Our 7yr old Basenji is having one hell of a time with one anal gland. I would like to hear from anyone who has had their dogs anal glands removed. What issues did developed?
Steve,Kathy,Josh & Morpheus the Basenji
2004 40' TSDP Country Coach Inspire DaVinci
350 Cummins, 3000 Allison
2008 Wrangler X Sahara/Blue OX Tow Bar/Apollo Brake
I don't like to do removals without good reason (cancer, severe repeated infections). There is a fairly high incidence of complication with this surgery. You can't do surgery around the rectum without having to deal with infection. Many nerves dealing with the muscles controlling defecation go near the area of surgery. Fecal incontinence if a common problem, but is usually temporary. Even knowing the potential downside, you may still opt for surgical removal with chronic problems.
Doug, DVM
Doug & Sandy
Megan (14 yr old Golden)
2008 Southwind
2001 Honda CRV
Doug, thanks for the reply. That's exactly what my vet and I are discussing. The one gland has enlarged twice in the last year resulting in bursting - it looks like a fistula has formed due to the rupture. We are treating with an antinflammatory and an antibiotic. We are also using Synotic (with DMSO) externally to hopefully keep the glands soft and feeding pumpkin once a day to harden the bm to help the glands express. It has been a journey but I think my dog may need expressing once a month.
Ted (the wonder dog) has a problem where his glands do not self express and we have to do the nasty job 2 to 3 times a week. When we see him constantly licking at his butt, we know it is time.
Ted also has alergies and it seems like it is a constant cycle of licking paws to licking butt to paws to butt.
We have talked to the vet at length and he has said same as already posted here.
I will keep watch of this thread as people "express themselves"
Brian, Donna, and Ted the dog.
2006 Dodge MegaCab 2500 Laramie 4x2 CTD 48RE 3.73 gears
Firestone AirBags - 16K Reese with Slider
2006 River Canyon 34KSTSO - TrailAir Pin - XPS RIBS 245/75/16
Our dog just had to have both sides of the gland removed. Turns out it was cancer. Thank God, we've got a terrific vet! He had been having problems getting the glands expressed. This time, it was really hard and another vet that works for our vet asked her to biopsy it. She did and said the mass seemed to pop out intact. She did a blood test on him this a.m. to get a baseline calcium test and everything is normal. No enlarged glands, etc., that she could feel. He's 12 years old. I'm not going to put him thru chemotherapy. It's bad enough for humans. I'm going to just hope and pray that we caught it in time. As far as the problems we had, he'd have an accident holding his stool but at least it wasn't runny. That lasted for about a week. He's okay now...just a little calling card when barks. Nothing I can't put up with. It's almost stopped though. I don't regret having it done.
Our L'il Jack, a 4# chihuahua had his done about 4 weeks ago. Both surgically removed and the only thing that worried me a bit a couple weeks after the surgery was the incotinence issue. He would poop while lying down as his muscles weren't strong enough to control it. He is much better now and his muscles are getting stronger everyday and he has much more control. It is a long healing process, but his glands were so bad and kept rupturing and were infected all the time, it was worth it to get his done.
JJ & Sandie
Li'l Jack, Pickles & Bunny the chihuahuas...Chewy, poodle 6/15/95-7/4/08 We will always love you Chooch.
2003 Chevy 2500HD,LT,CC,SB,4x4,Duramax/Allison
2007 Starcraft Homestead 262RKS
I've been home 2 hrs after taking my 3 y/o Coton to the vet where a tech expressed his glands relieving my dog of infected nastiness. This is his first time with this problem. I appreciate the DVMs post. How cool, a vet on board!
Been there done that years ago with the expressing them, IMHO all this does is 'exasperate the condition'. Many will do it on their own if we as owners stopped intervening. I too was quilty of going in and expressing them when 'I' thought it should be done.
We found that diet is the cause, changed our feeding progam and 'never' had the problem again with any of our dogs, 20 years and running!
Here is a 'simple' explanation. Not a be all end all and you should consult your vet. But I've seen a lot vets to quick to go in with the knife when it is 'not' necessary and as doc said it is not a wise thing to do unless deemed there is no alternative. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1664&articleid=1179
31 ft Four Winds
Chevy Tracker 4x4 Blue Ox We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
Interesting theory that adding fiber will fix the condition. In my experience, more fiber equals a softer (although bulkier) stool and if you want firm stools, a low carb diet is a much better bet. Raw is great, with raw bone in it, but in the kibble realm the most tightening food I know of is Innova EVO. That produces a noticeably firmer stool compared to the raw food with bones in it alone.
My two get both and let me tell you, being used to their firm stools makes picking up those stray piles I find pretty gross... its like marshmallow poop!
susan
What I want to know is, when are they going to start selling Comfort Zone for HUMANS????? 'Cause some days...
Code2High wrote: Interesting theory that adding fiber will fix the condition. In my experience, more fiber equals a softer (although bulkier) stool and if you want firm stools, a low carb diet is a much better bet. Raw is great, with raw bone in it, but in the kibble realm the most tightening food I know of is Innova EVO. That produces a noticeably firmer stool compared to the raw food with bones in it alone.
My two get both and let me tell you, being used to their firm stools makes picking up those stray piles I find pretty gross... its like marshmallow poop!
I also fed my Golden Innova EVO and agree about the marked reduction in stool production. However, my dog's coat became thinner and dull. As soon as I took her off the food, her coat returned and it became shiny again. I'd rather pick up more stools than have my dog suffer from some deficiency. All that being said, Innova is generally accepted as being a superior food for dogs. It just didn't work for mine.
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