. Yes, the fiber in the pumpkin helps harden the stools which helps them express them on their own naturally. I haven't heard about the broccoli helping with glands but I do know that it can make them gasy. So, I guess it's a matter of if you can handle the gas on top of the glands. But, being that broccoli is a good source of fiber, it may work but if there are any type of thyroid problems in your dog, you want to stay away from the broccoli. And you want to steam or puree the broccoli as raw veggies are not digested well by dogs. Hope this helps.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,023,154 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pugluvr
No worries at all. I too am scared to hurt them as well but I laughed when you said it's doing nothing but making his bum feel massaged. Yes, the fiber in the pumpkin helps harden the stools which helps them express them on their own naturally. I haven't heard about the broccoli helping with glands but I do know that it can make them gasy. So, I guess it's a matter of if you can handle the gas on top of the glands. But, being that broccoli is a good source of fiber, it may work but if there are any type of thyroid problems in your dog, you want to stay away from the broccoli. And you want to steam or puree the broccoli as raw veggies are not digested well by dogs. Hope this helps.
We're going to the vet on Dec 27, actually (I cancelled the Jan 8 appointment) and I'll confirm with them about the broccoli. He used to eat broccoli raw but now, when I steam it for myself, I steam his too. Artie LOVES his broccoli. He's starting to eat better than my husband and I. LOL!
As for making him gassy:
1. If it makes his stools harder and avoids the anal sac problem, that's fine. I can take the farts.
2. He's my lovemuffin doggie. His farts smell like roses, right?
Thanks for all the help.
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I too am scared to hurt them as well but I laughed when you said it's doing nothing but making his bum feel massaged. 
Yes, the fiber in the pumpkin helps harden the stools which helps them express them on their own naturally. I haven't heard about the broccoli helping with glands but I do know that it can make them gasy. So, I guess it's a matter of if you can handle the gas on top of the glands. 
