anal glands - care & maintenance, issues & woes

[leashedForLife]

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Anal glands are, as far as humans are concerned, nonexistent when they work, & a royal pain when  they don't.
Dogs, of course, feel the pain even more than we do - ours is metaphorical, theirs is highly personal.  :>

the glands' function is to add a distinguishing odor to the feces, underlining who was here, their sex, health, etc - it's a calling card. Important as this is to dog behavior & social info, we could all wish they were more foolproof in design - but part of the problem is the modern-day dog's diet, low in roughage & high in calories.  Add the relative inactivity of most pets, who don't spend hours each day roaming to hunt, & it's a recipe for problems with the gut, & hence the anal glands.

Extremely frightened dogs may expel their anal glands in panic, & the odor is vividly memorable - but normally, it's just a thin dollop on the feces, & is colorless, light yellow, or pale brown; a tacky see-thru liquid.  Impacted or infected, the trapped fluid thickens, darkens, can change color, & can even harden - causing chronic pain to the poor dog, in a sensitive area.
Prevention is the key to healthy anal-gland function, & a pain-free bottom for our dogs.

Good nutrition means adequate protein but not excessive, regular fiber intake, some healthy fats but not too much, limited sugar / simple carbs / salt/ saturated fats,  avoiding highly processed or fake junk [fake colors, chemical preservatives, textural additives, etc], & being sure they get the vitamins, minerals, & trace elements that dogs need, depending on their ages & activity.
Rapidly growing pups need more calories per ounce, plus they need more fat, more protein, & more minerals than adults, who are maintaining their bodies, not busy building them. Senior dogs need more protein than young adults, but it must be easily digested & absorbed.
All dogs need physical activity, & even seniors need some aerobic exercise, so long as they are capable of it - running, swimming [a terrific & under-used low-impact aerobic activity, which is GREAT for seniors with achy joints, or dogs of any age recovering from surgery, crate rest, or injury], walks for endurance that are brisk & point-to-point vs sauntering along with a mobile phone in one's hand & ignoring the bored dog who mopes behind, & so on.

 

[leashedForLife]

for future reference -
Plain canned pumpkin  is marvelous for helping dogs who tend to bind / constipate, for anal gland issues, & for weight-loss.
Squash puree [butternut, acorn, whatever] will not do the same job, as it has less insoluble fiber than pumpkin, so there really is no substitute, sorry.

There are sources in the UK & Europe, it's not hard to find nor very expensive [especially considering the torture of constipation, poor dogs!, & the cost of vet treatment], many grocers put it in their baking aisle or in the 'American foods' section - it can also be bought on-line & delivered, & free shipping when it is sent with other items will cut the bill down.

for constipation, the amount depends on the dog's weight - a teaspoon per meal for a toy-sized dog [ 5# or less weight], 1.5-tsp per meal for a dog up to 15#, 2 tsp per meal for a 20 to 35# dog, 2.5-tsp per meal for a 40 to 55# dog,  1-Tbsp per meal for a 60 to 75# dog, & so on. //   Meals are measured, not eyeballed, & given twice daily 8 to 12-hours apart.

for anal glands that get impacted or infected, STOP the vet or the groomer from manually expressing them regularly!  
Groomers are especially prone to think they're doing U a favor by expressing them, & many don't mention they've done it - but manual expression damages the glands' normal operation, & they become dependent - IOW, they stop working in their own, & swelling, pain, & possible abscess result.     The poor dog is then in a recurring cycle of retention, express, retain, express, impaction, express, retain, infection, Anti-Bs, etc.

here is some reliable info on the glands, their function, & exams:
http://www.putnamnorthanimalhospital.com/Anal-Glands.html

Manual expression is sometimes needed, but try to use it only when absolutely necessary, & that should be no more than bi-annual, even in a dog with chronic issues, if U add plain canned pumpkin to each meal [twice daily].
If U are in any doubt as to whether this is OK for Ur dog, ask Ur vet before beginning - but pumpkin is GRAS [Generally Regarded As Safe] for the vast majority of dogs, & even dogs with bowel issues such as IBS need fiber; it's always best to ask if Ur dog has any physical or medical complications, just in case.

