Empty Your Dog’s Anal Sacs the Natural Way
Of late you notice your dog has been dragging his rear across the room, more frequently after he defecated. When you come close to him, there is this foul odor near his rear. Then, he becomes obsess in licking his rectal area. Upon scrutiny, you discovered a patch of baldness around it, and it is swollen or inflamed or there is a discharge emitted from the anal. Usually, these behaviors and signs indicate that your dog has a problem with his anal glands.
What Is the Function of Dog’s Anal Glands?
Dogs have two anal sacs located on each side of the anus (5 and 7 o’clock position). The sacs contain a strong-smelling liquid which is unique to each individual dog. They use it to mark their territory (I was here!) or when frightened, and also to identify each other—which you often see dogs sniffing each others rear end when they say hello. =|
What Is the Cause of Anal Sacs Problem?
The sacs normally release a little fluid (grayish or brown in color) through tiny openings whenever your dog defecates. They are then refilled every day. When the stools aren’t firm enough, they can’t exert enough pressure to empty the sacs. When this happens, the fluid will accumulate in the sacs and eventually becomes overfull and impacted, making the anal area itchy and sore.
Anal sacs problems are more common among smaller breed dogs, which many vets aren’t sure why it is so.
Tips to Ease your Dog’s Anal Sacs Woes
- Stop Feeding Table Scraps. Not all human food is suitable for dog consumption. Some food will cause stools to be unusually soft—result in more fluid built-up.
- Change Diet. If you are feeding low-quality dog food, try introducing a higher quality dog food that has at least two meat sources in the top 3 ingredients listed. A couple good examples of premium dog food are: Wysong and Taste of the Wild.
- Increase Fiber Intake. If you’re feeding your dog homemade food, give an additional half to one serving of vegetables as fiber absorbs large amounts of water in the intestine making the stools become larger. Hence it will put more pressure to empty the sacs.
- Walk Regularly and More. As I said in my dog constipation topic, exercise helps “things” moving in the right direction. Regular exercise strengthens the rectal and abdominal muscles.
- Epsom salts. It is said that soaking your dog’s butt with Epsom salts water will help liquefy the fluid in the anal sacs so that it will flows more easily. It also reduce swelling, relaxes muscles and among many other benefits. If your dog is not willing to rest his butt in a tub filled with two inches height of water for 10 minutes twice daily, then you may have to bring Epsom salt to his rear by using hand towel. First, pour a tablespoon of Epsom salt into a small basin filled with 1 liter of lukewarm water. Let the salt dissolved before soaking the hand towel. Wring it lightly and cup it to your dog’s rear for 10 minutes, twice daily. Thrice daily, if it is a severe anal sac problem.
Silica (Silicon dioxide). Silica is a homeopathic remedy that can help to treat anal sacs problems—swollen glands. It’s very useful especially for dogs who have frequent recurrence. Please consult your vet for the proper dosage for your dog. Alternatively, you may want to try Vetri-Science Fast Balance – G.I. (to be consumed) or AnalGlandz (to be applied) remedy which contain Silica as one of the ingredients. They are both easy to use and very effective, however I’m more incline to use Vetri-Science Fast Balance – G.I. as it has a host of other essential nutrients to promote healthy gastrointestional tract. 
Steps to Express the Anal Sacs
For immediate relief, you may have to express your dog’s anal sacs. It is best to have your vet or groomer showed you once before attempting the following techniques.
Warning: The fluid has an exquisite smell (some think it’s worse than skunk stink), so it’s best done before bath. Folks with long nails please do not attempt to do it yourself. Though we only use the sides of our finger tips, inexperience owners may accidentally use their nails to express the glands. So don’t traumatize your dog any further.
- Have your dog’s rear face 45 degree away from your face.
- Lift his tail up with one hand and place a folded paper towel on the other palm to catch the secretions. (Personally, I use my bare hand to catch the secretions as it’s much easier and faster than having to worry about the paper slicing off my palm.)
- Place your thumb and forefinger at the 5 and 7 o’clock position, slightly outside the circumference of the anus.
