Important update to our Out of Hours service
From Friday 3rd – Monday 6th October, our out of hours service will be temporarily moving to Pennard Vets Tonbridge, while essential maintenance work takes place at our Sevenoaks practice.
Here’s what this means:
Thank you for your understanding!
From,
All the team at Pennard Vets
Pennard Vets
Do your dog’s anal glands need expressing?
Most dogs are able to empty their anal glands by themselves with no problems – and their owners won’t need to know anything about the function of this part of their anatomy.
However, when something does go wrong, owners soon know about it!
Fortunately, while not the most pleasant procedure, expressing anal glands is painless and helps to avoid unnecessary discomfort for pets.
All you need is an appointment with one of our fabulous nurses who can do the procedure for you – and the service is free for all of our Pet Health Club members.
What do your dog’s anal glands do?
Dogs have anal glands, that contains a pungent liquid that they use to mark territory, and which is released when they go to the loo.
Healthy anal glands will empty of their own accord and it is not necessary to have them emptied manually unless your pet is showing signs of discomfort.
However, it is relatively common for the glands to overfill and become blocked, at which stage it is important to contact us so that we can help your pet and relieve discomfort.
When do they need manually emptying?
If your pet is having problems with their anal glands, you may notice any of a range of symptoms, including:
If your pet is diagnosed with blocked anal glands, emptying them is a procedure we can do during a nurse consultation.
One of our nursing team will pop on some gloves and use their finger to gently squeeze the gland. Never try this yourself at home, as it is possible to cause permanent damage if done incorrectly.
In severe or repeat cases, it may be necessary to use medication or even surgery to alleviate the symptoms – but usually, expressing the glands will resolve the issue.
Find out more about anal gland expression by speaking to one of our team.
Signs that may indicate your dog needs their anal glands checked include:
If you notice these symptoms, it’s a good idea to get them checked.
Yes. Pet Health Club members receive unlimited anal gland checks and expressions when advised by the vet or nurse.
While it’s possible, it isn’t recommended unless you’ve been trained by a veterinary professional.
Incorrect technique can lead to pain, injury or infection. Plus it really isn’t very pleasant!
It’s best to leave it to trained veterinary nurses.
Some dogs never need manual expression, while others may need it every few weeks. If they need expressing too often it may be a sign of a different problem.
Our team can advise you based on your dog’s breed, behaviour and medical history.
One of our nurses will gently and safely express your dog’s anal glands using a clean and comfortable technique.
The procedure is quick and usually causes minimal stress for your pet.
Anal glands are small sacs located on either side of a dog’s anus.
They produce a strong-smelling fluid used for marking territory.
Normally, these glands empty naturally when your dog passes stools.
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