How do you express a dogs anal glands

Of all the topics I discuss with pet owners in my exam room, few generate more curious—and slightly worried—expressions than your dog's anal glands. I completely understand that many pet parents find this aspect of their dog's anatomy somewhat mysterious and, frankly, unpleasant.

Perhaps you've noticed a foul odor coming from your dog, or you've caught them scooting their rear end across your favorite rug. These telltale signs often indicate that your dog's anal glands need immediate attention. But how do you express a dogs anal glands safely, and when should you as a responsible pet owner attempt this procedure at home?

As your veterinarian, my goal is to demystify this important aspect of your dog's health by providing you with practical, science-based guidance. Understanding your dog's anal glands is absolutely crucial for managing potential issues and maintaining your beloved companion's comfort and well being.

Every dog—regardless of breed or size—has two small sacs located just inside their anus at approximately the four and eight o'clock positions on a clock face. These anal sacs contain specialized glands that produce a unique, pungent substance serving as scent communication with other dogs.

In the wild, this distinctive scent serves as territorial markers—essentially your dog's personal signature left behind during bowel movements. When most dogs have healthy, well-formed bowel movements, the natural pressure of stool passing through effectively squeezes these small sacs, releasing anal gland fluid as intended.

For many dogs, this natural process works seamlessly, and you as their owner may remain completely unaware of these dog's anal glands' existence. However, sometimes this natural expression mechanism fails, creating problems that require your intervention or professional attention.

When your dog's anal sacs don't empty properly, fluid accumulates and thickens inside them, eventually causing impacted anal glands to develop. I want you to watch carefully for the following signs that indicate your dog's anal glands need immediate attention from you as pet parents:

•  Scooting: you'll notice your dog dragging their rear end across surfaces

• Excessive licking: your dog will focus intensively on their tail base or anal area

• Discomfort: your dog may show visible pain when sitting or attempting to defecate

• Strong odor: you'll detect a distinct,foul, fishy smell emanating from their dog's anus

• Swelling: you may observe visible inflammation around your dog's anus

If you leave impacted anal glands untreated, they can develop into serious anal gland infections or painful abscesses,which are pus-filled pockets that may eventually rupture through your dog's skin.

Several factors can contribute to these problems, including soft stool consistency, obesity, food sensitivities, hip or lower back arthritis and your dog's individual anatomy. In my practice, I've observed that certain breeds, particularly small dog varieties, experience these issues more frequently than large dog breeds.

This question deserves your most careful consideration as a responsible pet owner. While some pet owners and dog groomers do learn these techniques, I must emphasize that this procedure carries significant risks when performed without proper technique.

When you attempt improper manual anal gland expression, you can cause your dog unnecessary pain, create tissue trauma, and actually worsen inflammation—potentially pushing bacteria deeper into the glands and creating dangerous abscesses.

Before you even consider attempting to express dog anal glands at home, I strongly recommend that you consult with your veterinarian or veterinary technician for a proper technique demonstration. We need to first confirm that the issue truly involves impacted anal glands rather than more serious problems like tumors that require immediate medical treatment.

For dogs with recurring issues, I work with pet owners to create comprehensive long-term management plans that may include regular professional expression, targeted dietary modifications focusing on optimizing your dog's diet, or specialized allergy treatments to address any underlying issues.

For pet owners who have received proper veterinary guidance, understanding the correct procedures for expressing anal glands becomes absolutely essential. Your primary goal involves applying gentle, controlled pressure to empty the anal sacs without causing any injury to your dog. You have two primary methods available: external and internal approaches for dog anal gland expression.

This less invasive technique represents what I most commonly teach to pet parents who want to express your dog's anal glands at home:

Preparation: you'll want to work in easily cleaned areas like your bathtub or outdoors. Make sure to gather disposable gloves or latex gloves, paper towel, and warm water with a soapy washcloth for thorough cleanup. Having a helper to assist you in keeping your dog still will significantly improve your dog's comfort for everyone involved in this process. Be sure to work safely with your dog. This can be very uncomfortable for them and some dogs may try and bite you to stop you from expressing the anal glands.

Locating glands: with your dog standing calmly, gently lift their dog's tail. Your dog's anal glands sit on either side of the anus. Using a clock face reference point,the anal glands are positioned at the 4 and 8 o’clock positions. You may actually feel grape-sized bumps under the skin—these are your dog's anal glands.

Gentle expression: place paper towel underneath the anal opening to catch any discharged fluid. Using your thumb and index finger, apply steady, controlled pressure outside the glands, squeezing inward and upward toward the anal area. The fluid you'll see ranges from thin yellow-brown liquid to thick paste consistency, and you should continue to gently squeeze until the glands feel completely emptied.

