[caillou]

I don't think this has been talked about yet! Trust Voltaire to be the first to have something so embarrassing :roll:  
So....last Sunday i noticed V's anus (sorry guys but i can't talk about this without mentioning all the gruesome details ) was kind of big or swollen. Monday was about the same except he started licking and licking it :roll: . Anyway i'd been checking for worms in his stools everytime and there were none. So internet search and i come up with 'blocked anal glands' plus a detailed explanation of how to empty them. (Now this gets really gross, haha!!) Anyway - i stuck him in the shower and had a go uke:  - worked a treat - yuk, yuk, yuk uke:
Took him to the vet on wednesday to get him properly checked out. The vet said it was just blocked anal glands - no infection - just a sore butt where he'd licked so much. So to make things even more pleasant for me i now have a cream i have to apply and rub in 3/4 times a day  My husband is SO taking the p*** out of me! :rofl:
Just thought i'd share this proof of unconditional love!

 

[mom2scoutandgunner]

Annette, bless your heart.  What a terrible thing to have to do but yes, it does show how much we love our babies!  Hopefully this gets rectified quickly! (pun intended)  :lol:

 

[spoiledrottenboxers]

That is pretty nasty, but I guess it just shows how much you love him.  I would do it for Roxy or Astro if I had to.

 

[boxerlove]

The things we do for our babies!  There was actually a segment on the show Dirty Jobs of a dog groomer who also expressed the anal glands, it wasn't a pretty site!  The groomer said it is something done alot and if it isn't many dogs do get plugged glands. Glad he is doing better and it was nothing serious.

 

[Barbs2Ks]

Volitare is lucky to have a mom who will do things like that for him.

 

[sharonL]

Lucky Vol for sure......Good Mom!!!!
What will also help is to soak his bottom in a tub of warm water with baking soda....  
If the anal glands get infected they will become an abcess and normally will rupture or have to be lanced and drained....Not fun for them in either case..... :?

 

[tootsie]

Now if that aint love, I don't know what is!!    That is one I think I could not do. I would have to go to the vet for that.  I've helped with my share of dingleberries, but no way to the expressing. You are a wonderful mommy!  :clap:

 

[Diesel-and-Kira]

ok this is gross...yet I cant believe I know the following:

Apparently if his stool is the hard enough, the anal glands should naturally empty themselves every time he poops.

So you may want to check to make sure he hasn't been having loose, or even a little soft stool lately.

 

[mybox1]

OMG....I'm glad your pups ok!  My sister has a black lab mix and his anal glands exploded!!  He was in the worst pain ever all night long, left the worst mess ,so to say, ever on her guest room bed.....and it took him a bit to heal.  I worry often about my Chloe, but I do notice that every time she poos...she lets out a bit of "liquid" that is not poo. I keep an eye on this so that I can know if her glands are backed up, blocked.....or maybe infected!  Pups are so like kids...huh?!  We have to do things to them that we NEVER though we'd have to.  Best of luck in your pooper problem!  I so hope yours heals very quickly!!

 

[Starr05]

LOL! We had a Cocker Spaniel we had to relieve the anal glands on, I prefered to have the groomer do it!! Pretty nasty. Poor Volitaire, hope his butt feels better soon.

 

[RunNakeDnECU]

yeah the groomer will usually do that for you so it wont become inlarged. Also when a dog drags their butts on the carpet they are trying to release some pressure build-up. Good catch though.

 

[samsonsmom]

I think you definitely deserve the Mom Of The Month Award for that Annette... I know that there is no way I could have done that! But good for you for spotting Voltaire's "little problem" and taking care of it.. :clap:

 

[caillou]

Thanks for your comments everyone  You know it's not so bad really - i think Voltaire finds the whole thing a lot more unpleasant than i do - he sees me get the tube of cream out and it's like - :axe: haha! Poor baby!

 

[BoxerForums]

Daisy keeps licking this area, but nothing looks swollen or irritated.  I did a little disgusting research here: http://www.seefido.com/html/cleaning_an ... a_dog_.htm

So I slapped some latex gloves on and lifted her tail, but I don't know what I'm doing.  Everything looks fine to me.  Any suggestions?

 

[Sadiesmomma]

Awww poor Voltaire! You are such a great Mom, and I'm sure appreciates it because it was probably soo sore  8O...Hope he feel better soon.  

 

[AbbyandBrady]

We have the vet clean Abby and Brady's (Brady just actually had his done today!!!) but they also advised that most groomers can do it too. The vet charges like $19 for it and while Abby is extremely patient about it, Brady screams like a girl...so to me, it is well worth the $19!!!! Not sure what a groomer would charge...but at least there are options.  Plus, I wouldn't know how to detect an infection, so I prefer to have someone else check their butts!

With Brady I notice he chews at his butt and has a STINKY butt when it's full....Abby just starts dragging her butt on the floor. This has only happened once with her.  While at those times, neither's actually swelled, I did notice that Abby's had swelled one night and she looked a little uncomfortable. As it was late, I couldn't bring her anywhere for cleaning, but I used the blue antiseptic  stuff from the vet to make a compress for a few minutes. It deflated some and never came back, no dragging or anything followed so i figured it was a fluke, maybe some constipation or something that day.

Both were done a couple months ago but when Brady was at the vet today, we had him do it because he's been chewing some in the last couple of days (love it when he tries to give me kisses after chewing his butt  8O ) and was surprised at how full they were...the vet asked if his diet has been irregular lately, and as some may know...Brady actually stopped eating a bit ago and we went through several foods before finding one that he was willing to eat....the vet noted that once his diet has been constant for a while, the problem should be less frequent.  So this all made sense.

We have also learned that the butt dragging, while not socially acceptable...and preferrably performed outdoors...is the dogs natural way of excreting the glands themselves and can be effective.  So, if you see them doing this outside, apparently there is no need to discourage it.  

So, lessons:
1. You do not have to do this yourself! ahhahaa.....and it may be well worth the $20 to have it done!
2. Keep the diet relatively consistant.
3. allow them to drag the doo-pahs outside.

 

[CrazieKC]

I do Kaci's myself when she's taking a bath...needless to say I'm not grossed out by that type of thing, so it's not big deal to me.

I've tried Milo's but can't see to find the glands or their empty, but his butt hole is huge and seems to be swollen. I haven't had a vet check that out specifically, but I've never had a vet say anything to me about it.

 

[Kate]

Sorry Voltaire is under the weather, but congratulations to you for being such a great mom!!!

 

[tootsie]

All I can say is thank god Maddie expresses her own glands! :bigrazz:

 

[caillou]

I do Kaci's myself when she's taking a bath...needless to say I'm not grossed out by that type of thing, so it's not big deal to me.

I've tried Milo's but can't see to find the glands or their empty, but his butt hole is huge and seems to be swollen. I haven't had a vet check that out specifically, but I've never had a vet say anything to me about it.

Voltaire has a big "butt hole" too! 8O  Not his most elegant feature! Ever notice how those things literally turn themselves inside out when they poop :lol: !!
Well if we're going to talk about the grosser things on this forum this topic is the best place for it!!!
p.s. Glad someone's there to back me up when i say it's not that bad! And my vet is 40euros the visit - even if he does nothing- and he always finds some way of prescribing an unwanted ointment to add an extra 10euros. :roll: