Anal Glands!

[Woodstock]

My three and a half year old border collie is driven nuts by her anal glands! They appear to fill up quite quickly and the slightest build up irritate her intensely enough for me to have to take her to the vet every 4 weeks to have them emptied. I have tried doing it myself, unsuccessfully, but the vet has said they are particularly small glands, deeply set, which is why I have struggled to empty her. I've asked the vet (2 actually)about having them removed, but they've both said they wouldn't want to do that as the glands are near a lot of nerve endings which if damaged could leave me with an incontinent dog! What I'd like to know is, how does anyone else deal with this problem and can anyone recommend a dietary aid/supplement that might help. Have Googled this but nothing I've tried yet has made any difference. This collie is the 4th dog I've had in my life and the only one that has had to have their anal glands emptied ever!

[aelmpvw]

some info here might help

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=diet+for+dogs+with+anal+gland+problems&oq=diet+for+dogs+with+anal+gland+problems&aqs=chrome..69i57.6765j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[ladybirder]

Good thread here on anal glands Woodstock, particularly Woofgang's comments.
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Animals-and-Nature/Pets/Question932722.html

[woofgang]

woodstock poor you poor dog....were the two vets you asked both at the same practice? I know they shouldn’t but sometimes vets do have a “practice opinion” on things which is not unreasonably based on their experiences at that surgery. I had a dog who needed regular emptying, as you say around once every four weeks but I learned to do it myself and it was never a problem. If your vets are dubious about doing the op, have they tried flushing the glands under GA? or have they even suggested this? If it was me,and I couldn’t deal with the problem myself, I would be asking for a specialist referral. With my dog, I tried all the suggested dietary stuff and none of it worked.

[hereIam]

I have had two dogs during my lifetime both of whom had problems with their anal glands. They both had them removed successfully and one of them was in the 1970's and the other in the 1990's. In the 70's I had no idea that the sphincter muscle could be accidentally nicked, but was made aware of it in the 90's. The vet said she had performed the op on many occasions and I trusted her. A change of diet didn't help my dog either. My present, and possibly last dog, doesn't have the problem, thank God! Good luck.

[Woodstock]

Thank you all for your interesting responses. I re-homed this dog when she was 14 months old and within weeks of having her she had to undergo 2 episodes of GA to have her anal glands flushed out and packed with antibiotics, then courses of oral antibiotics to kill infection. However, this hasn't stopped them from filling up quickly, and the dietary advice I have received/read hasn't helped at all. Yes, the 2 vets I questioned did work in the same practice, so it's likely I may need to ask for an alternative opinion. It's not that I mind taking my dog to the vet, and paying, so frequently, it's that she is driven demented by the irritation. She flies around the house, licking the walls, skirting boards, carpets, etc. constantly wants to be allowed into the garden where she chews anything green, plus soil, just to make herself vomit, in the hopes she'll make herself feel better. Really strange behaviour. Feel so sorry for her.

[hereIam]

After reading all the above Woodstock, I really think you should get them removed, she is in pain from them obviously and nothing seems to be helping. My two previous dogs were fine afterwards and as I said, one had the op. in the 70's, and I'm sure they are even more aware of any problems these days.

[hereIam]

Thank you Woodstock - hope she is ok x