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Anal Sac Squeezing


Bubblezzz

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Hi,

I would like to know how many of you squeeze your dogs anal sacs, how often you do this and how it is done??

My baby Cosmic has recently developed a really smelly as*!! :o :o :o

His anal sac secretions don't seem to be expelled along with his poop, but come out in a seperate puddle. From time to time, we'd find these oily pools of brownish liquid left as surprise presents for us.... :P (Once on my fav pair of jeans as I was carrying him!!!!)

I know that they're not supposed to have control over their anal sac secretions - does this mean that when he expels his, he basically thinks he's pooping? (we'll try getting him to poop on command then)

He is currently on a diet of fresh food and Innova puppy kibble. (Fresh food: Minced chicken, pork, beef or liver + occasional salmon or cod + diced vegs like carrot, peas, green beans, mushroom, leek, tomato, spinach, usually steamed and also occasional fresh fruits) His stools vary because of the food he gets, but they are usually firm/semi-firm. I don't wish to switch him to only kibble, so I guess I have to learn how to expel his anal sac 'juice'!!!! :P The odor is truly evil... :evilbat:

I would really appreciate some advice!!!! Thanks!

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I'm very surprised your dog is having this problem on the diet you describe.

Are his poops firm? When a dog has good firm regular poops, they will express their anal glands naturally and you will often see several drops of a milky fluid come out as they 'go'. Dogs don't really have 'control' over this, but they shouldn't be expressing on you or when they aren't pooping, and it shouldn't be a yucky brown liquid.

Have you been to the vet about this? I would NOT allow a vet to express the glands for me until I had spoken with him and was comfortable. I feel most vets are too quick to do this, and I feel it disrupts the natural order of things. I would go to a holistic vet and see if they can help you narrow the cause down.

A few things about what you are feeding - never feed salmon raw if you are in the US. Never feed leeks or any onion such as green or spring onions, chives, etc. Go easy on tomatoes, they really are too acidic for almost any dog. Also do not feed mushrooms.

Also dogs do not digest cooked fats - are you cooking the meat? I prefer a raw diet but if you must cook it, make sure you are draining the fat as best you can and that you are adding back in good oils such as cold pressed fish oils, flax, pupkin seed, etc. These are imortant for the whole body including the digestive system.

How are you providing calcium to balance the meat? How much meat are you feeding on a daily basis and how much Innova, and for what kind of dog? (size, age etc)

When his stools are not firm, it is most likely because he has had too much veggies, etc. Although if you are not feeding bones or a bone source, he may get softer stools from too much meat as well. Dogs need to have firm stools!

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Hi, thanks for the replies.

alicat613, I don't believe I've ever read that mushrooms are a no-no!! :( Why is this so? Leeks I feed in small quatities and I cook all fish and meats that I give him. I use mainly lean cuts and supplement his diet with evening primrose oil and salmon oil.

His stools are firm/semi-firm - it's hard to see if he actually expels his anal secretions with his poop. The puddles we get are milky-clear with a brownish tint. He is fed 3 times a day, with a total of about 1 cup puppy formula Innova. In the mornings and evenings, I also give him 1/3 cup of steamed meats and vegetables (usually an equal mix of both). I will try cutting back on his veggies if that might be the cause of our problem.

Would anyone else have any idea?

My baby is an English Cocker Spaniel. He is 4 months and 3 weeks old and a very healthy size for his age. His coat gleams and his fur is fluffy soft. :) Heehee... sorry, can't help myself!! :P Aside from this problem, he seems to be doing fine on the diet I have been feeding. If there are improvements I can make, please let me know!! :(

Thank you!

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Anal sacs are a natural part of the make up of our dogs...usually the anal glands will express naturally with each bowel movement (this is your dogs own personal scent which another dog will come along and sniff!) ...I would increase the amount of fiber in my dogs diet...and as alicat mentioned bone meal would be an excellent choice to firm up stools ( I perfer raw meat and raw bones...
You do realize also that it is not only during a bowel movement that a dog will blow its glands, it can be when the dog is excited, scared etc...it is normal...I work at a Dog Grooming shop and my boss is very much against squeezing glands on dogs ...she usually tells them if the dog is scooting or licking at the area then have your dog checked by a Vet...and first have the Vet advise on a change in diet instead of squeezing the glands and creating a big problem...one of my Newf's usually blows his glands every time he is being groomed (of course right after the bath)
Usually a Vet will express the glands from the inside, at a grooming shop or yourself it would be sqeezing from the outside...which is going to make the problem worse...it's basically like picking and squeezing at a pimple..scar tissue forms and pretty soon its going to be some thing that your going to have to do...
So first seek advise about changing the dogs diet so they will express during a bowel movement...don't be overly concerned if your dog is blowing them on other occasions..just simply have a baby wipe close by and wipe it off his bum...I don't know what to tell you about it getting all over your jeans and such...my Newf's are big dogs with big anal glands but of course I don't carry them!
I just wanted to mention also, I have had alot of dogs in my 40 years and usually have always had at least 4 dogs at a time...I have never had a problem with anal glands on any of my dogs...although I do realize smaller breeds can be more prone to this problem...but, first seek to fix the diet before you start having to squeeze...

