Hello I'm Jenny from D for Dog. In this video we'll be talking about how to empty your dog's anal glands.
This isn't something many dog owners will need to learn to do but if your dog does have
an anal gland problem, you will know about it. So for example you may notice your dog biting or
licking at their back end or scooting their bottom along the floor. Another thing you may notice is
a strong fishy smell from your dog's bottom or on your soft furnishings. If you notice this,
your dog's anal glands are emptying at inappropriate times. If you're watching
this video, let's assume you know your dog has issues with their anal glands and I will also
assume that you've spoken to your vet and have been given the go-ahead to empty your dog's anal
glands. Hopefully your vet showed you how to do it but when you get home and try it yourself you
may find it isn't quite as easy as they made it look, at least to begin with. So the point of this
video is to show you exactly how it's done. Most vets prefer the internal method for emptying anal
glands where they insert a finger into the dog's bottom and express each anal gland. I prefer the
external method which is what I'm going to show you here. You'll need a latex glove,
some tissues and something to wash or wipe your dog's bottom with afterwards. It's also useful to
have another person to help you - one to gently hold the dog in a standing position and one to
do the emptying of the anal glands. So with your latex glove on and with your dog standing relaxed
and comfortably, place the finger and thumb of your gloved hand just below your dog's bottom.
This diagram shows the approximate position of the anal glands. You will need to place
your thumb and forefinger either side and slightly below your dog's bottom. Gently feel in and around
that area. If the anal glands are full you will feel something that's almost like two large peas,
one on either side or you may only feel one if only one sac is full. Now that you can feel the
anal glands, gently milk them in an upward motion. You're trying to move the fluid out
of the anal sac openings. Here are the anal sacs and here are the openings. By starting with your
fingers near the bottom of the sacs and by milking upwards, you're moving the fluid up and out of the
holes at the top. Don't continually squeeze or apply too much pressure. Milk gently. Watch your
dog's bottom as you milk and if nothing comes out adjust your fingers slightly and try again.
Be patient and try a few times until you see a squirt or dribble of fluid escape. Now you have
the fluid coming out you can keep your fingers in that position and continue to milk the anal glands
until the glands are empty. You'll know when you are finished because the sacs will feel deflated
and the fluid will stop coming out. Gently clean and dry your dog's bottom and give them a nice
treat for being so good. When looking at a video of someone emptying a dog's anal glands it can be
difficult to get a good idea of what they are feeling for and what they're doing with their
fingers, so what I have tried to do here is a very basic model of the anal glands to show you what
you are feeling for. Here are the anal sacs and here are the openings. Don't position your fingers
and squeeze near the top as nothing can come out. You need to be about mid way or lower down the
anal sacs and gently squeeze upwards. If after a few tries you are unsuccessful stop and try
again another day. Repeated attempts to empty the glands can cause pain and bruising so don't be too
persistent. If you still don't have success please see your vet for advice. It could be simply that
you need to try again next time or it could be that the anal glands have become impacted and the
vet will need to give your dog antibiotics before trying again in a week or so. I hope you found
this video useful for more information or to read other useful D for Dog articles, visit D for Dog.