Anal gland expressing...

**Nicki** · 4th January 2006, 06:28 PM

Just wanted to check if anyone else has come across this.

Last night, when I was combing Teddy's tail, he suddenly expressed some liquid and stuff from his anal glands. They weren't compacted, infected or even smelly

{'m a bit obsessive about checking them as the other two have had impacted glands before, so check at least every other day icon_yikes }

This is the 2nd time this has happened, both times when I've been combing his tail and I wondered if maybe pulling on the tail slightly in a certain direction could cause this?

He wasn't at all distressed and didn't cry out or anything.

**Moviedust** · 4th January 2006, 07:31 PM

If you can encourage Teddy's anal glads to express just by combing his tail, that's quite a useful trait!

We had the vet express Cedar's anal glands when she was about 3 or 4 mo old. Her stools were pretty runny then, and she wasnt able to express them on her own. She's done fine now with a change of food; her stools are firmer and she hasnt had any more problems. I'm glad, as I do not think I could express her glands myself and I would have to have to pay the vet to do it frequently! Now, if I knew I could express them by combing her tail.... it might not be such a bad experience!

**rory** · 5th January 2006, 01:09 AM

Good sign that he's able to express them on his own! this indicates he hopefully wo n't have trouble with them getting blocked. I'm sure pulling on the tail when you're brushing it changes the muscles around so that the anal gland opens and lets some fluid out. My cat does this, too....

Fi · 6th January 2006, 11:52 AM

Ladys stools are like an icescream cone stool rather then a log, i this ok or should i be looking at changing her diet?

**Nicki** · 7th January 2006, 08:45 PM

I hadn't thought of it like that - I guess it is preferable to getting blocked glands

Even though I was brushing him on our bed - fortunately with a cover underneath him at the time...and when I'd cleaned him up, he then tried to eat the tissue

What a little charmer!!

Fi, it sounds like Lady's stools are a bit soft - maybe best to start a new thread about feeding, so that people see it. Also go back through the old threads about feeding. I'm a big fan of Burns foods personally - the dogs do small firm poos on this - however I do think you need to give them bran a couple of times a week, to add bulk and empty the anal glands properly. They have about 3 teaspoons - mixed with water - and it's wheatbran, NOT human All Bran cereal.

**toblerone** · 30th June 2007, 04:59 AM

boy am i grateful for the search function on this board! i have a friend's cavalier staying with us for a couple of weeks. tonight i was brushing his tail (which is far more beautiful than either of my two's tails) and i noticed a very unpleasant smell. upon checking further i found that his anal glands had emptied. i was worried about this and was checking all sorts of sites thinking i had an emergency on my hands. then i searched here. i will watch him carefully in the next few days, but i'm pretty sure it was the same reflex you had seen.

margaret

**Caraline** · 30th June 2007, 06:41 AM

Yeah I think that is a great thing that they are so easily expressed. I have heard other say that by just pressing gently near the anus the anal glands had emptied. Sure beats really having to squeeze & cause pain.