- Gently press inward on the sacs until the fluids are released.
- If nothing comes out the first time, slightly adjust the position of your fingers and retry. If you still can’t get any secretion out, stop trying. Pushing too hard can be painful for your dog and may also damage the sacs.
After you have tried all the above methods with no success (extremely rare but it happens), you may have to bring your dog to the vet immediately when…
- Your dog cringes whenever you touch the anal area.
- You notice large swelling or growths and it’s very sore.
- You notice the fluid contain blood or it has a gluey black substance.
Your dog could have anal-gland abscess which has become infected or ruptured. Your vet may suggest surgery to remove the sacs if all the above steps had taken and failed.
Final words: Remember, remedies are just remedies. They are not meant to be used on a long term basis. The only way to get out of this “predicament” for good is to change lifestyle as I stated in the first 4 tips above. Also I’d like add to the list is to get a good gastrointestinal supplement for your dog, for example, Only Natural Pet GI Support.
May 7th 2008
7:18 PM
Ok so my dog has problems with pooping. It always gets stuck and looks like it gets stopped up or something, leaving some of the poop dangling in the fur around his butt. What is going on and how can i fix this?
May 13th 2008
4:41 AM
Luisa,
Read my article on How To Help Dogs With Constipation. This might help your dog’s poop problem.
Secondly, trim the coat around his anal area.
May 14th 2008
10:48 PM
I believe my dog has expressed his anal secretions on the carpet, I can not get that smell out of it.It smells like a fishy ammonia, at first I thought he had urinated but when I brought him to the vet she told me that his anal glands were inflamed. I have washed the rug 5 times with my rug cleanner and the smell is still there, do you have any recomendation on what will get rid of that smell.
May 16th 2008
8:31 PM
Hi Sarah,
You may want to try this very good recipe for homemade carpet cleaner used in shampooers. If you don’t have a shampooer, it should be fine used by hand as well, as long as you use gloves, test it in an inconspicuous area first for color-fastness of your carpet.
# 1/4 cup lemon-scented ammonia
# 1/4 cup white vinegar
# 3 teaspoons ivory Joy dishwashing soap or any clear Joy dishwashing soap (non-moisturizer)
# hot water – mixed with the rest to bring it to a full gallon.
Vinegar is very good at removing odors.
Good luck.
Jun 23rd 2008
8:23 PM
I have a yorkie (not teacup) and he’s 2 yrs old and doesn’t have a problem w/ expressing his anal glands..they’ve never been impacted and he doesn’t scoot around or lick “down there,” but the problem is, they must fill up quickly or a lot b/c he’s always expressing them in the house. It’s disgusting!!! He doesn’t seem to express them when he goes potty…he waits till he’s on the couch or sitting on my lap! My vet has suggested the anal gland surgery and I took him for a second opinion, and she advised against it. I am at a loss!! Can you help at all with this?
Jun 25th 2008
1:02 AM
Hi Wendy,
I’m in favor with the latter opinion—no surgery…yet…until you resort all holistic options. If this is the first that your yorkie has anal glands problem, all the more you should avoid any invasive treatment.
Have you tried expressing his anal sacs? If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, you can get some professionals to do it for a fee (free, if you live next door to me!). I highly recommend you keep a bottle of AnalGlandz handy should you encounter similar situation in future.
Hope this helps.
Jul 22nd 2008
10:45 PM
Bailey is a 7 yr old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. In April 2008, he suffered a ruptured left anal sac abscess (no prior history of anal sac problems). The vet treated him with antibiotic infusion and oral antibiotics for 14 days. 30 days later the vet expressed “very thick pasty” secretions from the left sac. 30 days later the vet expressed “very thick pasty secretions from the left sac and slightly thickened secretions from the right sac”.
We were told to return in 10 days for anal sac antibiotic infusion. It was then that I found your website. I started the Epsom salt soaks according to your instructions using a damp warm towel to his butt, just under his tail, 10 minutes, twice a day. We had our follow-up visit yesterday and we were told that Bailey’s anal glands were “PERFECTLY NORMAL” !!! and to “KEEP UP WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING” !!!
