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Westies!!!

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  • 29-06-2009 12:21pm
    #1
    bellanurse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭


    I have two westies who are 6 years old. The bitch often gets impacted anal glands which are very painful for her.....does anybody know how to deal with this without taking her to the vet every time it happens????


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    #2
    az2wp0sye65487
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭az2wp0sye65487


    We had the same problem with a Yorkie a while back. We were feeding him wet food. Every 6 months or so we'd have to get it checked and get the vet to squeeze them.

    Vet recommended switching to a dry food. He said the glands produce a fluid to help lubricate the area when they are having a poo. Because the dog's diet was only wet food he wasn't having solid ones all the time, and needed no lubrication. (Thats the basic jist of how the vet explained it anyway!)

    When the dog eats more dry food more lubrication is needed for it to pass through the other end, and the fluid is used each time, and therefore stops building up!

    It's worked for us anyway.


    Regarding switching food; I've heard people saying that their dog is 'fussy' and will only eat a certain type of food.... We originally thought the same. But once a dog is hungry enough it will eat whatever food you decide to give it. It takes a little persistence over the course of a few days but just don't give in.


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    #3
    shu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 58 ✭✭shu


    Increasing the fibre in their diet can help increase the drainage from the glands. There is a fibre supplement call pro-fibre which you should be able to get from your vets or possibly online too. If you have a strong stomach, ask your vet to show you how to express the glands yourself. It's not a particularly gruesome job, but it is quite smelly and would require a pair of latex gloves and some lubricant. It's quite easy to do though, and would save you taking the dog in to the vets every time the glands get impacted. Another option, this is usually only considered for cases with recurrent infections in the glands, the glands can be removed surgically. This procedure does carry the risk of faecal incontinence (doesn't happen often but it is a possible complication) and so the decision to do this shouldn't be taken lightly.


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