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[quote]He is currently on a diet of fresh food and Innova puppy kibble. (Fresh food: Minced chicken, pork, beef or liver + occasional salmon or cod + diced vegs like carrot, peas, green beans, mushroom, leek, tomato, spinach, usually steamed and also occasional fresh fruits) His stools vary because of the food he gets, but they are usually firm/semi-firm. I don't wish to switch him to only kibble[/quote] [b]quote by Bubblezzz[/b]

Just one more thing..your not feeding the fresh food with your dogs kibble...are you? :o
if you are then change this immediately...feed the kibble perhaps in the morning and the fresh foods at night always seperate never mix fresh food & kibble in one meal.
Spinach is good if fed only occasionally, if fed every day Spinach may interfere with calcium absorption. Don't feed the same veggies week after week, and don't feed veggies in excess...Too many above ground ground veggies can loosen stools and upset pH balance... :D

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:D

I would take the pup to the vet and talk to him/her about what is causing this, your baby is to young to start having the sacs squeezed, unless there is a health issue. It sounds like she might not be getting enough grain. I don't know if feeding yogurt has anything to do with anal sacs but if will help your baby's digestive system and is actually good for them. Feed the good quality yogurt and make sure that it doesn't have alot of junk added to it.


[quote]Just one more thing..your not feeding the fresh food with your dogs kibble...are you?
if you are then change this immediately...feed the kibble perhaps in the morning and the fresh foods at night always seperate never mix fresh food & kibble in one meal.[/quote]

Cassie are you talking about raw veggies or just people food, and why is it important to keep this separated?

:angel:

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Dont mean to answer for Cassie but this was what I understood about fresh foods and kibble.

Dont feed RAW MEAT and kibble at the same time.

It is wonderful to feed fresh veggies and fruits, etc with kibble. If you have a dog with a weight problem it can help add bulk without calories and provides great vitamins.

However, if you give raw meat with kibble it is a recipe for disaster. Kibble takes 8 hours to digest, raw 4 hours. Feeding raw meat with kibble keeps the raw meat in the digestive system twice as long and you can have problems with bacterial infections. Veggies however do not provide an infection risk and are therefore okay.

I used to put a little wet food on my dogs kibble but has changed over to a veggie mush. They really like it and it is much better for them.

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OK about the mushrooms, I couldn't remember why - the were just on my mental list of 'no feed' foods LOL - so I looked it up, and the reason 'they' say not to feed them is that it teaches your dogs to munch them if they find them in the fields. Since I have deadly mushrooms all over my yard (including Amanita Muscarias!!) I think I'll skip them still, but it does say you CAN feed safe mushrooms.

Well I would do a couple things here --
1. Take notes of when and what you feed exactly and when these secretions happen, including what is going on when it happens.
2. Find a holistic vet to help you - [url]http://www.mydogsite.com/boards/index.php?act=ST&f=9&t=1799&s=ce7b86917c9f693efa5b3d86fa5b597e[/url]
(hope no one minds, I just don't want to rewrite the same thing over LOL)

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Mushrooms are dangerous as they can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

[quote]Cassie are you talking about raw veggies or just people food, and why is it important to keep this separated? [/quote]
Quote by Rosebud....sorry I should have been much more specific...veggies are alright to add to kibble...it is raw meats which can be bad.....exactly as alicat mentioned about the digestion process... :oops:

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Thank you for all the advice!! :)

Phew! I'm glad to clear up the mushroom issue - can't imagine accidentally poisoning my baby!!! :o :o :o I live in a tropical city, so no chance of finding wild mushrooms. :)

Quite a number of people I've spoken to say that they do squeeze their doggies anal sacs from time to time. I've even read advice to do so in several dog care books, so I'm confused. :confused1:

I've been giving him less fresh food in place of kibble and it seems to have helped a little. His stools seem to be firmer and a darker brown. I always cook the fresh food I give him with his kibble (one of those things I read about somewhere not to mix fresh & raw :P) He gets raw fruits/veges as a seperate treat altogether. (Usually quite a long while from his meal.)

