# Groomers vs vet expressing the anal glands



## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

I stopped in at the local groomer today to ask if she did expression of the anal glands. I have a vet appointment for him tomorrow at 2pm for this but at $25 a shot (no pun intended), I'm just curious if there's a cheaper way if we have this problem repeatedly. She said that although she's been trained to do it and has been grooming for many years, she doesn't offer that service and doesn't advise that anyone but the vet do it. 

Now I can see not having it done by one of the big box stores but is she right that only a vet should be doing this?


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## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

Annamarie said:


> I stopped in at the local groomer today to ask if she did expression of the anal glands. I have a vet appointment for him tomorrow at 2pm for this but at $25 a shot (no pun intended), I'm just curious if there's a cheaper way if we have this problem repeatedly. She said that although she's been trained to do it and has been grooming for many years, she doesn't offer that service and doesn't advise that anyone but the vet do it.
> 
> Now I can see not having it done by one of the big box stores but is she right that only a vet should be doing this?


you could do it yourself and might want to consider asking the vet or a groomer to show you how.


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

blech I don't think I'd want to do it myself. I know some owners do but I think I'd probably puke


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

In 50+ years none of my dogs have ever needed to have anal glands expressed. If the need was there, I wouldn't have a groomer do it, I'd take the dog to the vet.


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

I have to take my dog to the vet like every 2 or 3 months to get it done. From my experience, the difference between my vet and the groomer i was going to is that the groomer does it from the outside whereas the vet does it from the inside. My dog's anal glands cannot be expressed from the outside, so we go to the vet. Costs $10 for us. I agree with you annamarie, I would much rather have to pay to get it done then have someone show me how....ewww... I took him on monday and they were so full they leaked on to the table, ewww. Anyways, I just feel that the vet would probably do a more thorough job.


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

thanks  I'll check out some different prices at the vets around here. It depends on where you go for a lot of things. For example some charge $15 for doing nails, some do it for $4.


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## mylittlebecky (May 27, 2008)

one of my favorite career stories involves anal glands. we used to express an old cocker spaniel's anal glands about every 3 weeks. the lady's husband got fed up with the price of expression and decided to come with his wife and learn how to do it himself at home to fix the problem (obviously the lady had made the decision that there was no way she was learning how to do it). 

i was elected to do the demo in the room. i brought several pairs of gloves so that he could take some home and a pill jar full of lube as well. i was explaining to him about where they were and how to do it inside vs outside (her rear was to "droopy" to allow adequate external expression)... he put on a pair of gloves, i would do one side and he would do the other side. 

as soon as i inserted a finger i looked up and his face squinched into a grimace. i asked if he wanted me to continue he said yeah, trying not to breath. i asked if he wanted to try he said no, backing up accross the room. i cleaned her up, sprayed some doggy cologne on her and said "ok, she's all done! do you have any questions?" he said no again, grabbed the pup and booked it out of there, with me running after him offering him the gloves... 

his wife brought the cocker back in a few weeks, i asked how it was going at home, she was there for expression and she just laughed. 

PS but it's really not that bad... to do or to learn. if you do it in the sink or the tub the smell's only there for a few seconds


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

that sounds like something my SO would do, although I KNOW he'd never even attempt to go anywhere near anything involving the anus. he can't even pick up dog poo with a bag and gags when he does it with a shovel LOL...

the vet said they were full (obviously) but the fluid was normal so it appears as though he routinely expresses them himself. but we'll check again in a month.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Annamarie said:


> that sounds like something my SO would do, although I KNOW he'd never even attempt to go anywhere near anything involving the anus. he can't even pick up dog poo with a bag and gags when he does it with a shovel LOL..


And you have a baby coming in a few weeks...what is he going to do with a really nasty poopy diaper. I can't wait for that story!


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

oh don't even get me started. he thinks he's going to get away with never doing diaper changes. not likely buddy.


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