Advice Please -- Anal Glands

[AnnieG]

Anal glands.  What a lovely topic -- but at least it's not Monday morning.  Can anyone give me some advice as everything I have been told so far is bum in more ways than one.  Millie seems totally unable to clear her anal glands.  Our vet did the white glove and wrinkled nose job only ten days ago and already she is scooting and licking below her tail.  The vet says it's a common fault with 'floppy bottomed dogs' - what a charming description.  He means dogs like cockers and Staffies that have quite a lot of loose skin.  I'm getting desperate both for her and the home scene.  I didn't buy a striped carpet!  I really don't want her to have the glands removed.  It's a rotten operation and, since they are full rather than infected, it seems an over-reaction.

I have gone along with all the dietary recommendations but they are making no difference.  She gets enough fibre to blow her trousers off.  She is fed slightly dampened James Wellbeloved with lightly cooked veg. on top.  She also has a whole raw carrot every day.  I haven't tried putting bran in because I think she doesn't drink enough.  Has anyone got any feedback (pun?) on that or anything else.  I'd really welcome some advice.
Thanks a lot
Annie

[debbie321]

I would have suggested more fibre but it sounds as though she is getting plenty.  Other than suggesting raw bones I have no real advice but someone will be along soon to offer more.

Just have to say that I love the post with the lovely descriptions such as 'floppy bottoms' and 'stripey carpets'    

[Elisa]

I think I've got a floppy bottom!  ::    

[AnnieG]

I think I've got a floppy bottom!  ::   

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But hopefully not an appointment with the man with white gloves!  Have been trying to see my own rear end in the mirror since reading this.  Mmmmm ... how about a COL sub-group - the League of Lowslung (LOL for short)?

[Gilly]

Gracie emptoed her own all over her back end yesterday  ::  :: it really is the most disgusting smell  ::
Have you tried giving her a raw chicken wing everyday??

[Elisa]

   

Poor Millie     I hope her bot is feeling better soon.  It isn't something Bailey has had a problem with yet  

[AnnieG]

Thanks to both of you for the advice.  I'll try her on both the raw bone and the chicken wing.  I may have a bit of a problem, however.  She had to have a lot of her teeth out when Many Tears rescued her and still tends to fight shy of anything that needs carrying or crunching.  But hey - if she can munch her way through a raw carrot, she can certainly have a bash at a chicken wing.  It must smell irresistible.  
Thanks again
A

[debbie321]

Thanks to both of you for the advice.  I'll try her on both the raw bone and the chicken wing.  I may have a bit of a problem, however.  She had to have a lot of her teeth out when Many Tears rescued her and still tends to fight shy of anything that needs carrying or crunching.  But hey - if she can munch her way through a raw carrot, she can certainly have a bash at a chicken wing.  It must smell irresistible. 
Thanks again
A

[snapback]187391[/snapback]

Try bashing the chicken wing with a meat tenderiser first - I still do this for Ben even though he has all his teeth  

[sarahp]

If she cant get her teeth - or lack of them - round a complete chicken you could try some raw chicken mince.  You get it from Pets at Home in the freezer section - its called Freeflow mince - basically its raw chicken mince with 5% bones retained for better bones and bums!!!

[Helen]

had to have the same procedure for mr jarvis prior to new year (can't say the a*** g****s words, he gets embarrassed...) and got some great advice from fellow col'ers re diet.

we have since changed his diet to a mix of raw (carrots are one of his fave treats too, and he does like raw chicken too) and some burns or naturediet and fingers crossed it all seems ok.  trying to get more barf in his diet.  if annie likes kibble, i recommend burns which  has made a real difference to jarvis, so maybe you could introduce that to annie's diet?  burns is not as labour intensive to eat as autarky was for jarvis.

i do humiliate my dog by being very happy when the *cough* 'other end' produces hard small stool's, but i soooo don't want constant visits to the vet and 'that' procedure, or worse 'that' operation - so you can understand my glee!  the other dog walkers are a bit more sceptical about my behaviour ::

am off to the local village market now to stock up on chicken wings - sarahp, will grab a bag for daisy doglet the thursday before the n.f walk so she can have some wiltshire poultry!!

