# Help Heat vs Anal Glands?



## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

So I woke up to find two round brown spots on the bed where Timi sleeps, and 
I thought "yay, she came into heat early, Timi's spay day next week is cancelled", but I look and she is not swollen. 
So question is, can she be in heat without being swollen? Or do anal glands just passively leak like that? They do feel a little full to me, but not outrageously so, and she isn't scooting or anything. She did have some soft poop last week, and with my treatment had a couple of days of no poop, but now is in the making up for it with huge poop stage, so the glands should be getting naturally compressed.
She does have her pre-op appointment on Monday, but just wondering if anybody had any thoughts on this?
I have heard of a silent heat where they are swollen and don't bleed, but never heard of them bleeding without being swollen. And I never heard of anal glands passively leaking like that, especially when they are not bothering the dog. These were two fairly large spots for her - one a little bigger than a dime, and one bigger than a quarter, with a reddish brown tinge.
Thanks in advance for any advice or thoughts that you can offer!


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## kayla_baxter (Jul 17, 2015)

My dane's anal glands will leak from time to time, usually when he's relaxed or sleeping so it is possible. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

kayla_baxter said:


> My dane's anal glands will leak from time to time, usually when he's relaxed or sleeping so it is possible.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Thank you, good to know that it is possible. Is that indicative of a problem with them, or just something in the normal realm of things?


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

Yes they can just leak. The smell is VERY telling. It kind of smells like metallic fish. Usually it is an indication that they are over full. I would ask your vet to check.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

N2Mischief said:


> Yes they can just leak. The smell is VERY telling. It kind of smells like metallic fish. Usually it is an indication that they are over full. I would ask your vet to check.



I don't smell anything, but I will ask the Vet to check them. Thanks!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

She did poop pretty soon after getting up - maybe the need to go was compressing the glands as she slept?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

It could be. What if you press a paper tissue against her vulva and anus. Which one of the two will leak just a bit ?


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Dechi said:


> It could be. What if you press a paper tissue against her vulva and anus. Which one of the two will leak just a bit ?



Neither so far...


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

I think it sounds more like anal glands or some anal leakage. She could have been a bit to full and the pressure made something leak out while she was relaxed. Not all anal glands stink. I have expressed some that have very little to no smell at all. The lube we use has stronger smell than those anal gland secretions. Anal gland secretions can very drastically. I could probably write a book on all the types I have seen lol.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Do glands need to be expressed if they are full but not bothering her? I have never done anal glands, but it does feel like one side is quite a bit fuller than the other.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I don't like the practice of regularly expressing them for no reason, but if one is overly full, I personally would choose to have it expressed, at least partially. I think if they are left there is a chance for impaction and infection. That of course is just my opinion.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

N2Mischief said:


> I don't like the practice of regularly expressing them for no reason, but if one is overly full, I personally would choose to have it expressed, at least partially. I think if they are left there is a chance for impaction and infection. That of course is just my opinion.



Thanks, I will have the vet check it on Monday, hopefully it is just a passing thing.
Come to think of it, because of her stomach problems last week, I had not been giving her fruits and vegetables - maybe that is why the glands did not compress enough...


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Well she said the anal glands were only moderately full, emptied easily. So hopefully it was only a passing thing.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Glad to know it was nothing serious, and hoping it doesn't come back ! These glands are annoying...


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Dechi said:


> Glad to know it was nothing serious, and hoping it doesn't come back ! These glands are annoying...



Yes, I dread the thought of having a dog with problem ones (knock wood) - they can suffer so, and it can be a constant worry.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

N2Mischief said:


> I don't like the practice of regularly expressing them for no reason, but if one is overly full, I personally would choose to have it expressed, at least partially. I think if they are left there is a chance for impaction and infection. That of course is just my opinion.


Totally agree with you N2Mischief!

Yes, if the anal glands are full, but not bothering, they still should be expressed. Absolutely! I know one time, when I had Trixie in for a health exam,  my vet told me that her anal glands were exceptionally full, and it was a good thing I got her in before they became impacted. That was also the time when my vet showed my husband and I on how we could express the glands ourselves. We did try, but it was something that we just couldn't do, so every time we had the dogs into the vet, I always had the anal glands checked at the same time. Even if they weren't bothersome.

VERY important not to let something like that go.


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