Expressing Anal Glands: The Good, the Bad, and the Disgusting
To sustain this free service, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. Our review process. If not taken care of immediately, blocked anal glands can lead to a severe infection. There are also some medical issues that cause loose stool or diarrhea learn how to diagnose diarrhea , including misplaced anal glands or anal gland cancer in dogs. Large-breed dogs seldom suffer from anal gland problems. These symptoms could indicate a serious infection or ruptured anal glands.
Expressing Anal Glands: The Good, the Bad, and the Disgusting
To help the anal glands to function properly, dogs need to consume the right amounts of fiber. Sadly, due to a lack of good fiber in the average canine diet, many dogs have to have their anal glands expressed manually … meaning the vet or groomer squeezes them by hand to get the fluid out. You know your dog marks his or her — girls do it too!
They're not the stuff of dinner party conversations, but knowing how to spot a problem could save your dog a lot of misery. Picture the scene. You've just washed your dog from top to tail using the finest shampoo and conditioner money can buy, but even after drying him, the same horrible fishy odour you noticed pre-groom is still lingering in your poor nostrils. Sound familiar? Anal glands or anal sacs are relatively small glands found on either side of your dog's anal opening.