Vet or wait and see?

[Schlock]

Hiya

Im not sure if I need to spend money on a vet just yet (expensive places!) but my 5 month old border terrier/patterdale cross is a bit odd lately. We've had him about 6 weeks now.

In the mornings he's reluctant to leap out of his cage and for the last couple of days we've had to lift him out to make sure that he goes outside for a pee/poo before heading out (he's left alone for a couple of hours before lunchtime on week days), he seems a bit sluggish to get going whereas previously he was full of beans. It might be worth mentioning that my dh stays up until silly 'o clock at night (regularly 3am) so the puppy might not be getting as much sleep as he needs hence the slower starts.

The other thing he's been doing is a behaviour that I've only ever previously seen in wormy dogs - he wipes his bum by dragging it on the ground Not a lot, only after having a poo but he has been wormed and I've been told that anal glands needing to be drained is unlikely given his age. Is he just super dooper clean dog?

If anyone's got any ideas that might avoid the cost of a vet trip I'd be very grateful. Vet trips always seem to come to just under the price set before you can claim on the insurance

Thanks.

[Owllady]

unfortunately some dogs do need their anal glands emptying (not sure if that is the right word tbh) regular. Your vet can show you how to do it yourself or you can pay the £25 for them to do it. My mate has a terrier and it is always having to have them emptied/done but she would rather pay the vet to do it

I don't think being sleepy in a morning is anything to worry about really. Once dogs settle into a home they are all content and don't speed around everywhere, but if you are worried you can just mention it to the vet (sorry)

[Schlock]

Oh. Was really hoping that wiping his bum on the ground wasn't going to be the anal gland thing because I really don't want to have to regularly stick my finger up a dog's bum but neither do I want to cough up for the vet to do it

I wonder if I could get my 16yr old to take on the task for a small price? hmmm

[fanoftheinvisibleman]

I have a nearly 8 month old Border. He is really lazy in a morning. He doesn't always come out of his crate first thing and if he does it is for a wee and to bolt for the sofa. On days where I leave him he stays till gone lunchtime snoozing. He sleeps alot but is full of beans when awake. We are nightowls too so he is never put to bed the right side of midnight.

He started bum scooting at about 4 months old. Vet said it was his anal glands but that they didn't want to start emptying them manually as they then rely on it rather than doing the job themselves. They told me to give him half a weetabix a day instead. To be honest I had a job settling him on a food that suited but once we achieved that and gave weetabix it has dropped off now.

[Schlock]

Thanks Fan useful stuff to know!

Ours is certainly full of beans when properly awake Glad I'm (probably) not going to have emtpy anal glands, blerk. I shall try the half weetabix thing

Thanks to owllady too

[fanoftheinvisibleman]

Ours loves his weetabix too, mushed up with a little water. I hope it works for you.

[lotsofdogshere]

our vet recommended any kind of bran,all bran animal bran. Also bones are good to help dogs teeth and anal glands - our butcher gives me small marrow bones which our dogs enjoy and we haven't had anal gland problems. Dogs, lovely eh

[lickencivers]

My lab is like this if we keep her up late. She looks at us very disgruntled if she gets woken and I have to make her go out for a wee before I do the school run. She's full of beans etc the rest of time and walks miles a day with me x

[lickencivers]

She's 2 btw