Dogs have two glands on either side of the end of the intestine just
before the anus that are sacs with slit openings and contain a
lubricating fluid that is meant to ease the passage of the fecal
material passing through at its largest and driest state out of the
anus. If the dog is either not fed a proper diet of "dog food"
particularly the bulky dry foods, and/or does not get sufficient
exercise (running and jumping and moving) to stimulate regular passage
of the stools so that they remain too long while the dog is "holding it"
and being good, the glands are not opened by the passage of this
material stimulating it regularly on the way by. The result is that the
fluid-paste material of the glands builds up and then from the pressure
of its swollen volume it impacts, causes inflammation of the gland which
causes the tissues to swell and narrow and close off the slit openings.
As they become infected this way, they will often build to a point where
they actually rupture through the skin on the outside of the dog's rear,
drain, heal and leave a scar. This is painful obviously, but many dogs
give no evidence of it and the owners are unaware they have a problem.
Sometimes the rear swells out so that the owner does see it or the dog
starts dragging its rear on the ground or carpet. The old notion that
this is evidence of worms is not correct. It IS an indication that
there is some problem that needs addressing though. Sometimes it is
parasites biting (fleas need a source of moisture to reproduce so
usually congregate around mucus membranes of the eyes, mouth, ears,
rear), or irritation from worms, or something left hanging after
defecating, or a slight clipper burn after tail was shaved or many other
reasons including an attempt to ease the pain of this anal gland
inflammation.
To check for it, there are many books out on grooming poodles that
include drawings to illustrate the technique. Suffice it to say that by
placing your thumb and second finger on opposing sides of the anal
opening and feeling out away from the opening, you will be able to
locate the round, formed "lumps" that are the glands, that are just a
little deeper in the tissues than just below the skin. Depending upon
the size of the dog and the degree of volume of the fluid in them or
whether or not they are currently inflamed and enlarged, this lump can
be anywhere from the size of an olive to the size of a small plum, and
should be able to be palpated easily so that you can tell the size and
placement with your fingers. If they feel slightly large (and this you
will have to learn on your own or ask your groomer, if you have one, to
demonstrate by allowing you to feel many dogs for comparison) you may
want to try to express the material out. There again, maybe you can
find a groomer that will demonstrate how. If not, here's how it's done.
First put the dog UP on a grooming surface or in the bathtub. It is not
only a control feature, but avoids a possible messy cleanup. Turn the
dog or position yourself so that the dog is either with his side toward
you or with his rear end facing away from you. Place two or three
thicknesses of toilet tissue over the anal opening, holding it in place
with the same fingers as you place them in the position described
above. Move your fingers out away from the anal opening until you can
tell by feel that they are past and next to the outermost edges of the
gland. The trick is to actually get your fingers around and squeezing
and pulling and drawing out from BEHIND the glands to cause the material
to be forced out through the slits. It is a drawing motion with your
fingers, not squeezing on the glands themselves. You don't squeeze a
pimple by mashing on it, but rather by mashing down and next to it which
causes the material to expel. Be sure to keep the tissue in place and
hang on to the dog! It comes out forcibly and is nasty-smelling. If
you do not have the opening covered, it will spray all over the nearest
surfaces. Sometimes the first extraction still leaves more that must be
done gently again. Some dogs build up more volume and more often.
Sometimes it occurs due to a change in diet or illness or lack of
activity (like days of travelling in a car). Some dogs never need it
done, some need it done weekly or monthly for a while and then never.
It varies. It might be worth your while to have your dog checked and
emptied every so often by a grooming shop, the same as they will take
walk-in's for nail cutting (if you groom your own and don't want to take
this on) or at the vets. I would assume that the shop would be a lot
cheaper than the vet! You may want another skilled groomer or breeder to
just feel for you occasionally to get an idea which category your dog
falls into, the no-need-to-empty, or one of the others. You could check
it and decide what category you think it falls into, and then have the
experienced person check right after you and verify or dispute that.
It's a good way to learn how to check for it yourself, even if you then
still ended up taking your dog elsewhere to have it emptied if need be.
All good groomers check each dog each time and empty them if full. When
the glands are functioning properly, they never build up too much and
feel full, as they are being emptied normally and regularly. BTW, too
much people food is not only too high in calories (and salt) but also
creates smaller stools and can contribute to this condition. The stools
are not large enough to press against the slits and rub them open as
they pass.
