[GSD Fan]

I have a simple question that I should have asked my vet.

My last dog would do this weird behavior: She'd sit on her behind and drag herself across the grass using her front legs. It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen. It was like she was wiping her behind.

Any way, I talk to some more experienced dog owners and they said she may need her "anal glands expressed". Sure enough, the last time I took her to the vet before rehoming her, the vet mentioned the next time I bring her in to get them expressed.

My question to you guys is, what is that? What does that mean to have her . . . behind expressed and what happens in which they need expressing? Is there a way to prevent it? So when I get my next siberian husky and the vet finds in the first exam that her anus needs expressing, does that qualify as a health problem and I should ship the puppy back to the breeder and get my money back or a replacement pup?

Thank you.

 

[tracyc]

Dog Anal Glands - LoveToKnow Dogs

 

[LisaT]

Any way, I talk to some more experienced dog owners and they said she may need her "anal glands expressed". Sure enough, the last time I took her to the vet before rehoming her, the vet mentioned the next time I bring her in to get them expressed.

My question to you guys is, what is that? What does that mean to have her . . . behind expressed and what happens in which they need expressing? Is there a way to prevent it? So when I get my next siberian husky and the vet finds in the first exam that her anus needs expressing, does that qualify as a health problem and I should ship the puppy back to the breeder and get my money back or a replacement pup?

All sorts of thoughts go running through my mind, but I will only say this: with proper care, and dietary management, anal glad issues can usually be resolved.

 

[Elaine]

No, you shouldn't return a puppy for needing to have his anal glands expressed. Most of the time this is very easily managed with diet and some people have to learn to do this themselves at home.

Any time you see your dog scooting, you should be thinking anal glands and a quick trip to the vet to have them checked. Generally, you don't need to see the vet for this, just a tech so it's fairly cheap.

 

[GSD Fan]

All sorts of thoughts go running through my mind, but I will only say this: with proper care, and dietary management, anal glad issues can usually be resolved.

What thoughts are going through your mind? I'm curious, even though it sounds negative. If you don't want to say it here, please pm me.

 

[onyx'girl]

Wow, Tracy' back!! Hope all is well with your pack!

 

[sable123]

A dog has the ability to do this on its own but the stool must be hard enough and thick enough. I suppose it can be a defect in a particular dog but almost always it is a dietary matter.

A dog empties its glands while "straining" to poop. If the stool is too soft or too small the muscles have nothing to press against. The glands are there to spread the dogs territorial scent while pooping.

Overfeeding is probably the main cause because the stool is always soft.

A dog that has had a bad case of worms or some viral or bacterial infection can also have an anal sac attack.

Dogs with chronic problems no matter what they eat can often be treated with extra fiber like apples, celery, beet pulp etc.

It is easy to do at home but the fluid smells very bad.

 

[GSD Fan]

Well, thank you for the link and the information you guys. My questions have been answsered.

 

[Jax's Mom]

Is there a way to prevent it? So when I get my next siberian husky and the vet finds in the first exam that her anus needs expressing, does that qualify as a health problem and I should ship the puppy back to the breeder and get my money back or a replacement pup?

There's no way to "prevent" it really... It would be almost like returning your puppy because his teeth build up plaque.
There are different diet related things that you could try if it's an issue with your puppy but it's really not worth the hassle. Take a look at some YouTube videos on how to express the anal glands if necessary and just learn to do it yourself. It akes about 2 seconds.
Anal glands are probably the least of your concerns.

 

[ken k]

Max is a traveler when he poops, I have his anal glands expressed from time to time, the vet said about this procedure "some do and some dont" out of all the GSD`s I have had he is the first he is also the first traveler i have had so it might have something to do with that that and the first with EPI, for the $20, i`ll let the vet do it

 

[Stosh]

We had a beagle named Pink and she had a great deal of difficulty with her anal glands- ultimately they were removed and she lived a long, happy, healthy life. So I would say no, it's not a reason to send a pup back.

 

[vomlittlehaus]

The anal glands are a scent marker. They are expressed when the dog poops. Being on a raw diet will make the stools firm enough that the glands are expressed like they are supposed to be with every bowl movement. I have actually seen my dogs glands spray out when she is pooping. I also remember a friend (several years ago) that had a male red bone and he actually backed up to a tree and expressed his glands on the tree to mark.

 

[onyx'girl]

Onyx expressed hers once when we were at SchH training, I knew then that she wasn't cut out for it!