Anal Glands

[Jen]

My 5 year old (yesterday was his B-day) male 3 weeks ago had trouble with an infected anal gland. We had the gland expressed and put him on an antibiotic (cephalexin 500mg twice a day) for 2 wks. Yesterday I noticed he is showing the same symptoms. I have a vet appointment for after work today. Has anyone else had problems with recurrent gland blockage? Is this common with rotties? I know some breeds of dogs are more likely to have this happen. Anyone know any way to help avoid this problem in the future? Believe me, my puppy is not too happy to have the vet express this gland. Jeez...what a birthday present!

[irenej]

A "bummer" of a problem. Though I have not seen this problem in Rotts. it is common in a variety of breeds. It is important in the case of an infected gland to apply an antibiotic solution directly into the anal duct. Your vet can show you how to do this. I take it this has not been a chronic problem so small anal glands does not appear to be a problem. In order to keep the problem from reoccuring especially in a dog that getting older make sure his diet is low in fat, a senior diet food with a higher fibre content may be in order(or a 50/50 mix) . Also make sure he always has a fresh supply of water to keep the bowels in order. Dogs that are inactive may have the problem more often as well so be sure to keep him well exercised. Hope this helps.

[Jen]

irenej - Thanks for the suggestions. He currently is on a 50/50 mix of lowfat food. He has been more active due to the weather being nice outside. We go for walk and have play sessions which include running, dodging, etc. I'm hoping maybe the antibiotic did not clear the infection up completely the first time and once it is cleared up no more problems. He got an antibiotic shot yesterday, some antibiotic ointment applied and a different oral antibiotic to take for the next couple of weeks. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[act]

If this becomes a recurring problem for your Rott, you may want to ask you vet to show you how to express the anal glands at home to prevent infection. As some dogs get older the ability to express their anal glands decreases. Although not a regular occurance it is also not uncommon. Unfortunately, my rottie mix has to have her anals expressed manually weekly since she was 8 months! We do it at home. At first she really did not like it, but now she is just fine. I actually believe she feels much better afterwards.