# Anal Glands



## Gailforce (Sep 17, 2010)

What is everyone's feelings on expressing their poodles anal glands? I have a seven year old mini, and 1 year old standard, neither of which have had any problems with them, and the vet expressed their glands today after I asked them not to. I heard that if you start doing it for them that you have to continue doing so and they wont express them themselves anymore. Any thoughts?


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

i think that if it's routinely done... then yes there is risk of that. However i think once in a blue moon won't cause much issue. I think diet hs a bigger play in that (I feed raw so never have issues with it )


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

Yup I agree with neVar; if it's done regularly all the time then there can be problems, but a one-off won't cause any issues.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Can I ask a related question?

Why do anal glands fill up? Someone told me that full anal glands are a sign of a poor diet, and I wanted to check with the wise souls at PF. 

I know that a small amount is excreted when eliminating; so if a dog has diarrhea, the anal glands will not excrete and will fill up. But is there any relationship to diet (other than the diarrhea)?


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

A firmer stool keeps the glands naturally in check. Glands should not need to be manually expressed. If a dog shows signs of impacted glands then a high fiber diet (green beans) combined with higher calcium (give them raw beef bones or bone meal mixed into food) will help.


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