Saturday, October 17, 2009

DIY Anal Sac Expression

I didn't know that something other than poop and stinks a hundred times more could come out of my dog's rectum. Last September I visited my dogs in Iloilo City and discovered for the first time their anal sacs. These are two glands just under the skin, at either side of the dog's anus. Squeeze them together using your thumb and index finger, the Animal Doctor instructed over the phone. Lo and behold, a pasty material, pretty much like toothpaste coming out of a tube, oozed before my eyes.


Normally, the anal sacs empty by itself when dogs defecate or do scent marking. When this does not happen for some dogs, their anal sacs become impacted driving them to scoot or incessantly lick their rear in an effort to empty the glands. An abscess can form and rupture and may even bring about an infection.

It was quite a heady experience learning to express the anal glands and relieve my dog of her discomfort. But if you are no fan of Pepe Le Pew, then I guess let the Vet do it.


7 comments:

  1. I know about that squeezing butt!
    My Vet does it to me every month!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  2. We have become very familiar with these troublesome glands in the past few months!!! (TOFFEE had an abscess in one about 8weeks ago etc etc). I hope the Animal doctor told you to put on gloves before trying all this.
    I don't have that strong a stomach to try it myself.
    MAX'S MOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

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  3. Mom makes sure I get those expressed whenever I go to the groomers, because she doesn't think she has the stomach for it. She's never seen such close up pictures of it before. I think I'll show her these and gross her out.

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  4. Oh stinky! My Airedale needed this done, but we let the vet do it. He would shoot it out quite far and the new vets would always get some on their shirts even though we warned them.

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  5. Finally Blogger let me in.
    Mango's mom here: Thanks for the helpful instruction Doctor. I have wondered where the sac is and how to operate it. Now I know, I hope I'll do my best.
    Mango here: Please doctor, Mom loves to torture me. The more she knows, the more pain I feel, sob, sob...

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  6. I could not agree more - I have only experienced this once, and the smell is unlike anything I can describe. I'm happy to pay you to do it! :)

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  7. Wow. Wow. Wow.

    That was a very good title for your post.

    I have heard of this but never seen photos of it. Very very interesting, to say the least.

    Thanks for the pics!

    Fortunately we've never had to do that!

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