Whenever your dog urinates or defecates, the anal glands receive a small amount of pressure, and a tiny bit of the fluid is released, along with your dog's custom blended scent. Your dog can also express a little of his personal essence when he meets a fellow canine. Have you ever noticed that when two dogs meet, they often raise their tails on high alert? This action applies the pressure to the dog anal glands, and this leads to the traditional butt sniffing we humans cannot seem to fathom. However, to our dogs this behavior is as normal as shaking hands when you meet someone new. By sniffing, the dogs learn to identify each other by their scents. Equate it with exchanging business cards, and you have the idea. If you're alarmed at this point about all this expressing going on, don't be. Remember that a dog's sense of smell is light years beyond our own, so the amount of the actual expressions are minute, and you'll likely never smell anything yourself unless your dog develops an anal gland infection
Many dogs never seem to have a problem with their anal glands, but the opportunity for infection to take hold is always there. When the anal glands are not sufficiently expressed, bacteria is given the chance to build up, and this can lead to numerous problems. Your dog can develop an infection, which if left untreated can progress into an abscess. The abscess can then rupture through the skin, leading to further complications. It's believed that dog anal gland problems can be linked to the quality of pet food a dog receives. Inexpensive brands of dog food use a lot of cereal fillers, which tend to make soft stools. The soft stool isn't able to press firmly enough against the dog's anal glands to provide the necessary pressure to express them, and there the trouble begins. Higher quality dog foods that produce a firmer, more compact stool actually aid the expressing of dog anal glands and, therefore, may be a better food choice for your pet. If your dog's anal glands fail to properly express, they may actually become impacted, making your dog very uncomfortable. Watch for these signs:
Your dog begins scooting or dragging his rear across the floor.
Your dog keeps licking or chewing near his rectum.
Your dog's stools have become soft and mushy.
If you are noticing one or more of these signs, it may be a good idea to take your dog in for a check up with his vet. The dog anal glands may actually need to be manually expressed, a job best left to the professionals. Some professional dog groomers will also perform this procedure for you at your request.
Typically, small dogs need their anal glands espressed because they do not exert enough force. however, on larger breeds once you express the anal glands manual or they start needing your help about once a month is a general rule. I can try to talk you through it though it might be more helpful if your vet will show you. Their are two ways to express anal glands, internal and external. Most owners prefer external. your vet can show you both or you may email me and I will talk you through it. As far as the pain goes, ask your vet for a lidacain spray, use this temperary. The pain is rare but sometimes it does happen. Try using Peroxide (so many uses) to keep the area clean.