Oh, when I say fresh food, I mean fresh COOKED food - from what I understand that's ok to mix with his kibble right? Or should I just feed them as seperate meals - will that help digestion? I try to vary his diet as much as possible, so he usually gets a variety of meats and veges.

:lol: If I can help it, I WON'T squeeze his anal sacs - trust me, it's not like I WANT to do this!!!! :lol: If this problem crops up again, I'll take him to the vet and have her look him over and give me some advice on changing stuff in his diet.

Ok, I remember reading about bonemeal more than once, but what does it do again??? :o

Again, Thank You! :D

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Another great way to help regulate his bowel movements, make him more regular, would be to add canned pumpkin to his diet. It works both ways, clears up loose and hard stools. Be sure to get 100% pure pumpkin (in a can) not pumpkin pie filling. I bet it would clear up your anal gland issue pretty quickly.

Also, some dogs do have problems with glands that cannot be fixed by diet. Sometimes the opening of the gland is too small, sometimes the glands are positioned wrong and dont get expressed naturally. There are all sorts of reasons why it can become necessary. If you can not get it taken care of with diet please have it done at the vet. If you leave it too long it can become impacted and infected, which is quite another nasty mess.

Good luck to you.

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Bones & Bone meal...I perfer to feed raw meaty bones such as knuckle bones, femur bones, raw poultry bones...(for a small dog like yours raw chicken necks would be good to start with)bones keep my dogs busy...and raw bones offer wonderful nutrition in a form that is very natural and usable for your dog (amino acids/protein, essential fatty acids, fiber, enzymes, antioxidants, and a vast array of species-appropriate minerals and vitamins all in a usable form) ...raw meaty bones also supply good upper body and intestinal exericise and along with a proper pH encouraged by eating, bones also firm stools and help to naturally express the anal glands and they also keep your dogs teeth naturally clean....bonemeal is a substitute to raw edible meaty bones...

As for every one squeezing the anal glands of their dogs....it is really wild how many Vet's and other dog care people are advising people to do this to their dogs.... :o I really am a firm believer in fixing the diet before going to the extreme of squeezing....what did these poor little dogs do before their owners realized there were such a thing as anal glands! It could be one of two reasons...

number 1: we are over breeding purebreds and predisposing them to these problems...by over breeding you are inbreeding so this could possibly be one of those problems that is happening to purebred dogs

number 2: It is a new novel practice which is selling to people who don't like the idea of little sacs on their precious little feefee's butt that contains a smelly substance....and the Vet's are playing on the people's naive ways to make an extra buck??? probably not....I think more than any thing our purebred dogs are suffering the consequences of our lack of knowledge where it comes to breeding. It does seem to be alot of Cockers, Springer Spaniels and other breeds that suffer from impacted anal glands the most...impacted glands are a whole different story, that is when a Vet must intervene.....(as for the breeds listed above these are only the breeds I personally have seen the most with this problem).

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Whoa Cassie, what are impacted glands?? :o They sound evil... I hope that isn't the problem with Cosmic!!! :( While researching his breed, I never came across any such problem! My bf has had dogs his whole life (mostly mutts) and has never come across anything like this too. :( Which is why I'm worried.

Thanks for the tip Mary's mama, I will add some pumpkin to his diet and see how things go.

I don't feed raw meat to my dogs because most of the meat available here are imported, either by trucks equipped with chillers from a neighbouring country, or airflown. It goes through too many processes (and pairs of hands!) by the time it gets to the supermarket shelves for me to feel comfortable with.

I also remember seeing a debate somewhere (don't think it was on dogomania - was it? ???) that the stuff that goes into bonemeal may contain more than what they are supposed to (by-products, bones from animals unfit for human consumption etc.) so I'm a little apprehensive. Would anybody know a good brand to buy?

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Here is a good information site, that can help explain a little more:
[url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1571&articleid=510[/url]

Cassie - I have to agree with you. There is no reason why this should be necessary; however, as you pointed out, irresponsible breeding is the culprit. As I said before, there are dogs that despite every possible diet change and manipulation have chronic gland issues. Often they are from a genetic abnormality, ie incorrect location, too small opening, etc.

I do encourage Bubblezzz to try all the possible diet methods but please dont wait too long before seeing a vet. Impaction and infection is not worth the trouble when it can easily be avoided.

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[b]Bubblezzz[/b]...here is an article for you to read...your dog doesnt sound like it has any problems with impacted glands...as you mentioned your dog is blowing the glands just at inappriote times....

[b]quote by Bublezzz[/b]...[quote]His anal sac secretions don't seem to be expelled along with his poop, but come out in a seperate puddle. From time to time, we'd find these oily pools of brownish liquid left as surprise presents for us.... (Once on my fav pair of jeans as I was carrying him!!!!)

