A dogs bottom
Now before we start I need to apologise to those of you who read my blog in the morning over your bowl of cornflakes or toast and marmalade. This is probably not a subject that goes well with breakfast, but it is, however, a very important issue that needs to be discussed. Regular readers of the books by James Herriot will know this affliction as “Flop Bott” made famous by the legendary Pekinese Tricky Woo owned by Mrs Pumphery.
Now I know what you are thinking. What on earth do I need to know about my dogs bottom?
Well, we are going to talk about anal glands. These are two little sacs that are situated just inside the anus. Many dog owners don’t even know that they exist. After all, we as humans, don’t have anal glands and therefore we are not troubled by the failure of these to work efficiently.
First of all, we need to know why they exist.
It is generally agreed that in the days when canines were wild the anal glands were there for the purpose of marking territory. As the dog defecated the liquid was expelled, it had a pungent odour and told other dogs that he/she was here and this was where they lived. It was basically a way of saying. “This is my patch.”
The problem for dogs is that these glands have very little use in the modern world of the domestic pet and as such, they can sometimes be a liability and in turn, a problem for us to sort out.
The difficulty is that these small sacs occasionally become blocked because they do not empty properly. This can cause your dog a degree of discomfort and manifestos itself with your pet nibbling his bottom or rubbing it along the ground (scooting). Other symptoms are straining to defecate, reluctance to sit or sitting asymmetrically. (sitting crooked, lopsided or unbalanced)
Now if you see your dog scooting along please don’t just laugh and think he has an itchy bottom keep an eye on this and see if it becomes a regular thing and if it does then a trip to the veterinary surgeon is required.
The vet will empty them and some veterinary surgeons will even show you how it is done. If you have a vet who will show you then please listen carefully to his advice as to when and how this should be done and how often.
Whilst we tend to find this issue mildly amusing it should be noted that if these glands become infected antibiotics will be needed and in extreme cases, they have to be removed.
For those of you who want to know how this is done, I will explain.
For those who don’t, please skip the next paragraph!!
Anal Sacculectomy. Procedure
To remove infected anal glands the dog is first given a general anaesthetic and the glands emptied. In my day (several decades ago!!) a small quantity of Plaster of Paris was mixed and drawn up in a syringe. [In modern clinics dental impression material (alginate) may be used] The syringe minus the needle is inserted into the anus and then pushed into the gland that is only just inside. A small quantity of the material used is released and within minutes the material hardens this allows the veterinary surgeon to make incisions on both sides of the anus and easily remove the glands as they have taken the form of two small hard spheres. The skill is not only in the removal of the glands but in avoiding damage to the sciatic nerve.
This procedure may be carried out by the use of a laser.
Following this operation exercise needs to monitored and the general advice will be to keep the dog on a lead and an “Elizabethan Collar” used to prevent the patient from disturbing the wound.
It should be noted that this condition is particularly prevalent in small dogs but can occur in larger ones as well.
It can also be affected by diet and In certain cases, a change may go a long way to providing relief.
Even if your dog shows no outward sign of distress but your attention is brought to the fact that there is a rather unpleasant aroma, it will very often have a “fishy” smell, then lifting your dogs tail will be enough to indicate to you that there is a problem. So regardless of whether it is a change in diet required or a rather displeasing smell to be eradicated a chat with the veterinary surgeon would be advisable.
Finally, you should be aware that a homoeopathic remedy may be available.
I have never needed to or tried it on any of my dogs but folks who have a knowledge of homoeopathy may be aware that the use of Silica (Silicea) is recommended as a natural product that assists dogs with this problem.
Before using I strongly suggest that extensive research is carried out. Not all dogs will necessarily respond favourably to this type of treatment.
Discussing the issue with a homoeopathic practitioner would be a good idea and if in ANY doubt ask for the opinion of your veterinary surgeon.
Whilst this has not been the most pleasant subject for discussion even if one dog gets relief from this distressing complaint then it will have been worthwhile.
“A dog is one of the remaining reasons some people can be persuaded to go for a walk.”
Orlando Aloysius Battista