[clairep4]

Bella suffers from this - she's been on a raw diet since November and things have improved, but she still scoots now and then. Her glands have started occasionally emptying themselves onto her fur (what a stench!  :: ) but I'm taking that to mean that at least they are emptying more easily - they never did this before, would just get fuller and fuller until the vet sorted her out.

I'm planning to gradually increase the percentage of bone she has (currently about 5-8% but I know from another forum that people try anything up to about 15% to get rid of anal gland problems) so hopefully over the next few months she'll be anally happy!  

I've had the op suggested by one vet but am really reluctant to go down that route if it can be solved with the aid of more bone and harder poos.

[maximus]

had to have the same procedure for mr jarvis prior to new year (can't say the a*** g****s words, he gets embarrassed...) and got some great advice from fellow col'ers re diet.

we have since changed his diet to a mix of raw (carrots are one of his fave treats too, and he does like raw chicken too) and some burns or naturediet and fingers crossed it all seems ok.  trying to get more barf in his diet.  if annie likes kibble, i recommend burns which  has made a real difference to jarvis, so maybe you could introduce that to annie's diet?  burns is not as labour intensive to eat as autarky was for jarvis.

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 Our Max had an anal glad prob at an early age, (I think it was around the same time )we also took the advice from COL members and since changing Max's diet to Burns in the morning and BARF for the remainder, no more gland probs, less waste, less wind passing and what he does pass is solid. So all round happier dog and owner.

[AnnieG]

had to have the same procedure for mr jarvis prior to new year (can't say the a*** g****s words, he gets embarrassed...) and got some great advice from fellow col'ers re diet.

we have since changed his diet to a mix of raw (carrots are one of his fave treats too, and he does like raw chicken too) and some burns or naturediet and fingers crossed it all seems ok.  trying to get more barf in his diet.  if annie likes kibble, i recommend burns which  has made a real difference to jarvis, so maybe you could introduce that to annie's diet?  burns is not as labour intensive to eat as autarky was for jarvis.

i do humiliate my dog by being very happy when the *cough* 'other end' produces hard small stool's, but i soooo don't want constant visits to the vet and 'that' procedure, or worse 'that' operation - so you can understand my glee!  the other dog walkers are a bit more sceptical about my behaviour ::

am off to the local village market now to stock up on chicken wings - sarahp, will grab a bag for daisy doglet the thursday before the n.f walk so she can have some wiltshire poultry!!

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I know I need a haircut - and it does tend to flop around my face with or without hairspray - but I don't think I'm cute enough to be a cocker!  And I emphatically do not like kibble.  Actually, choccydrop, the dog is Millie and the person is Annie. But who cares? ... Millie and I are pretty inseparable so you may not be that far out!  And thank you for your excellent advice (and for making me snort my coffee through laughing).  I've never tried Burns (no ... cancel that, or we'll be back at square one).  Millie has never tried Burns but it seems a lot of you really rate it highly.  And the raw chicken/chicken wings seem to be a universal favourite so here goes.  I'll adopt it for Cassie, too, just in case.

Thanks again to all for advice and wonderful writing


Annie Person and Cassie and Millie cockers

[suki1964]

Thanks to both of you for the advice.  I'll try her on both the raw bone and the chicken wing.  I may have a bit of a problem, however.  She had to have a lot of her teeth out when Many Tears rescued her and still tends to fight shy of anything that needs carrying or crunching.  But hey - if she can munch her way through a raw carrot, she can certainly have a bash at a chicken wing.  It must smell irresistible. 
Thanks again
A

[snapback]187391[/snapback]

Wizz the wings up in a poccessor or put through a mincer. The other thing is maybe add naturediet to her kibble as it has a high bone content

[sarahp]

Actually, choccydrop, the dog is Millie and the person is Annie. But who cares? ... Millie and I are pretty inseparable so you may not be that far out! 

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ROFLMAO