Impacted Anal Gland...Bella very poorly

[team bella]

Just had Bella to the vet and she has an impacted anal gland which is infected and possible absess. She has given her a painkilling injection, pain killers and antibiotics. She wants to see her in 48 hours and if she's not better they may have to lance it. Bella is very down and just lying in the kitchen away from everything. She just wants to be left alone and doesn't want to go out or eat. If there's no improvment in the next 24 hours do you think I should take her back and not wait 48 hours. There was no indication that the glands were full as she didn't do any scooting. I hate to see her like this as she really is the life and soul of the place and never stops running around.
I can't believe something like this can lay her so low. Any advise would be appreciated.

[sins]

That happened to Daisy last year.The antibiotics worked and she was much better after 48 hours.The vet was able to empty them a week later without having his fingers bitten off.
No doubt it's very painful for them but there was no hint that anything was wrong,no scooting until she began to walk very stiffly on her back legs and started licking under her tail obsessively.
Just sit tight and she'll get better.
Sins

[tupup]

I hope Bella feels better very soon poor lamb. I hope with all the meds she will be running about before long, its just awful to see them laid low

[Karlin]

Leo had one rupture with no signs at all until the point when it ruptured and then he was not a happy boy. The vet cleaned him up and he had some painkillers and I had to keep the area cleaned with antiseptic. So yes would leave it, there isn't much more that can be done and with luck it will improve so that the lancing isn't needed. Good luck Bella!

[Cathy Moon]

I hope she feels better very soon.

I had a dog with an abscessed anal gland years ago; she required surgery. It can be a very serious infection. Since then, I check my cavaliers regularly and get them in to the vet if their glands start to fill up.

[Jay]

Oh, poor little Bella! We just went through this with Gem. She had an anal gland that was just about to rupture. She wasn't her usual perky self, but other than being unusually quiet, there weren't any other signs. She wasn't scooting and I never saw her licking. (We were actually competing at an agility trial). I noticed her licking her bottom (for the first time) and when I checked where she was licking, I saw her huge red gland. I took her immediately to the vet and he had to lance the gland. If you don't need to lance, it would be best to wait. Gem had to wear an e-collar for about a week, she was on antibiotics and painkillers. I had to put warm compresses on her lanced gland twice a day and put an ointment on the cut. Hopefully Bella will start to feel better really soon. I am trying to be more vigilant in checking behinds now.
J.

[lorebringer]

My Cavaleir lady had imacted and infected galnds quite a while ago. Vet went to put his hand on them to see if he could get anything out and the screams nearly killed us. Nothing came out and they felt huge so doses of antibiotics and painkillers for 5 days were given and then back into the vet. During the 5 days she had stared to lick at her bum a lot and it was obvious something was wrong, where as before hand she was just miserable but didn't go near her bum (was prob too sore to go at). When we went back in, he drained them. Quite a lot of pus and blood came out along with very thick black goo (and the smell was awful!). Back onto antibiotics for a week and when we went back in everything had cleared up.

I think you should wait the whole 48 hours, just to give the meds a chance to work. My lady was very down the first few days after the initial vet visit but did improve. As Jay mentioned, a warm compress (towel or old cloth) works quite well at giving them some relief. Soak it in hot water (not boiling, ok for you to still hold but quie hot) and squeeze it out so that it is damp and hold onto their bum until it cools down. It worked well on my lady, she seemed less uncomfortable afterwards. I did it 2/3 times a day, on the vets advice.

Hope Bella is feeling better soon.

[Brian M]

Hi

Any update how she is.

[MadPip]

Just want to echo what some of the others have said. Maddie had an infected impacted gland a while ago, painkillers and antibiotics worked and she was able to have them emptied a few days later. She didn't show any signs beforehand, it was Pippin sniffing obsessively around her bottom that alerted us. He's a good boy. She's been ok since, but I do get her glands emptied regularly without waiting for any scooting (which she doesn't do) or licking to start.

Let us know how she's getting on.

[team bella]

Last night she was very down and unhappy. She did not want to go out for her last walk at all.
I managed to get her to the end of the road and sort of hung around the grass area hoping she would do a wee, but nothing.
I tried again at about 11pm and still no progress. She had not had a wee since lunchtime so I was a bit worried about that. She would only drink water that I took to her and was off her food. Anyway she slept on my bedroom floor and not her usual sofa last night, it was like she didn't want to be on her own. This morning she didn't want to move and I had to pick her up and bring her downstairs. Again took her out and still no wee. Her bladder must have been full. When I got her back I noticed that her bottom was very dirty with horrible black stuff. I washed her bottom area as best I could without her yelping too much. I rang the vet at 8.30 and they said don't try to feed her and bring her in as she may have to have an op. Well when I put her lead on to go to the vet she seemed brighter and her tail was up. I took her outside and she did her wee (it had only taken 21 hours). Then she wanted to go on a little walk and seemed a lot happier. I rang the vet back and said I would wait and see how she went on for the rest of the day. So far she seems brighter and she did manage to give the postman what for when he dared to put post through the letterbox. She has rested a lot today and her snoring has been like a JCB which is normal for her. I think the combination of the warm bottom wash,antibiotics and painkillers are helping her. Hopefully when she's back at the vets tomorrow they'll be an improvement.
Thank you to everyone for the advice and experience its been so helpful and made me feel much better. I will try the hot flannel tonight as it will be easier than a bath.
Episode 2 will be tomorrow evening.