Question:
My 5-pound teacup poodle had to have his anal glands irrigated with antibiotics and steroid medicine last December because of inflammation and a bad infection. He also had it done two and a half years prior to that. My vet said this would probably happen again but didn't know when. I chose not to have the glands and sacs removed, so my vet said I should have the anal sacs squeezed internally every six to eight weeks. My groomer squeezes the anal sacs externally every three months.How often should this really be done, and should the anal sacs be squeezed internally or externally? I give my dog green string beans now. Is cooked oatmeal and brown rice good for him, too? Also, what about having the anal glands and sacs removed?.
R.S., Richfield, MN Mar 05, 2006
Answer:
Anal glands can be a real pain in the posterior. The more they are squeezed and emptied, the more they fill up and need to be emptied. Dogs with difficult-to-squeeze glands must have them emptied internally (with one finger up the dog's rectum).How often? As infrequently as possible -- only when they start to leak. Rough and inexperienced external squeezing can injure the glands and anal sacs. Surgical removal can lead to fecal incontinence if the anal-sphincter nerves are damaged.Feeding your dog 1/2 teaspoon daily of bonemeal (from the health store, not garden supply), plus 1 teaspoon of navy beans, oatmeal or brown rice mixed into his regular diet, will make for bulkier, firmer stools that help empty the anal sacs of their obnoxious contents. Signs of posterior irritation or pain could mean a blockage or abscess, in which case repeated gland/sac irrigation is called for.
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