Guest SusanP Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Just now DH woke me saying Spinner was licking his bottom and something was wrong. On one side of his rectum, there is a swelling with a couple of little punctures, bleeding. It looks mostly external...but it's bothering him, so I called the e-vet, and they said it may be a ruptured anal gland (I wasn't aware he was even having a problem with that) and that for his comfort we probably should bring him in for expression of the gland and antibiotics. so at 9pm, Spinner is on his way to the e=vet with DH and DD. I've never seen this problem before. Is a ruptured anal gland usually visible? This came up so suddenly, and it's weird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Ok, I just did some reading online and found photos--It IS external--the gland ruptures right through the skin outside of the rectum. Poor Spinner! Has anyone else had this problem with a hound? It just has never come up for us before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VanillaBean Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 My Iggy, Peppy had a ruptured Anal Gland. One moment fine, the next: lick, lick, lick. I looked and it was all pussy and bloody and off he went to the vet. He had surgery on it and took antibiotics. Haven't had a problem since, but I express them now. Looking back, I probably wouldn't have had the surgery, I would have put a poultice on it to let it drain along with the antibiotics. Spinner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest meakah Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 I had a dog growing up that this happened to twice. The poor girl. And you like, she hid the signs until it was too late. I started to get the vet to express her glands each year when she got her shots as a preventative measure....she never had that problem again. Some dogs seem to be more prone to it than others and if it happens once...the chances of it happening again increase. Don't feel guilty about missing any signs cuz there may have been no obvious ones. With that being said, I would personally save your money for your regular vet in the morning. The worst of it has happened...the rupture. They feel a great deal of pain relief once that happens since the pressure is released. So, IMO, it is something that can wait until morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonsmom Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Hmmm.... I think ... I guess... it's s'posed to be visible.. boy..I feel kinda like a bad grey mom! I took Minty to the vet today for a recheck on her Lyme..and also cause she's was licking.. and licking.. (specially last night!) and he asked me..."Did you check her anal glands?" "No... doc.. uhhh.... I, uhh.. called you??" He expressed 'em.. I was at "other end". She didn't seem to mind too much... though afterward she did seem to be perkier and hasn't licked since. Maybe along with heartworm pill day.. and Frontline day.. we'll have to start ..(eww) check anal gland days? I hope Spinner is home by now and back warm and comfy in bed..and that the E-Vet didn't make too much of dent in your checkbook! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest meakah Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 (edited) You can somewhat check them without being too invasive. If you feel on either side of the anus you can tell if it is more swollen than normal. The glands are located on either side of the anus (left and right) just inside the skin. If you push around a little...you can feel a hard mass if it is impacted. And of course yes, if it is about to rupture you can most certainly tell. There will be a bump sticking out and the skin will be stretched out. However, with that being said...it is tough to see if the dog has a lot of hair and can also be easily missed if one is not looking for it. If the dog scoots at all or licks the behind...more so than normal....it is always worth a quick check. Edited November 6, 2008 by meakah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macoduck Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 My Gracie had an anal gland rupture. I posted it in H&M last year I think. Once it ruptured your dog felt relief. Gracie's healed so well that there's no sign/scar indicatingwhere it was. Keep an eye out for infections and check with your vet to see if a round of antibiotics should be used. Quote Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto Angels: Rita the podenco maneta, Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella), Charlie the iggy, Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Well, they came back from the vet last night with a kind of stressed dog. The vet said the gland had ruptured, but maybe it wasn't complete, because he still expressed a lot and at least now Spinner is not licking his bottom anymore. DH said he squeeked when the vet did it. He got antibiotics, too. The part that really stressed him was the e-collar the vet sent home! Spinner managed to get it off in the van on the way home and was panting and tense when he came in the house. So we put the e-collar away and put some giant underpants on him with his tail hanging down through the leg hole, and he has not bothered his sore at all from what I could tell. He has to go back in a couple of days to have it checked/expressed again. This has just been one more in a seemingly endless string of vet visits lately. Our e-vet fee is 88$ and with procedures and meds, this totaled $164. We really, really need a vet-free spell for a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Billie Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 (edited) We have Min Pins and a mixed breed dog, smaller dogs tend to get impacted anal glands more often, I've read....the mix (Buddy) we actually had to get surgery to get his anal glands removed some time after we got him, he had so much trouble with them, and yes it is NASTY when it leaks out, like onto your sofa....or your husband.... *gag* normally the glands express themselves when the dogs poop. Our Min Pins we feed Libby's plain canned pumpkin (NOT the pie mix), a big dollop every afternoon with their dinner, and they rarely have any problems with their anal glands any more. That pumpkin tip I got from a vet tech friend of mine several years ago and it really helps! It didn't work for Buddy though, so we had his removed. I have to feed the others a bit of the plain pumpkin every afternoon or they'll tend to get their anal glands messed up again. Rob and I know how to express the glands, and will do it if we have to, but UGH that is sooooo gross! A few months back I skipped the pumpkin for a few days thinking it would be okay, then Xena got hers impacted and one ruptured before we saw it...had to take her to the vet, vet finished expressing it, and she had to go on antibiotics of course. I felt so bad! Like a bad mommy. So I make sure I don't ever slack up on the pumpkin with their dinner. You could ask your vet about that, for your baby....? Once when I was at the grocery store stocking up on the pumpkin, the checkout person asked me if I were making a pie...I said no, it's for the dogs. Then he made the mistake of asking more questions..... LOL I am sure I grossed him out completely. Edited November 6, 2008 by Billie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lori Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 My JRT had hers swell up and burst in one day, it was that sudden. But she healed quickly and there are no more problems. I keep some pumpkin around too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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