I will continue with the soaks, once a day for 30 days at which point we have another follow up visit with our vet who by the way wanted to know EXACTLY what it was I did as the improvement was so dramatic.
I want to thank you for the information you have posted for the public. As a pet owner anything I can SAFELY do to ward off an invasive procedure for Bailey is worth the effort.
Sincerely, Mary Ann
Jul 22nd 2008
10:48 PM
I’m so happy to hear that Bailey didn’t have to go through drastic measures to eliminate the secretions. As holistic practitioners, we seek noninvasive treatments before the conventional way. One of my goals is to educate dog owners in seeking alternative treatments.
Thank you, Mary Ann and of course Bailey too.
Oct 5th 2008
7:39 PM
Thank you for this informative post. My dog is old and he needs one of these about once every three months. The vet was charging 75 a pop. I did it my self tonight and it worked just fine. My dog was happy.
Nov 29th 2008
3:35 PM
Wow! We have 2 black cocker spainiels who used to have anal gland problems. They used to look like a NASCAR race as they scooted in circles around our family room carpet.
We found out that if we feed them birthday cake (store-bought from Kroger, etc) that their anal glands are never a problem. A piece of birthday cake a day or so seems to alleviate any problems. I wonder if it’s something in the cake, frosting, or maybe an emotional thing.
Does anyone know or has anyone else found that bithday cake works?
– Rob –
Dec 2nd 2008
8:58 PM
Bobbye etal – I have poodles. We got so tired of the carpet wiping that we replaced all of it with Pergo. They continued their floor gland release escapades even after the carpet was removed, looked like snail tracks. We then decided to “think out of the box” and found a great solution. A little cayene pepper spinkled in their favorite wipe haunts within the house seems to had gotten their attention. Problem solved. Has anyone else tried this?
Dec 19th 2008
12:38 AM
One minor point. I should have specified white cake and white icing seems to be more effective than chocolate/dark cake and icing. With the darker confectionary ingrediants, it makes it much harder to decipher a real problem. It is hard to visually tell the difference between true seepage of the anal glands verses when your dog just happens to have dark cake/icing on his posterior. Both deliver dark spots or ‘snail tracks’ as Liola calls them. An easy way to tell if it’s confectionary or canine is a simple smell test. Not fun, but it works. Buy white cake/icing!!
Dec 28th 2008
11:53 PM
Bobbye,
STOP! Never give a dog chocolate of any kind. Are you nuts? And cake? I don’t think this is working, it’s something else you are doing but not the cake. And chocolate is FATAL to dogs! I sure hope you read this!
Jan 2nd 2009
10:34 AM
Bobbye,
Hope you and your cockers had a great Christmas (hope you don’t mind me saying Christmas) and Happy New Year to the forum. Here’s to a year free of anal sac seepage.
I actually think you’re OK with the White Cake with White icing approach. I think even a little chocolate in moderationis OK as I’ve read it’s really more like a Benadryl effect. In fact my poodles got into a bunch of “fair trade” organic chocolates this Christmas and just slept a little more than normal. Their anal gland secretions ceased completely during this time as well. Must have been these organic chocolates.
Unfortunately, they’re back in full force and still require my cayene pepper treatments. They like chocolate so much that I hate having to use the cayene pepper. Have you done any experimenting to determine how much chocolate is required based on things like dog weight?
Jan 3rd 2009
10:37 AM
I read an earlier post on here saying about a yorkie having anal problems!!! I also have a yorkie and the advice wasn’t what i was looking for!! We have no problem with going to the toilet or with getting the seepage out she manages tht all by herself … we would like to know how to stop it coming out when shes relaxed????
Jan 5th 2009
11:58 PM
Michelle – You bring up a good point. I don’t have Yorkies but I do have poodles. My poodles don’t have seepage when they’re relaxed but they do have “bring tears to your eyes” gas when they sleep. They sleep in our room at night and sometimes you think a biological weapon had been released. I’m not sure if seepage while relaxed is similar to sleep gas, but here’s what we discovered. A Fiber One bar (they really like chocolate) in the morning’s seems to help keep them regular which in turn relieves any backed up gas. Would this work for relaxed seepage also ?
