All right my little dog sectioneeers ! I need technical assistance.?

I had it done at the Vets but I only had 1 girl that cried and the rest never said a word till it was to late and burst.Then I switched their diet and have'nt had a problem in 3 years.I just came from my Holistic Vet and we were talking about anal glands,passing the time while the Acupunture did it's job,and she said it's a wheat allergy that the anal glands have problems!! So since I give nothing that contains wheat and I have no more problems that could be the culprit..I saw a video on ehow.com on how to express and only did it once myself..But thank goodness I don;t have to do it anymore..

I'm a little puzzled by the 10 & 2--isn't that for hands on the steering wheel? I seem to be finding the anal sacs more at 5 & 7... or even 4 & 8.

After you've done it once it'll be old hat. The technique is the same once you've located them, they feel like half a grape (sorry, probably sworn you off of grapes now for life.). A steady pressure from the back of the anal sac gently towards the exterior, you'll be able to feel the fluid expressing.

add to Thwarted- thanks for your correction (no TD from me by the way). Your answer made me stop and think for a minute though--hmm..what the heck have I been expressing at 5 & 7, if the sacs are at 10 & 2?

I like both for different reasons. I have a little dog right now (we live in an apartment), and it is nice to have a dog that is easy to get around and can cuddle on my lap without making my legs go numb. That being said, big dogs can be a lot of fun because they just feel like little horses lol. Plus I find medium-big dogs easier to train then most little dogs (probably cuz most bigger dogs were bred to be working dogs and therefore needed to be trained).

I would not suggest to try to express his anal glands from the outside, if they are set further back.

From the inside you use a well lubed gloved finger, Insert it in ;p Like Thwarted said located at 10 and 2. You should be able to feel a bulge internally so get behind that and use your thumb on the outside and finger on the inside and apply gentle pressure. They should begin to drain. I always watch the fluid and report to my vet if it appears grainy, thick, or if it contains pus. Those things require antibiotic use usually.

Oh the fun stuff we do for our doggies!

PS. Take him in next time and I am sure your vet would be thrilled to slap a glove on you and have you get a good feel for technique with them assisting. HAHA

ADD> I always do it in the tub...Easy to wash away the mess and get rid of remnants of smell. I have gotten in the habit of checking them at bath time. Usually if you pull the tail straight up and feel on either side of the rectum you can feel if they are full or not.

Like anything else they take a little bit of practice to get good at them. There are many youtube videos on anal gland expression. As a groomer an a vet tech I've done my own and everyone else's. They're easy once you know where to find them. I do them in the tub so I can rinse the grossness down the drain. don't get your face to close and keep your mouth closed as you don't want this fluid in either place.

the technique would still be the same, but you would have to do a little more "searching" to find them, usually they are located at 5 and 7, since they are set back it maybe harder to try to express them from the outside, usually you will only need a little pressure and you push upwards to express from the outside, but if you are not able to feel the glands from the outside then I do not think this method would work for your dog,this method rarely empties the glands just gets it to a more comfortable level for the dog.

Dakota, you can get used to the smell or do it outside, I suggest using a glove and of course some lube (petroleum jelly works fine) and keep a piece of paper towel under the anus to catch the fluid, unless if they are really full it should not go flying out.

edit the TD's for me are right, it is not at 10 and 2 IDK why I put that, it is the opposite at they are at 5 and 7

"All right my little dog sectioneeers" this is part of why I'm in the "We love Bells" club. Haha dog sectioneeers....

Anyway ok I can not help with your q. The diet thing kind of helps my dogs not need their anal glands expressed and I guess breed helps...lots of topics about with a dog's butt isn't there.. the RawChat group probably would give you good step by step instructions whether you feed raw or not.

... I had never in my life heard of such a thing until I started hanging out with Pug owners. No joke. None of the dogs I have ever been around in my life, nor any of the dogs I or my family had owned ever needed it.

The smell was new to me & I can't say I'm all that thrilled to have my eyes opened to this..um.. lovely part of dog ownership.

Your braver than me for attempting it on your own that's for sure!

Starred for because I'm sure my other contacts have more experience with this than I do.

This is a good question, I'm curious of the answers. I've been wanting to do it myself too, but I'm agraid I'll need to buy a gasmask and raincoat first. I've tried before and couldn't do it, and I'm afraid to be splattered >.<

well as long as you know what your doing good luck to you & it saves you money to pay the vet to do it..

man its a messy job I have a female dog that has to go every month to have her;s cleaned out

I cannot do it due to the mess & smell.. but one day I may try it

good luck