Gross but does anyone clear their dogs glands themselves?

[Snobawl]

My dog has an ongoing issue we are addressing through food and supplements but he is always getting full glands and at 20 quid a pop at vets it adds up.

Does anyone do it themselves?

I have gloves but I'm not sure!

No way I have a really strong sense of smell plus even most groomers won't do it you need a vet you have to know how to do it as far as I'm aware . But it's a definite no from me my boy has his done twice a year by vet nurse

What do canines do in the wild, I wonder?

I paid a vet to teach me and then have done it myself for two male dogs since then. It's really not complicated. The issue is some people do it unnecessarily often or too hard and can cause problems doing so.

My vet now uses the internal method, finger up the backside , and my most recent dog hasn't needed it. But I did it the external way with my previous dog, after being shown how. Yes, disposable gloves and a vast wad of cotton wool. Wonder if there are videos on YouTube.

Canines in the wild eat bone. Bone is hard when it passes and squeezes the gland naturally.

My Dad used to do it when I was a kid. Since then all the dogs I've had have been lucky enough not to need it. I guess if it were a frequent thing I would learn to and do it myself - to save money and hassle. But it's not a job I fancy doing much.

A vet can explain it but tbh, even as a former vet, I would never do it outside a vet practice where medical supplies are available. I’ve seen it go wrong too many times.

Some things aren’t worth the risk IMO and £20 really isn’t much.

My husband does it. He's medically trained (with people) though but only does it from the outside not internally. The vet gets more out when he does it.

Well it is when you're on disability benefits and he's needing them done very regularly alongside 2 other dogs needing it done (less frequently)

And before you judge I got my dog before I got ill and I'm never giving them up!

I wasn’t judging. No need to get snippy.

if you do it yourself you risk causing even bigger vets bills than £20

My dog had his done yesterday fr the first time and I took him to the vet nurse. Now I know what's involved there's no way I'd attempt it. Smell was gross too !
My vet has a pets club and anal glands are part of the service. As are all vet and nurse consultations, flea, worm and tapeworm and vaccinations . For £20 a month.

Telling someone £20 isn't that much when tou have no idea of their circumstances is judgemental.

It's not £20 once a year.

I can't afford that for 3 dogs. That's £60. On top of 3 lots of £30 insurance and everything else they need.

I disagree. I was stating a fact!

I disagree. I was stating a fact!

I don't think OP was referring to your post re £20

I did it once with my dog as he was in a lot of discomfort and we couldn't get a vets appointment. Managed to get a cancellation the next day and the vet said I had done a great job but recommended not doing it as if you do it wrong, you can really hurt your dog/s, and also it can damage the bond between dog and owner. My vet does it for free so I'll be doing that instead next time!

If you have insurance then put in a claim - you’ll have to pay the policy excess but then anything above that you can claim back.

Um, for a £20 service?

Edited to add - it sounds like you don't have a lot of choice but to try, OP. Take the dog who needs it the most one more time and get the vet to teach you. I would advise that you always stay cautious about it though, you can rupture them

How is it judgmental when you don’t know their circumstances?! At that point you’d also only mentioned one dog. You seem like one of those people who is perpetually offended

Do it yourself if you want, just don’t be surprised when it goes wrong and instead of £20 three times a month it’s £100s of pounds because it went wrong.

The trouble is that the more you do it the more it’ll need doing. It’s the food issue that needs sorting.

@Snobawl our vet recommended adding half a Weetabix to the dog food and since we've done this anal glands have been clear.

The problem is op that you have chosen to have 3 dogs, with dog ownership comes expense and this is one of them. Perhaps see if there's a low income veterinary clinic near you and please please do not get any more pets, one dog is plenty for a household

Why wonder about that? Its pretty simple.The glands most likely will empty naturally as their diet contains bone, skin, fur etc, which are bulky and fibrous and increase faecal volume. If that doesn't work, the dog/wolf would drag its arse along the ground, make itself potentially very sore, get an infected anus and die of septicemia, maggot infestation or general debilitation.

Yup, my dog needs it done every month. I do the external method which is very easy with this dog (My last dog wasn't). Give it a try, I don't know about yours but my dog gets stressed going to the vet, she's much happier I when I do it. Good luck!

The post said it was frequent - £20 monthly is £240 per year, fortnightly is £480. Either it’s frequent, expensive overall, and worth claiming or it’s infrequent and a non-issue.

I’ve always done it, externally, never been a problem, there’s a knack you need to know. Giving them a raw carrot as a snack helps to keep them clear.