I know that they're not supposed to have control over their anal sac secretions - does this mean that when he expels his, he basically thinks he's pooping? (we'll try getting him to poop on command then)[/quote]

the glands on your dog sound as though they are working...the only time I would be overly concerned is if the dog starts scooting and or licking at his anal area and can't express them on his own...then you know they may be impacted...
I have seen dogs express their glands at many inappriote moments...I'm quite embaressed of one time I was brushing a dogs behind and lifted the tail to brush the pants and got it on my face and top...nobody hung out with me on my lunch hour that day! :o
We have alot of dogs that when they are surprised or excited blow their glands, it's normal...it doesnt just have to happen during a bowel movement..although this is when most dogs do express their glands normally.

[quote]Anal gland disease is a common problem in dogs and cats. The anal glands, also called 'anal sacs,' can become impacted, infected, and abscessed. Affected pets may lick the anal area, 'scoot' along the floor, or have problems with defecation. This article will help you better understand anal glands.

Location and function of anal glands

As the dog or cat is viewed from behind, anal glands (also called anal sacs) are located on each side of and slightly below the anal opening, at the 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions. A tiny duct or tube leads under the skin to an opening directly beside the anus.

All predators, whether they are canines or felines in the wild or skunks in your backyard, have anal glands. They just use them differently. Skunks discharge the secretion from these glands as a form of defense, while dogs use it primarily for territorial marking or as a form of communication. In dogs and cats, every time a stool is passed, it should put enough pressure on the anal glands that some of the secretion is deposited on the surface of the stool. Other dogs and cats are then able to tell who has been in the neighborhood, just by sniffing the stools they find. Additionally, dogs and cats recognize each other by smelling each other in the general area of the anus, since each animal's anal glands produce a unique scent.

Diseases of the anal glands

Anal gland impactions, infections, and abscesses can occur. Here is how: For various reasons, such as the conformation of the animals, the thickness of the gland's secretions, or the softness of the stool, these glands and their ducts often become clogged, or 'impacted.' When this occurs, the animal will sit down on its rear quarters and drag its anal area across the floor or ground. This is called 'scooting.' Both dogs and cats may lick the anal area excessively. Impacted anal glands are a very, very common problem for dogs, especially the smaller breeds.

Anal glands may also become infected and abscess. Bacteria make their way into the glands, probably through the ducts. This is a very painful condition, and the first sign you may see is that the animal attempts to bite or scratch when you touch the area near the tail.

Treatment and prevention

When the glands become impacted, a veterinarian, groomer, or the pet's owner must clean them out, or 'express' them. This empties the glands of all material. It is done by applying pressure with the finger, start below the gland and then pushing upwards. In some dogs, this needs to be done every week or two.

Impacted glands do not affect the overall health of the pet. The problem is that pets may injure the anal area when scooting across the ground, or discharge the secretion on the carpet or floor. And this material has a terrible odor.

Anal gland abscesses must be lanced by a veterinarian, and antibiotics are usually given to the pet for seven to 14 days. Using warm compresses on the area often helps to relieve some of the pain and reduce swelling. Secondary problems sometimes occur with abscesses, as they may cause scar tissue or other damage that may affect the nerves and muscles in this area. This can cause fecal incontinence, meaning the pet cannot retain its stools.

If an individual pet only has an occasional problem with the gland, they can be dealt with as needed. However, for pets with repeated or chronic problems, surgical removal of the glands is recommended. With the removal of these glands all problems associated with these glands are eliminated for the remainder of the pet's life. Although a fairly simple procedure, complications such as fecal incontinence can rarely occur.

Dogs with recurrent anal gland impactions are often placed on a high fiber diet. The high fiber makes the animal's stool more bulky. The stool will put more pressure on the anal glands and hopefully the glands will express themselves when the animal defecates. There are several commercial brands of high fiber dog food available. Animals may also be supplemented with bran or medications such as Metamucil which will increase the bulk of the stool.[/quote]

Quote by Dr Smith/Dr Foster

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Hey Cassie - That is too funny. I love peteducation.com. It has gotten me out of some scary situations.

To post a link to a specific article I open a second explorer window, find the article I want, highlight the address in the bar and copy it, go back to the window with my dogo reply and paste the address. It is pretty easy.

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Mary's Mama, you make it sound so easy!
I just love the peteducation site, it has also saved me many a Vet visit also...and helped when I worked at a vet clinic to answer questions for customers (they make every thing so easy to read and understand)...

have you read the new Cancer research
lets see if this works for me! :lol:
[url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1539&articleid=1577[/url]

and the Hip Dysplasia research:

[url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1517&articleid=1239[/url]

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