[kodiakgirl]

For anyone who has a weak stomach, you should probably not read this as I am going to have to be somewhat graphic for the sake of an accurate description...

For about the past 6 months, I have been battling with Bullet and his anal gland secretions. He has a constant nasty smell (like rotten fish/nasty smell x10), licks his rear very often, and I notice thick, green discharge coming from his rear almost every day. If we play with him, a bunch will come out and it is just absolutely disgusting. It is smelling up my entire house, I can't go near him without almost being sick to my stomach.

I have talked to my vet many times, unfortunately we only have 1 vet clinic on this little island I live on, it is a husband and wife vet team. Dr. Jeff thought it was allergies, so we put him on a very expensive hypoallergenic food (Prescription Diet Z/D, $60 for a 17lb bag!) and put him on some antibiotics, but that only seemed to make it worse. He tried squeezing his anal glands, but there was a normal amount in them, and no infection, and even the day after having them squeezed, I still noticed some coming out of his rear. Dr. Angie said she thought he might need more fiber in his diet, "the more they poop, the more the anal glands secrete, and the more density of the poop, the more the anal glands will secrete" she said, so I tried giving him pumpkin (like someone suggested on here in my last thread about this, and Dr. Angie said it would be a great way to get him more fiber), and that seemed to work for about a week, but then it was back and even worse. I tried feeding him more each feeding, but that didn't work, so I tried feeding him 3 times a day, and that didn't work. I tried each different way of feeding for at least a week, all to no avail.

The vet suggested we could surgically remove his anal glands, but since we only have one vet clinic and they monopolize the situation, they want over $1200.00 to remove them!!!!! And even then, there is a high risk of damaging the nerve around the anus and causing permanent incontinence, and he would be unable to hold his stool for the rest of his life.

I am at my wit's end... I don't know what to do anymore! Has anyone ever had this problem, and found a remedy? Or should I just go with the extremely expensive and risky surgery? It's gotten to the point now where I pretty much cannot interact with him at all, because every time I pet him, he tries to give me kisses, but his breath smells equally as bad from licking his behind. I have to keep air fresheners going constantly to keep the smell down, and he has to be locked up in his kennel whenever we have guests over because when he gets excited, the situation gets worse.

PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[pitbullmamanatl]

OK girl I don't know anything about anal gland problems, but I am going to start researching it now; additionally, I'll shoot my vet an email and see what he says. Don't go removing any anal glands just yet, hopefully someone will have some kind of guidance for you! So sorry sweetie!

 

[Blue_Nose_Bella]

The funny smell could be anal sac disease it's a fishy unpleasant smell that your dog will emit. Did your vet rule out disease? Typically anal sac issues arise in small breeds like poodles, yorkies, dauchsunds, chi's, etc. I used to be a groomer and had to express anal glands on the regular. I also know a few people whos dogs had constant issues like yours and had them removed with very little side effects after. One of the side affects could be possible leakage of stool. I feel so bad for you and your pup I would tell you to get a second opinion but as you stated you only have that one vet locally to you. Stinks that they take advantage of $$$$ because they are the only ones. I think in your pups case and the dilemma you are in with the odor I would have them removed. I posted a couple of websites with info in disease and surgery. I hope you can get his issue resolved. Poor baby

Complications With Anal Gland Surgery in Dogs | eHow.com
How to Treat Canine Anal Sac Disease | eHow.com
Anal Sac DiseaseDog Encyclopedia | Encyclopedia

 

[performanceknls]

Have you tired getting them emptied every day? You can do it yourself no need to go to the vet. That might help and worth a try, it's free and easy.

 

[Aireal]

well can't really say what it is, BUT i can say we have had great sucess with removing anal glands with no problems after recovery here! sucks there going to charge so much, sounds like there doing it cause they know they can since there is no other option.... maybe time fore a road trip to another vet !?!

edit- also be careful with emptying the glads yourself, make sure you are going into the anus DO NOT do it from the outside like many groomers do!!!!!!! if you do it from the outside they can erupt into the body and abcess, we have had MANY MANY MANY dogs come to us with problems after groomers expressed anal glads externally!!!

good luck let us know what you decide

 

[kodiakgirl]

@Aireal, My vet told me that they have removed many of them without any complications, but I still worry, and it's extremely expensive. If I were to go for a road trip and find another vet, it would involve a ferry ticket for me and a vehicle and a couple hour drive, or a plane ticket/hotel/rental car. It's not as easy as it seems as I live on an island. My BF and I are hoping to take a road trip this summer, so that might be an option, but it's not going to be easy. It's at least a 15 hour ferry ride in which Bullet would have to stay in the car the whole time in the hot/humid/noisy car deck. Owners can go down to the car deck and check on pets, but they are not allowed out of the vehicles due to safety hazards, so that means no potty breaks, and potentially a big mess inside the car.

@Performancekennels, I had been noticing the smell/discharge for a few months before I asked my vet about it, and when he expressed Bullet's anal glands, he said there was nothing abnormal. The stuff that came out was bright yellow-- almost greenish, but vet said no infection. And even after expressing them the smell was still there, so I don't think that expressing them every day is going to help any, as I would still have to deal with smelling the nastiness every day when I express them.

 

[Aireal]

[email protected] i am sorry, those are crappy circumstances, my first recommendation is.. get a second option however that doesn’t' seem like it is really possible. If the anal glands are expressing normal are they even sure that is the problem?

truth if it this was me, i would second option then go to the university then if all check out the smae get the sx, but..... i dunno. guess all i can say is i am sorry

 

[Pitbull Palace]

All i can Say is, I Know and it's Awful !! When Taya would get excited, Play, or Hump I'd have to get her out of the House...She even new and would start to chase her But (not her tail) trying to Smell it..It was crazy !! 12 yrs of it,lol, but she was worth it, hahahaha.. I'd go to a vet someone has sugested that has done sevral surgery's and remove it because thats almost Imposible to deal with... give us a Update !!

 

[fuwball]

what i would do is phone a vet where you are going on that later road trip, just ask how much the procedure is, and see what they tell you, if you have to maybe can get a kennel or some doggy diapers, i know they are a pain in the rear, but if you can go down and change them for him then maybe that will get him through the horrid trip across the ferry. its worth finding out how often each vet has done the procedure and their success/side affect rate if thats at all possible, won't guarantee anything, but may minimize the chance of side affects.

 

[Gimbler]

If you're really at that vets mercy and at your wits end on a daily basis have you thought about maybe some kind of pants, or those things people put on their female dogs when they're in heat? Won't fix it but it would cover the smell some and protect your floor/furniture. Then brush his teeth and maybe get a little relief from being horrified by the smell.

 

[performanceknls]

I express that anal glads externally and have for years and never had a problem with it. I can see groomers not doing it correctly but if you learn how it is pretty safe. The reason I said do it every day is if he is expressing everyday they could just be filling up quickly and have no where else to go but all over your house. If you empty them daily it could cut back on him leaking. If all else fails have them removed.

 

[HappyPuppy]

I empathize... Have you tried any raw boney bones like pork ribs or chicken backs or necks? They can help scrape things along the way out...