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  #1  
Old November 2nd, 2007, 03:38 PM
geoffh4 geoffh4 is offline
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Umm, you are supposed to do WHAT to the dogs WHAT?

So has anyone watched the job "Dirty Jobs" on the discovery channel?

Well, if you have, and you happened to see the episode where the guy goes to work for the groomer, might I please ask "WHAT!??"

Is that lady right? I hope not...

For those of you who don't know what Im talking about, I'll elaborate a little.

So this show "Dirty Jobs" features a host that goes each week and works long hard hours doing jobs that most people don't even know exist. These are usually jobs that entail a lot of "getting dirty" to accomplish and have very little in the way of public thanks. Think septic tank cleaners, pooper-scoopers, janitors, etc.

Anyway, so a few weeks ago he went to work for a lady who was a dog groomer. He did all the requisite cleaning/shaving/ cutting/combing. It was fine. but the part that got it on the show, and the part that Im highly skeptical about, was the squeezing of, how do I say this politely, the butt glands. Yeah.

So the lady groomer indicated that all dogs have these "glands" in what seemed to be their rear end, and that they needed to be "popped" in order to discharge "poisonous" fluids that can build up. So she just stuck her fingers in or around and squeezed. *shudder*

She then said that most people don't realize this is common practice and that all dogs need this done regularly to help prevent disease/infection/etc.

So my question to those more knowledgeable than I...is this for real or is this lady crazy?
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  #2  
Old November 2nd, 2007, 03:48 PM
geoffh4 geoffh4 is offline
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I checked online, and this is what I found:

"As a small aside, the "behind squeezing" isn't getting poo out. Most carnivores have glands around the anus. They are scent glands, similar to a skunk. They are normally expressed during defecation, and are used for territory marking. Domestic animals, like cats and dogs, can have problems if they aren't expressed from time to time. Also, sometimes they are expressed when an animal is nervous or scared, as often happens at the groomers. If a groomer expresses them before or during a bath, there is a much better chance of the dog smelling good at the end of the grooming.
Fascinating, I know,"
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  #3  
Old November 2nd, 2007, 03:50 PM
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You got it! They are called anal glands. If your dogs anal glands won't clean themselves naturally they sometimes need a little helping hand!!

There are actually alot of threads on this site about it.

My little story...when Dazy was about 4 months old she had mucus in her poop, I brought her in, and the vet took a look...he must have had a brain pause cuz he squeezed her anal glads and they exploded on him! The look on his face was pricless!! He excused himself for about 10 minutes and then came back and said.."what was I thinking, I usually cover them and put gloves on"...he looked pretty disshelved!! LMAO!

I mean the poor guy had it every where...on his face, his clothes, the table...it was pretty funny and disgusting!!!
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  #4  
Old November 2nd, 2007, 04:09 PM
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Ah, the moments you wish you had a spy cam on your shirt.

Yep, cats have it too.

Once I was feeling silly and I picked my cat up rather too fast and it startled him and he let loose his own glands and man... what a smell.

It does have to be done from time to time.
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  #5  
Old November 2nd, 2007, 04:10 PM
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what was he thinking!!!! Whole week ruined, you can never get that smell out of your skin, fishy, skunky, nasty smelly stuff. Necessary evil though, I always did Shade's during her bath...
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Old November 2nd, 2007, 04:41 PM
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Check this informative site out for more than you ever wanted to know about anal glands:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_anal_sacs.html
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Old November 2nd, 2007, 05:21 PM
Janie123 Janie123 is offline
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Mitzie had a problem with the anal glands and only my husband could "express" them. It was disgusting but necessary for the poor little thing.
Janie
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  #8  
Old November 2nd, 2007, 05:43 PM
prettygirl prettygirl is offline
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I think the gland squeezing has to be done once a month or so if u ever start doing it to a dog. in other words, once u start, u gotta keep it up or else serious problems can occur. another point of interest to me: my miniature schnauzer, who i rescued was regularly groomed (groomers squeeze the gland automatically) so i kept it up--doing it myself. i had to do it once every 5-6 wks. that was years ago. now, i have two dogs i rescued off a welding yard from a stingy gang leader in long beach, california. they were chained with no collar...chained on 4 foot chains. no muscle tone, little food, and a litter of hungry puppies to boot. figures if u look at the level of principles and values some folk have, or should i say, some folk lack? the mama dog needed nourishment and he was too blind to see that. anyway, 3 yrs later, theyve been with me. they are two roudy sisters: blk lab retriever pit mix about 55# each. they're my best friends, really. with lots of work, they are more socially domesticated now. we have a home with a big fenced yard. i've never started emptying their anal glands. does anyone out there have any comment on bigger dogs and excreting anal glands? it's not as necessary, is it?
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Old November 2nd, 2007, 06:23 PM
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i have only ever been told that with the smaller dogs it needs to be done on a reg basis and with the bigger ones to never bother.. they have an easier time since the gland is bigger..
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Old November 2nd, 2007, 08:05 PM
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I've never had to do it with any of my dogs fortunately. But I know a few people that have to have that done on their dogs regularily.

Cindy
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  #11  
Old November 3rd, 2007, 12:20 AM
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I've never encountered having to do it either. I don't think Dracko would even let me near his butt. I'd have to muzzle him for sure. Now that I frequent this site I am careful to watch for any of the "signs" of impacted anal glands. I can't even imagine what it smells like.
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Old November 3rd, 2007, 12:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dracko View Post
I can't even imagine what it smells like.
Believe me you don't want to know

None of my dogs ever needed their glands expressed, but I have been in the room when someone else's dog had them done
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Old November 3rd, 2007, 12:27 AM
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Is it sort of thick and mucus like or thin and runny?
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Old November 3rd, 2007, 12:36 AM
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Thick mucus-y usually off white/pale yellowish & stinks to high heaven like fishy/rotten egg smell but really really smelly


Most dogs with normally formed poops will natually express their glands when they poop cuz the glands are squeezed a little with the "process of going"
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  #15  
Old November 3rd, 2007, 12:05 PM
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Do we know what purpose the anal glands serve?
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  #16  
Old November 3rd, 2007, 01:54 PM
Hogansma Hogansma is offline
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I believe the glands are left over from their wild days. I think the smell helps to mark their territory. Hogan had badly infected glands and had them expressed and was on antibiotics. Now I take him to the vet every 2 months or so to have them expressed. The poor vet only charges $12-$15 and you couldn't pay me enough to stick my finger up my dogs butt!!!
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  #17  
Old November 3rd, 2007, 03:20 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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To reply to your original query, NO, the groomer is incorrect. Expressing the anal glands is not something that needs to be done on a regular basis for most dogs. When they become impacted, yes, and then it might need doing regularly afterwards. My ESS got so bad she needed them removed as they became infected and the infection kept recurring. My Lab never, ever needed it done.
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Old November 3rd, 2007, 04:59 PM
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Usually anal sacs empty when the dog eliminates.If dog starts scooting check them.Usually they only empty when you're grooming if the dog is really stressed,if the dog is not petrified and the sacs aren't full no need to empty them.
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