anal expression
Written by catina08
I've only owned Lady for 10 months. She will be 5 this Dec., and she is spayed. As far as I know, she is about 4lbs overwheight (I'm working on it).I took her to the vet Fri and he gave her an anal ex., saying she is "too fat to clean her rear end"... well, i don't know if that's all there is to that? being a first time dog owner, and quite a bit caught off guard- i didn't know what questions i should ask. Is constipation a problem? is something she is eating a problem? she has been seeing this vet her whole life- he told me she had this done last in 2004... what causes this? he also gave her a cortisone shot to make her stop licking her feet obsessively? she's worthe the $66 dollars i spent in that 20 minutes, but i feel like i don't know how i can prevent her from having to go threw that again-or if i even can? ( she is 16 lbs, the vet said she should weigh about 12?) so, the vet only said he had to do that because she can't clean her butt? i really don't understand that? somebody please help me get it!!
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Catina, the anal sacs (or scent glands) are located on either side of the rectum just under the skin. There is a tiny hole in which the gland is supposed to empty itself each time your dog has a bowel movement. Sometimes the material inside the gland (which is about the size of a grape when full) gets too thick and it cannot empty itself. This problem is most common in over weight dogs. A diet higer in fiber such as a 'light', 'less active' or 'senior' formula should help to keep the glands empty.
As far as the licking of her feet, it sounds like that could be an allergy of some sort. One of the most common causes of allergies in dogs is diet related. Often the culprit is beef, but not always. You may want to check the protein source of the food she eats and possibly try something different. It might be as simple as trying a lamb and rice less active for example. Whenever you do change a diet, take about 5 to 7 days to do so starting with a small amount of the new food mixed in with old and gradually increase the mix until you have made the change. An abrubt change in diet can cause upset stomach and diarrhea.
Exercise is a very important part of a weight loss program as well as diet. Daily walks give you and your dog some quality time together, burn some calories, increase muscle tone and also give the dog ample opportunity to poop and hopefully empty those glands.
There is a surgery available called an analsacculectomy which is the removal of the anal glands. Not all vets do this procedure as it does have risks of side effects. It is usually seen as a last resort after trying diet and weight management.
I hope this information clears up some questions for you and I have added some links to some great articles for you (in blue). Good luck and let us know if you have any more questions!
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