Jan 9th 2009
6:25 PM
Whoa boy. What a great Christmas I had. Thank ya Liola for the kind words and great insight on the poodles. Ironically I was in China for the holidays and stayed with some great animal lovers over there. Mi and Tom introduced the idea of Eastern medicine (all natural) for dogs to me. We had long discussions about the anal sac/seepage/cake/chocolate/cayanne issue. Mi showed me on a ‘Canine Meridian Chart’ that anal sac problems in Eastern medicine (TCM) was what she called a ‘liver fire’ problem. Her charts show the exact accupunture points on a dog to apply 4 small needles. She said acupuncture is used to “communicate” with body organs and tissues through special channels, meridians, or pathways. HERE’s the neat thing: ANYONE CAN DO IT! Simply hold the dog from the back of the neck, gently work in 2 needles centered at the base of each ear. Leave the needles in for 3-4 hours, then remove. Repeat for 7 days straight, then the treatment is complete. Wah-lah…no more anal gland problems..liver fire Chi is balanced. While in China, we practiced on several dogs..it’s easy, and the dogs really don’t mind once they get used to the needles. I’m thinking accupuncture and Traditional Chinese (all-natural) Medicine is a beautiful answer. I’m going to try on my cockers and see if it works. Starting 1/7/2009.
Jan 13th 2009
3:30 PM
Liola thanks for the info its working so far!!!!
Mar 4th 2009
1:02 AM
LIOLA,
HOW COULD YOU USE CAYENNE PEPPER? THAT IS CRUEL!!!!
Mar 4th 2009
6:50 PM
Hey, Hey! I’m back with a good report. Bobbye here. Sorry for the delay since my last post – it’s been almost 2 months and I owe everyone an update on my trial accupunture (see post of 1/9/2009).
First, some house cleaning… I had some legal issues but everything is OK now. Second, the accupuncture trial did NOT go well. I DO NOT recommend it!!
My good Chinawoman friend Mi and her accupunture ‘Canine Meridian Chart’, dog anal sac problems, Eastern medicine (TCM), and her ‘liver fire’ assesment theory DID NOT WORK for me. First both of my dogs were not keen on needles behind their ears. I don’t know if it was the loud TV, the time of day, or if I lost my touch…but neither dog liked it. I did manage to try it for about a week, but then I had a bigger issue – swelling behind the ears and REALLY unhappy dogs. I called it quits when on the last day my older dog bit me for the first time ever! It must have been bothering him because he also pooped in the whole commotion. DON’T DO IT. BAD IDEA.
I’ve gone back to birthday cake (Kroger) and as before, that’s working like a charm… tried & true & both owner and canines are happy. If all we’re trying to do is to stop the ‘scooting’ and ‘seeping’, birthday cake works for me.
I repeat: I DO NOT RECOMMEND THE ACCUPUNTURE – I got bit (and one of the neighbor ladies told me I was an idiot).
Hey, Liola – do you grow your own cayenne peppers? Do you blend your peppers & do it yourself, or do you buy the pepper from the store? I’m thinking about trying your technique. (My neighbor’s dog has anal gland issues & scooting, I told him about your holistic approach and he wants to try it).
Thanks ya’ll, Don’t do the needles behind the ears thing.
Mar 15th 2009
7:00 PM
Thought I might pass along something me and my wife have found that works. We found it out by accident. We’ve got 3 eighty-pound blue tick coon hounds (Moe, Larry, and Shemp) that we’ve kind of made into house pets. And they didn’t used to leave “snail tracks” as Bobbye and Liola say. It looked more like you’d dragged three dead wet coons through the parlor. It was terrible. Then one day, my wife Betty and I just kind of snapped. I had Betty hold Larry down (she’s a rather husky woman) and I went to express his anal glands with the shop vac. The other 2 dogs witnessed this and soon all three were howling. Needless to say, Larry didn’t like this. But, we accidentally solved the problem. We now leave the shop vac parked in the parlor (their favorite scoot-torium) abd they’ve quit. Everytime it looks like they’re going to drop their hiney, we just tap the shop vac and they go out and scoot their little hearts (and hineys) out.
