{"id":14534,"date":"2021-04-19T07:30:02","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T13:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/outwardhound.com\/furtropolis\/?p=14534"},"modified":"2022-02-03T13:32:52","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T20:32:52","slug":"express-anal-glands-in-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/outwardhound.com\/furtropolis\/health-wellness\/express-anal-glands-in-dogs","title":{"rendered":"What to Know About Your Dog’s Booty Health in the Gland Scheme of Things"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Booty Health & How to Express Anal Glands in Dogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It’s gross topic o’clock! Let\u2019s talk butthole health. (Seriously.) As a pet parent, you likely know that many dog anal glands need expressing every once in a while. Why do we need to express anal glands in dogs? To use a clich\u00e9, it\u2019s essentially a (foul-smelling) cog in the machine that needs to work properly in order to avoid a malfunction. Or in a dog\u2019s case, infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might recognize the main sign of infection or anal discomfort in your dog by this signature move: the scoot<\/strong>. Dog scooting is when a dog drags their rear ends across your floors. Another sign of anal gland issues is when they excessively gnaw on or lick their butt. That’s when you know it\u2019s time for an anal gland expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at why anal gland expression is important, how it\u2019s done, how often it should be done, and how to avoid infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are anal glands and how do they work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Washington State University\u2019s College of Veterinary Medicine describes anal glands<\/a> as the scent glands located around a dog\u2019s anus and sphincter that produce a potent-smelling oily secretion. The stinky secretion is stored inside a dog\u2019s anal sacs, and every time your dog poops, a small amount of that fluid is released. It is also common for dogs to express their own anal glands in instances where they are very frightened or nervous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all know that the dog equivalent of a handshake is to check out each other’s buttholes. When dogs greet each other, they are smelling the secretion of their anal glands. Each dog’s secretion has a distinct scent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secretions need to be released when your dog does a bowel movement in order to flush out stored bacteria. When your dog defecates but the sacs are impacted, it gets trapped. Then an infection occurs, which can lead to an anal sac abscess, according to DVMs<\/a> at VCA Animal Hospitals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where the anal gland problems start<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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A dog has issues with their anal glands when they become inflamed and unable to secrete enough of the fluid, causing the sacs to get too full (aka impacted). Impaction is no joke. Impacted anal sacs can get infected, cause an abscess, or worse — rupture, which can require surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small breed dogs like beagles, cocker spaniels, and chihuahuas are more prone<\/a> to impacted anal glands than large breeds. Signs that your dog needs an expression, has impacted glands, or anal gland infection include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n