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anal gland infection, any way to help relieve?

8K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Joey-and-chandler 
#1 · (Edited)
Lara's anal gland infection is still here, been here for a few weeks.

She finished 10 days of Clavamox and, no avail, the infection remained.

Yesterday our vet prescribed 10 days of Baytril - he said it was stronger.


Anyway..we are hoping that clears it up. i've noticed her licking has decreased because she is sick of me saying no and pulling her face away from her butt every time she tries, but some of the discharge is leaking out of her anal gland and it seems quite swollen.

I want to clean her but it's tender to the touch and she cringes when I try to wipe her off with cleansing wipes. It's getting a little gross to worry about getting anal gland fluid on my couch, I've thought about putting on her heat panties so she stays away from it and I don't have to worry.

(edit I forgot to add that it's not an open wound so there is no raw skin, the only way I noticed this was seeing a few drops of blood on her poop every now and then and increased licking)

Do you think warm towel compresses will help her? It didn't start leaking on its own until yesterday. She doesn't seem to be too bothered by it unless I'm touching it or lifting up her tail, but I really think it should be clean to heal.
 
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#2 ·
Poor Lara :(

Did the vet mention infusing the glands with an antibiotic ointment? Nikki always had problems with her anal glands since she was a puppy so I feel your pain. But Nikki did respond to the antibiotics when they became infected the first time.

Can you cover your couch with a blanket or something you can throw the wash?

I hope she gets better real soon!
 
#3 ·
Morgan had this. I had an irrigation tool and some blue solution I don't remember what it was. Then I had to put abx ointment in there. Twice a day. Took about a month of irrigation, injected and oral ABX, maybe 6 weeks for it to clear up - she was 10 though so.

Make sure you're keeping her clean too, no sitting in the dirt outside. Morgan used men's boxers for that.
 
#4 ·
I would try the warm compresses, some also do 'sitz' baths in epsom salt warm water.

Less licking is good, but you want to keep a close eye on it so it doesn't "blow"..

If this course of antibiotics doesn't work,I would seriously consider removing the glands before they back up/start developing fistulas..
 
#5 ·
Thank you guys.
Heidigsd they did not mention anything about ointment - they said if this doesn't work they will probably want to do a cell culture in there. I hope I don't have to irrigate them. O: squeamish about this stuff sometimes lol.

Diane I am also hoping they don't blow or tear skin or something. (every time I lift up her tail I'm scared they are going to express and get all over me) Luckily it's not both glands, it's just the right, but I'm really hoping that this round of antibiotics will help, I will email and ask about some sort of cream if that could increase chances if curing it.
 
#8 ·
Thank you guys.
Heidigsd they did not mention anything about ointment - they said if this doesn't work they will probably want to do a cell culture in there. I hope I don't have to irrigate them. O: squeamish about this stuff sometimes lol..
LOL...the infusion would be done by your vet and since she is painful back there I would think she would have to be sedated. The ointment stays in the anal glands for a few days, I can't remember how long it was now but I think a week at least.

Scroll down to "Medical Treatment": Anal Sacculectomy
 
#6 ·
when mine had this, (the first one) they would infuse with panalog. I don't think it did much good, but you could ask about that..Hope the antibiotics work! nothing worse than anal gland issues:(
 
#10 ·
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Warm Calendula or Red Clover compresses 2 or 3 times per day for 3 or 4 days or longer will also help.


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Hope your baby is better soon!
Moms:)
 
#11 ·
Hey guys..considering adding a supplement sometime in the future, thanks for the links.

Went back to the vet yesterday - it was better externally, no swelling, her licking stopped, but there was still a little blood. Since Lara is an angel at the vet (thank god) she let him take a sterile syringe and flush out the gland with water, he then infused it with an antibiotic and gave us another medication. It was getting better slowly which is the good news, just hopefully this does it. She didn't cry and seems much more comfortable so i'm crossing my fingers I won't see anymore blood.

I am also lucky that the glands are not blocked up, fluid still easily comes out of both of them, it's just that one of the fluids still shows some signs of infection :( it was nearly empty when he emptied it from her expressing them herself. (and that awful drainage). Even though it hasn't drained in a few days..after that disgusting mixture got on my bedsheets she was banished from my bed for a few days.. but I put on her little heat panties and let her up there last night :) happy camper



This little girl's booty has cost us almost $400!!
 
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