Also, Bobby, the wife and I are so happy now to have solved this problem, that I bought Betty a Kroger cake to celebrate. Thanks for the idea!
Apr 30th 2009
4:24 PM
My golden retriever had her anal glands expelled by the vet 4 days ago. She is still scooting her butt though right before or after she has a bowel movement. Is this normal? Her butt isn’t red of inflamed at all. But, still seems to be bothering her. This was the first time she had the procedure done.
Jun 19th 2009
8:39 PM
I have an American Cocker that I recently got fromt the shelter, and it had been tied up in the front with the stitches from neutering and having a hernia operated on at the same time. I followed through with instructions of having the stitches removed at the Vets on specified time, only to learn they had become imbedded. Because he was in pain, the Vet suggested I take him back and get myself another dog. Instead, I took him to another Vet and had him checked out, and he told me he was doing fine. Thought that was the end of my problems, but he has a chronic anal gland, and becomes very agressive with my other dog, a schnauzer/terrior mix. After sending him to boot camp, whereas, he was given very good marks on everything, he comes home only to be the dog he was before. So now I express his anal gland, and although it has calmed him down, he is still being nasty at times, and I know it is his butt. I feed him Hollistic foods, but I do give him skinned chicken breasts from the table, and sometimes carrots that have been cooked. Oh, and I wipe his butt with Tucks after expressing it. I’ll take all the help I can get, because I’m a determined cuss who have my dogs as my constant companions. Thank you, Lynne
Jun 20th 2009
5:31 PM
Lynne,
Bobbye here. I have two male cockers, so I’m fairly knowledged about them and their ASP’s (Anal Sac Problems).
See previous posts, but I will make a couple of quick helpful comments. One, I know I, myself, as a human being am accused of “being nasty at times, and I know it is my (his) butt.”. When my ole donkey (rear-end) is smokin’ hot, I can be one irritable man. So first, try to put yourself in his shoes… if your bottom hurt like it had been stung by a swarm of bees, I think you’ll agree you might not be too cheery.
Second, for me and my dogs, Kroger birthday cake has done a LOT…(see posts above). Do NOT..I repeat, do NOT try accupuncture on your dog if anyone recommends that. Good luck.
– Bobbye –
Jun 20th 2009
6:20 PM
Lynne,Bobbye is right. Try to be as patient as possible with your cocker. I know my wife, Betty, has similar problems as Bobbye. She can be the sweetest thing on God’s green earth, but let her piles start acting up and me and the dogs go to the other end of the property! She can just sit down wrong (she’s a rather husky woman) and whammo, momma’s gonna need an exorcist. I think it’s the same way with a dog’s bottom discomfort. And I know it sounds crazy, but Bobbye’s right about the Kroger birthday cake, too. It works! For our dogs’ anal sac problems and my wife likes cake, too! Do NOT try the accupuncture thing, but if all else fails, see the above entry concerning the shop vac. Solved mine and Betty’s problem.
Jun 21st 2009
9:46 PM
Lynne,
Eb and Bobbye are amateurs. The solution is pretty simple. In fact with this approach you can pretty much schedule your Cocker like clockwork. To get him/her started each day, give 4oz of Sunsweet Prune Juice from Walgreens (used to use Fiber One bars – see previous posts). The theory here is; regular BM’s reduce pressure on anal glands. If you need to counteract the Prune Juice effect, then feed him/her a coconut macaroon (read this in newspaper to address nervous Greyhound stomach). Refine the dietary supplements as necessary for desired effect. This is provided as guidance only. Use at your own risk.