Start with a teaspoonful for a small dog under 20#, 2-tsp for a medium dog [25 to 50# ],  a Tbsp for a dog over 60#, & 1.5-Tbsp for a dog of 100# or more.  Gradually increase the amount per meal, every other day - so that the dog's GI tract is not upset by a sudden change.  For a dog under 20#, another 1/2-tsp per meal added every other day should be fine - just listen for gurgly gut noises, & watch for gassy stools. If U hear gurgles, stop any increase & wait 24-hours; most dogs' guts get accustomed to the extra fiber easily, just give some more time feeding the same amount.
When the dog's stools contain visible orange matter in small clumps or sections of the stool, U've reached an effective amount for self-expression of the anal glands, & they should be palpably SMALLER when U examine them.  This is easy, & does not hurt the dog  - just work gently.  Put on disposable medical gloves, preferably laetrile AKA nitrile rather than vinyl or latex, as both can irritate the anus & bowel;  insert the index fingertip of whichever hand is Ur most-dextrous, & gently feel from inside with the finger, & from outside with the gloved thumb.  THE OTHER HAND is palm-up, reaching forward from beneath the dog's tail, & supporting the belly so the dog can't sit down. [The dog stands straddling the supporting hand & arm.]

The anal glands are located at the bottom of a clock-face on either side, at approx 4 on the right, & 8 on the left.  They should feel slightly firm but giving, & proportionate to the dog - a toy dog under 5# has itty-bitty glands like blueberries, while a giant over 125# has small plums.
If U think Ur dog will wiggle during an internal exam, clean the front of the refrigerator, oven, or dishwasher, spread a thin layer of sunflower-seed butter, peanut-butter, Low-Fat cream-cheese, or other lickable treat on that clean surface, & squat or kneel by the dog as they lick avidly - that keeps the front end busy, LOL, & the back stands quieter.  
A couple of playing-card sized smears will keep a dog busy for some time...

 - terry

Terry Pride, member Truly Dog-Friendly

 

[leashedForLife]

here's a nutritional analysis for pumpkin puree -
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.

additionally, this wouldn't fit on the screenshot -
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.
And for butternut squash -

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the squash has 100 kcals / 8-oz cup, & 4 grams of fiber,  vs  73 kcals per cup for pumpkin & almost double the fiber.  Lower carbs, much-more fiber. 

Pumpkin smells sweet, & nearly every dog adores it - they'll lick it from a fingertip at room temp, & eagerly look for more, LOL. // But U won't be feeding an entire can, & once chilled, it doesn't present the same appealing aroma.  If Ur dog turns their nose up at the refrigerated version, no worries - give it just a few seconds in the microwave, & THEN add it to the meal; it will be gobbled up in no time.
Pre-measured amounts can be easily scooped, frozen in ice-cube trays, & doled out singly by defrosting them in the microwave; once frozen, the scoops can be popped from the cube tray to be stored in bulk, in a ziplock bag, & taken out as they are needed.

[I'm sure U know this, but just in case -
never store food in the 'frig in the original can, empty any remainder from the can with a spatula to get every bit without scraping the can-liner, & store it in glass, plastic, or S/S / silicone, etc.  Cans can carry all sorts of dirt from their processing, shipping, & handling history, including rodent urine, roach droppings, & all kinds of bacteria; just empty them promptly, rinse, & recycle the tin.]

to dogs' good health,
- terry

 

[arealhuman]

That made a surprisingly interetsting read at work during a coffee break!  Thanks  

 

[leashedForLife]

LOL, funny what topics pet-owners find 'go well' as reading or convos with meals.    Something like mums with young infants, who discuss their latest poopy diapers over tea without a grimace or a raised eyebrow in the group.  - terry