Safety guidelines: never, under any circumstances, use excessive force when expressing anal glands—this cannot be emphasized enough. If the glands don't empty easily with gentle pressure, or if your dog shows any signs of significant pain, stop the procedure immediately. This reaction may indicate infections or blockages that require professional veterinary attention rather than continued home attempts.

This internal method approach more effectively empties glands completely and should typically be performed only by veterinary professionals. The internal method allows for precise pressure application directly on the glands, ensuring your dog's anal glands are completely expressed.

Professional preparation: your veterinarian will use sterile gloves, paper towel, and quality lubricant or petroleum jelly for this advanced technique.

Procedure: after carefully lubricating the index finger, it's gently inserted into your dog's rectum. The anal sac can then be located between the internal index finger and external thumb, allowing your veterinarian to manually express each gland systematically and thoroughly.

Expression process: the glands are carefully squeezed between thumb and index finger, directing all fluid through the duct openings into paper towel underneath. This process must be repeated for both sides to ensure both of your dog's anal glands are properly and completely emptied.

This internal method allows your veterinarian to accurately assess gland size and fluid consistency while ensuring complete emptying, often providing much more relief than external techniques alone. Some dogs specifically require this professional internal method when anal glands expressed externally simply don't empty fully.

While expressing anal glands certainly provides immediate relief for your dog, prevention actually addresses the root causes of these troublesome issues. Your dog's diet significantly impacts stool consistency— a high fiber diet helps produce firm, bulky movements that naturally help dogs express anal glands during their normal bowel movements. Fiber supplements may particularly benefit some dogs who are experiencing chronic problems.

Weight management proves absolutely critical for preventing these issues, as obesity significantly increases problems in both small dog and large dog breeds. If you suspect allergies may be contributing to your dog's issues, I encourage you to work closely with your veterinarian on elimination diet trials or comprehensive allergy management strategies. Regular exercise also actively supports healthy bowel movements in your dog.

Maintaining your dog's anal glands healthy requires your consistent attention to these important preventive factors. Some pet parents find that adding petroleum jelly or other safe lubricants during regular grooming helps reduce irritation in the anal area, though you should definitely discuss this approach with your veterinary team first.

Can I express my dog's glands myself? Yes, but only after receiving proper veterinary training and guidance. Many pet owners do successfully perform external expression following professional instruction. However, I must stress that expressing anal glands at home requires careful technique and patience to avoid injuring your dog.

How do you know if your dog needs glands expressed? I advise you to watch carefully for common signs including scooting, excessive licking, strong odor, or visible discomfort during defecation. These symptoms often indicate issues that require your immediate attention.

How often do dogs need anal glands expressed? This varies significantly among individual dogs and their circumstances. Some dogs express anal glands naturally throughout their lives and never need any manual expression, while others require monthly or bi-monthly professional anal gland expression. Small dog breeds typically need more frequent attention than large dog breeds.

What helps dogs express their glands naturally? Maintaining consistently healthy bowel movements through proper diet, adequate fiber intake, regular exercise, and healthy weight management supports natural expression in your dog. Dogs with consistent, firm bowel movements typically experience fewer problems overall.

For dogs that involuntarily express anal glands when stressed or excited, this represents completely normal behavior that doesn't require any intervention unless accompanied by other concerning symptoms.

If your dog shows persistent issues despite your best home care efforts to express your dog's anal glands at home, or if you notice blood, severe swelling, or any signs of infection, contact your veterinarian immediately. Professional anal gland expression ensures complete emptying while allowing us to monitor for any underlying issues that might be affecting your dog's anal glands.

Warning signs requiring immediate veterinary attention include visible swelling or unusual lumps in the anal area, blood in discharge or foul odor that's intensifying, obvious signs of pain when your dog's anal area is touched, fever or lethargy accompanying these problems, and repeated unsuccessful attempts at home expression.

For dogs that struggle with chronic anal gland problems, surgical removal of the anal glands can be considered and should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Your dog's anal glands represent just one aspect of their overall health picture, but problems in this area can cause significant discomfort that directly affects your dog's comfort and quality of life. Whether you choose to express your dog's anal glands at home or rely entirely on professional veterinary services, understanding these structures helps you provide much better care for your dog's anal glands.

By partnering closely with your veterinary team, you can develop comprehensive management strategies that keep your dog comfortable and free from the dreaded scoot. Remember, successful management often involves addressing underlying issues like diet optimization, weight control, and allergy management rather than simply treating symptoms through repeated expression procedures.

Most dogs live completely comfortable lives with proper care and attention, and many dogs never experience these issues at all during their lifetime. With knowledge, patience, and professional guidance when needed, you can help ensure your dog's anal glands remain healthy and functional throughout their entire life. Regular monitoring, appropriate diet management, and understanding when to manually express versus seeking professional help will keep your dog's anal glands healthy and your pet comfortable.