Your Pet's Anal Glands

[CharSpencer0718]

I am both a certified vet tech and a groomer, as long as the anal glands are not getting expressed more than every 1-3 months, it is not a problem to express anal glands. One reason why most groomers express anal glands is so they don't express them on their own when they are in the dryer.Dogs and cats can actually have problems from never having their anal glands expressed. It is actually a catch 22.

[peregoyb]

Now could you please post a video that pulling the hair out of otherwise healthy ears can cause the hair folicles to "weep" which is a host for bacteria and infection, i.e. may cause a problem when there is none. (Unfortunately not understood by too many vets.)

[peregoyb]

God bless you, as a groomer who has been telling my customers this for years, I'm glad to have a place to send them to hear this from a vet. I don't know why some idiot groomer started doing this in the first place.

[tthoy1]

This was extremely well done, easy to understand and clearly stated. Thank You Dr. Becker.

[Midori86]

wow i didnt know a lot of this like the groomers can also squeez them without you knowing O.o thanks for the info! =D

[AkireChan11]

I was about to do this... then I saw the video, thanks!!! :)

[h3lp3r1]

Was very glad to see this. I thought this was something I needed to do for my dog. 9 out of 10 of these video's say "If you love your dog/cat you need to do this, for their happiness. thank you so very much.

[shybettigurl]

Alright....no need to squeez the anal glands. Why does everyone say you always have to do that?

[22banway]

Thank you. I will not have to do this now.

[Headvampiress]

The most informative and complete dissertation on the subject of the anal gland for the laymen. Karen Becker, DVM. Is without a doubt the “One Stop” info center on the Internet. Thanks Dr. Becker

[JewishVegan]

That was SUPER helfpul.

Today, my 14 year old, dug a hole in the snow and it was 7 degrees F....very cold!

anyway, he wouldn't come in and shivered..i thought oh, my..is he dying?

so i took him asap to the hospital.

turned out it was his anal glands became infected!

I had no idea.

But, his whole life his crap was never hard.

so i am sure thats the problem.

but, no matter what food he eats its never hard and firm.

i dont know what to do, he is a cairn terrier and will be turning 15 soon.

[alanckaye]

Great video, thanks Doc - my two golden retrievers have had a problem with their glands due to environmental allergens and they are not ergonomical correct. I have been expressing their glands for 2 years. I am very gentle and it often takes about 5 minutes due to my gentle squeeze. It often occurs late at night and I do not want them going to bed with this pain. One of them is starting to act like it hurts her and pulls away. They let me know by eating grass - should I keep on or stop?

[Donnegael]

Excellent information...presented clear and concise.

[PandaBaby51]

Oh thank god I saw this.. I thought I would have to do this stuff as well as all this teeth, ear, paw and eye cleaning

[ladybug1951]

I clicked here because of all the stupid videos on this subject and wanting to learn how to do it. "Thank you!" for this info. Hopefully I've stopped it in time before any damage has been done by the groomer. Thank God I don't take him that often.

[pooter5961]

Great video. Very informative. Thank you!!

[mcloven83]

what should i look for in dog food as good qualitys for her to have proper stool because she has good and bad stool its weird cause earlier in the day it seems perfect and later is runny

[TamiDuBose]

That was the most informative video I've seen on anal glands. Wow! I have been so misinformed for years. Thank you for sharing.

[flamincomet]

Excellent video! As a groomer myself I'm very happy to see a vet saying to NOT express anal glands unless it is really needed. I get so tired of having clients come to me and tell me their vet said I HAVE to express their dogs anal glands... I express anal glands by request only, and if I notice a problem I always recommend my clients to a vet.

[brandikiss]

4 o'clock and 6 o'clock?? Isn't it 4 and 8 o'clock???

[alanckaye]

@brandikiss - yes

[heartofmusic1]

this is the best video on this subject and she is easy to understand! cool and thanks Dr. Becker!!

[CoolasIce2]

She knows anal glands inside and out.

[kitkathouse]

Dr. Karen Becker is top notch and as you can tell, a great speaker....her lectures are great, she wastes no time giving you information. I was happy to see she is on Utube as well.

I would like to see her links to other sources she mentions like tea merchants, applied kinesiogy Dr. Brooks, who I cannot find on the net!

[XxLuciferousxX]

I had an anal glands problem with my kitty when she was a kitten, The Vet said to just squeeze it out carefully in till she did it on herself. Now I have no problem with her, she releases it on her own when she poops.

[beltanebabe55]

Totally makes sense to me.neither one of my dogs has needed help because they get fed a diet for dogs and no human food. and no titbits. If they get a treat or if I need to use food to train them it is taken out of their normal daily measure of food, which they love and they get fed twice a day and are not allowed accsess to food other than that. They are happy healthy dogs, because love doesn't equal food!

[brandikiss]

@beltanebabe55, "dog food" is worse than human food. Dogs need real food, not commercial "dog food" made from kibble. that is horrible for your dog's health. It is very important to feed real food (human food).

[beltanebabe55]

My dogs are fed a complete diet that is not crap as I check the ingredients, When I ran out of their normal food and fed them a diet of rice and chicken etc ...as reccomended by a vet for a previous dog I had who was ill...it gave them the runs. Lily is 4 and Zac is 7 they have never needed the vet They don't get tinned food (yuk)

I can't see why I should change what works well for my animals. When they are happy and healthy.