Jul 13th 2009
10:10 AM
Hello! I read somewhere that adding fibersure to your dog’s food or water would help. What dosage though? My mini schnauzer/terrier weighs 20 pounds. Thanks
Aug 6th 2009
6:01 PM
Hello – I have a young border collie – 2 1/2 years old. He is my first dog that I have to express his anal glands at least every 3 weeks or he leaks. Ugh. It seems like it is getting more frequent that I need to express his glands. I had to do it last night after only 2 1/4 weeks as he leaked on the front seat of my car (no scooting, licking, etc, just leaking and stinking). He gets a premium food, tons of exercise, etc. Only once was the discharge thicker and I think infected, otherwise, it’s a clear yellow, but oh so smelly. Is there something I can do to reduce the production or storage of this fluid? thanks, jennifer
Sep 12th 2009
2:00 AM
For the last five days I have been looking for an alternative to the anal sac removal surgery my vet had recommended.
Foremost, my dog is 13 years old and seven pound yorkie. I see the risks of anestesia at her age and was nervous about it.
Today I read the post about the Cavalier spaniel above and it gave me hope as she has an abscess that burst and an infection that is being cleared with two weeks of antibiotics. I plan to follow the steps they did and buy the epsom salt tonight.
Thank you soooo much for having this great site!!!
I’ll keep you guys posted!
Nov 14th 2009
4:56 AM
Way to go Liola, you are so stupid that you admitted the problem is diet related and then go on and burn your dogs ass. It would be my pleasure to spray a few blasts of cayenne pepper straight up your stupid asshole and see how u like it.
Bobbye, you arent any smarter. You stick needles in a dogs ears to cure an anal gland problem. Why didnt I think of that!? U actually believed that shit, wow. I dont know who is more stupid.
This isnt the animal abuse hotline. Both of your methods are disgusting. I have never witnessed two people brag about mistreating pets like this in my life. I thought it had to be a joke, but it is just two morons abusing animals.
Nov 14th 2009
4:58 AM
Mod, if you dont want to post the above post I understand. Can you please send a copy to Liola and Bobbye, or call animal rights on them.
Nov 28th 2009
10:22 PM
Guy,
Your post sounds very angry. This makes me very sad. I am so sorry you felt the need to use coarse language and threats. This used to really offend me, but my therapist and parole officer taught me years ago that most of the time people are just needing a hug. So, my heart goes out to you with a big, big hug attached.
Relative to the blog, most everyone has been very kind, supportive and willing to share their unique ideas and perspectives they’ve tried with their dogs. What a true show of love. Personally, I really appreciate the diversity and breadth of methods. It allows us all to learn together during this journey.
My dogs and I have settled in on the chocolate Kroger birthday cake and Fiber One bar regiment. All of us have lost weight, are happier, less constipated, and our anal glands (seepage for humans) has all but cleared up. I am amazed and thankful that animals and humans are so close in construction that identical treatments apply. This has practically become a family tradition that we (myself and my poodles) do together.
On a different note, has anyone else allowed there dogs to treat on the Turkey carcasses after Thanksgiving (we call it Fall Celebration)? It’s really hard to get all of the meat off of the bones and the dogs are really good at it. I just hate to see food go to waste and the dogs love it. I guess my question is this; Is it OK if they eat the bones as well?
I’m wondering if it would help lubricate and reduce anal gland issues also?
Nov 28th 2009
10:55 PM
Oh, my! Somebody’s got his little garanimals all up in a wad. Guy, (is it pronounced “gee” or does it rhyme with bi?) this hostility toward diversity and progressive ideas doesn’t serve our little friends or their little anal sac maladies well at all. And the vulgar language is so sophomorically judgemental. I, too, am sending a great big hug your way. Liola, it takes real courage to address your issues. Sounds like you’ve done that with your therapist. It’s nothing to be afraid of, Guy. On another note, don’t be afraid, guys, (no pun intended) to try the shopvac-to-the-anus routine I told you about. Works like a charm. And the Kroger birthday cake really does work! Let’s all just take a deep breath (through our mouths) and see if we can find that peaceful space again where we were being supportive of each others’diverse anal gland expressing techniques.
