what does it mean to express anal glands

[papa bear's mom]

Call me stupid, but I've done a search on this and all that comes up is, yeah, I didn't know what the smell was, but I expressed his anal glands, or you might need to express the anal glands. What does this acutally involve and how do you know you should do it? I have NEVER heard of this, but I've only been a dog owner for about four years. :p Does it happen that it needs to be done in certain breeds more than others? Thanks for informing the uninformed :D

[babybluetx23]

Here is what I found
http://www.gsdhelpline.freeserve.co.uk/anal.htm

Every dog has two anal glands or sacs (1 gland on each side of the anus). These glands are occasionally refereed to as "scent glands", because they enable the dog to mark its territory and to identify each other. We have all seen how dogs greet each other by sniffing at the other's rear.
The anal sacs are normally expressed (emptied) by rectal pressure during defecation. The secretion from the anal glands is a brownish liquid, although is can become thick, yellowish or creamy looking. The anal sacs can also be emptied by contraction of the anal sphincter. This involuntary contraction can be due to the dog being upset, frightened or under pressure, or the contractions can be triggered by the dog to leave its mark upon territory. Constricting the anal sphincter not only marks the territory, it permeates the dog with that characteristic "doggy" odor.
When the anal glands fail to empty normally, the result can be impaction. Impaction is most common in small dog breeds, but can occur in any dog. Among the causes of anal gland impaction are : soft stools, small anal gland openings and overactive anal glands. The anal gland secretions become thick and pasty. Anal gland impaction is treated by manual emptying of the glands.

[Rott-Wiley]

What most people do is ask their vet or his/her tech to teach them how to express the glands if this becomes a reoccurring problem.

[babybluetx23]

http://www.fravtf.com/showpracfaq.cf...=197&Private=0

Have your veterinarian or a technician teach you the proper technique.

There are two anal sacs. Using clock-face position references, one is situated at four o’clock and the other is at eight o’clock just inside the rectum. The sacs fill with secretions from the anal glands and when full they feel like grapes when palpated with the fingers. The best way to learn how to express a dog's anal glands is to go to your veterinarian and have the veterinarian or a veterinary technician show you how to do this properly. (Please be aware that this is not as easy as it looks.) Then you could try it while the doctor or technician watches and guides you. The veterinarian or technician could do one side and you could do the other. Once you learn the proper technique, you should be able to do it from then on without difficulty unless the glands become impacted. When expressing the anal sacs at home, I recommend that you have rubber examination gloves and Baby Wipes or paper towels handy. Put the Baby Wipes or paper towels between your gloved hand and your dog’s rear end to catch the material expressed from the anal sacs. I also recommend doing this procedure outdoors. Anal glands are scent glands that produce a foul-smelling material; expressing the sacs can be a very messy task at times, especially in the home. You should also be aware that medical problems involving the anal glands and sacs occasionally occur. These include infection and abscess, tumors, and inflammatory conditions. These problems require prompt veterinary medical attention. You may wish to talk to your veterinarian about what signs of these problems to look for when expressing your dog’s anal sacs. I always tell pet owners contemplating doing this at home that they may change their minds after expressing the anal glands once or twice because it isn’t a pleasant job and it can be messy. For more information you may want to read the VetCentric Encyclopedia article titled, “Anal Sac Disease, Canine.”