Nov 29th 2009
9:07 AM
Whoh, whoah, ya’ll boys. Ya’ll just ruined my Thanksgiving. This year’s Thanksgiving went so well, then I come home to this. As Rodney King said, “Why can’t we all just get along?”. This is a dog blog for goodness sakes.
Some fella named ‘Guy’ just hops onto a really great and informative small dogs help community site then gets ugly, threatens people, expresses fascination with another man’s anus, and then uses vulgar language amongst other things.
The querulous and vindictive behavior of Guy is concerning. Guy’s explosive responses make dogs and dog anal gland issues to be much foofaraw in comparison.
Guy, it’s really healthy and good for you to express your feelings, your frustrations, your pent-up anger, your fantasies about other men’s anus, ‘my pleasure’, and the Cayenne. HOWEVER, this really isn’t the correct forum to act out those fantasies or lash out at other human beings. We are all here to help our dogs – we love our dogs and are here to help share constructive ideas to help each other.
I’d love to give you a great big virtual hug. I really would. I hope you can find happiness some day. I mean this in love, though…. please deal with your anger and irresponsible verbal judo before you consider becoming a pet owner. The last thing any of us want is for you to become the next Michael Vick.
OK, on a positive note, old friends, we have a 9 week old white/yellow male labrador puppy. We’re giving him small pieces of Kroger birthday cake already to condition his glands… he just loves it.
“If you’re angry at a loved one, hug that person. And mean it. You may not want to hug – which is all the more reason to do so. It’s hard to stay angry when someone shows they love you, and that’s precisely what happens when we hug each other. ~Walter Anderson, The Confidence Course, 1997″
– Bobbye –
Dec 1st 2009
11:45 AM
I’m a registered veterinary technician and while I can appreciate the desire for a holistic approach to pet care I feel bad if I didn’t voice my opinions. Chocolate is indeed toxic to dogs and working in an emergency vet hospital I’ve seen the harmful effects first hand. About 1 teaspoon of canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix, just canned pumpkin) provides increased fiber for your dog’s diet without the added sugar of cake. I’ve also worked a veterinarian licensed to perform acupunture on animals. I’m thinking that the swollen ears was a possible infection/irritation due to unsterilized needles. You really should not perform acupunture at home. And the best method to help prevent anal gland issues may be to just get them expressed regularly. If you get tired of having your vet, or more likley the vet techs, doing it, ask them to teach you. We don’t really enjoy it, I promise. And please, ask your vet before trying something new. You’d be amazed at what seems harmless turns out to be quite harmful.
Dec 17th 2009
6:19 AM
Eb,
You mentioned coal oil at one point. Can you re-broadcast your luck with coal oil for treating the stinker sacs, and how you did it? Also, did you buy the oil or make it? preshate it.
– Bobbye –
Jan 5th 2010
12:05 PM
I HAVE A CHIHUAHUA A LITTLE UNDER 5 LBS. HER ANAL GLAND BECAME INFECTED AND RUPTURED. MY VET PRESCRIBED ORAL ANTIBIOTICS. THE RUPTURED GLAND LOOKS AWFUL. SHOULD I APPLY ANYTHING TO KEEP IT CLEAN? DO YOU SUGGEST USING THE EPSON SALT SOLUTION ON THE RUPTURED GLAND? ALSO I HEARD THAT FEEDING DOGS CANNED PUMPKIN RESULTS IN FIRMER STOOL. DO YOU SUGGEST I ADD PUMPKIN TO HER DIET? THNX
–PATTI
Jan 8th 2010
4:03 PM
How do you know your dogs anal gland is infected? I think my Yorkie Samie’s also is infected. I had a hard time going in to get to the gland. and also the discharge was long and stringy and had a yellow green color to it. I was alarmed. She is on ammox for 2 wks but I am wondering if it’s ruptered.
Jan 18th 2010
3:33 PM
I have a Chow/German mix that cannot eat any sort of dog food. He also has hip issues already at just 3 yrs old.For breakfastto keep him comfortable & keep his bones strong, I give him 3 tbls FF yogurt & 3 tbsp low fat cottage cheese, then I sprinkle with ground Glucosamine, shark cartilage 7 calcium.He has not felt pain since I began giving him this recipe. Prior, we had to rush him to hospital, he could not even stand up or walk for 2 days & was crying so loudly.
For dinner, I cook him Groung turkey, green beans, carrots & brown rice w/ sweet potatoe too. He has lost 10 lbs( needed to ), however he constantly does that Butt rubbing in circles on carpet. I took him to have his anal glands drained 2 weeks ago & he felt so happy & had so much energy, he wouldn’t stop kissing me, and he’s not a generous kisser at all. He became a different calm dog. My neighbors even noticed. He does get a little bit of my fish from table but nothing else that is not good for him.My question is, because his stool is very soft & seems like it’s not enough, so to speak.I can’t afford to have a Vet check him right now, should I go ahead & have the Vet office excrete his glands again so soon ? Is there anything anyone would suggest I might be doing wrong with his diet?I’ve done quite abit of research to make sure he is getting proper protein carbs, fiber & such. Any help would be really appreciated.He is realy uncomfortable & is looking at me, as if to say, your suppose to help me, do something, Please ? Thanks in advance! Colleen
Jan 23rd 2010
2:38 AM
Just wanted to give an update on my 13 year old Yorkie.
After the antibiotics finished, I continue Epson salt treatments for two weeks three times a day. I also added in a walk before her bedtime and changed her food to an all natural brand with 3 proteins. It’s been months now and she has had no reoccuring infections since!
This site saved me $1600 that the vet wanted for the surgery.
Thanks!
Feb 27th 2010
6:31 AM
you was very helpful,lucy my 6yr old chichuahua was constantly licking her rectum that’s what made me check and see what was wrong,she had a brownish type liquid barely seeping out,w/ a slight odor,not too bad!so i noticed when she went outside to use the bathroom that she yelped when she was tring to do a bowel movement and that’s when i knew i had to do somethin fast!i will take her to her vet 1st thing monday but for no i’m going to try to extract the glands myself.this was the ony site i found theinfo helpful.
May 24th 2010
6:39 AM
Maybe Guy was a bit rude with his comment but overall he is right. I can’t believe someone would feed chocolate cake to a dog. It’s so dangerous for them!
And for the person who inserted needles into her dog trying to achieve acupuncture….wow.
I don’t doubt you had good intentions but that is not something for a novice to do.
May 25th 2010
9:07 AM
Hey Eb… question for you or anyone else.
(I’m recovering from a fall but doing OK. Fell out of a helicopter but luckily there was a nice soft tree.)
Have you ever heard about taking a dog noodling with you where the water & movement will naturally release the anal glands? A good friend takes his lab all the time and he ain’t never had no anal problems. Swears it’s the warm lake or river water.
I can’t go stumpin’ until my body heals from my fall, but come June I can. Let me know. I’d like to take my two Cockers out.
- Bobbye –
Jul 7th 2010
2:30 PM
We have a mail english bulldog ,he’s 2 years old,we got him from a lady who didn’t won’t him any longer so a friend of mine call me and I went to go get him,well when my friend open the back of his truck to let him out he was sorry thaat he hadn’t clean him up,he took him to the back gave him a bath and we were on our way,me and my wife smelled this horrible oder and couldn’t make out whare it was comeing from it was “MEATS” back end,I ve seen post about the anal glands,but I have 1 problem,hewont let any 1 touch him back there to do the 5 7 procedure,he won’t let us spray antiseptic medicated spray on him! He snaps and trys to bite,but he’s not realy biteing just snaping and turning away! I’m we r all in love with the big baby. But I half to get rid of this smell and him being HEALTHIE is mymaine conern! And ima lil short on cash to got to the vet! What can I do? Please help?
Jul 7th 2010
2:44 PM
Hi Michael & Melanie,
Have you tried going to the groomer yet? For all I know some nice souls (including vets and technicians) will empathize your situation and do it for free. It would be good to ask them to show you as you are keen to learn for future use.
HTH