hiya,

i've been searching on the net and can't find anything specific about the effects it has....? I know that removing anal sacs can cause incontinance in any dog, but the likelihood of that is supposed to be increased in dogs with docked tails-presumably because the muscles round the sphincter aren't as well 'developed'...?

a friends incredibly short docked rottie may have to have his sacs removed and understandbly said friend is worried sick incase he develops incontinance.

has anyone got any first hand experience of having a docked dog who has had to have their anal sacs removed?

thanks!

nicola

Dont want to make you feel more worried but my dog had his anal glands removed a few months back and he did become incontinent firstly he had just one removed which was the one they said was causing the problems but indeed they got it wrong after the first one was removed he was fine but the second one was taken three weeks later and i had to give him to a lady who copes with these situations as he was incontinant and i cant have that around my children so i would find out if its just one of them causing the problem and if they can remove the one :(

Firstly has your friend tried changing the dogs diet to improve the enptying of anal sacks?? Many vets want to rush straight in there and remove them but sometimes a simple change of diet can be enough. Anal sacks empty naturally but they need a certain volume and a firm to hard consistency passing throught them in order to do so. I would therefore suggest adding some raw meaty bones to the diet before you consider surgery.

I would second what bluebell has said about changing the diet and the raw bones. My vet fought for 7 months before getting my bitches glands sorted out - it was not a diet problem but hey had abcessed and the infection was re-occuring every couple of weeks, but we got there in the end and she has never looked back sine and that was 3 years ago. Don't know if your vet has tried this or not but what cured it for my girl was antibiotic ointment (?) that they used on cows when their udders are infected. Had to go in every couple of days for a month for the vet to empty her glands and syringe this stuff in. After the first week she would walk into the surgery and turn her bum round to face him as if to say - here you go !!

Margaret

hiya bluebell,

yeah she has changed his diet. He used to be on JWB and prize choice frozen tripe/ beef etc, but went off it....then she changed him to Burns chicken & n/diet, followed by High Oats and naturediet for a few months, which was brilliant because of the fibre content. He started to be a bit finnicky though, and as myself and our friend feed ours Arden, she tried him on Arden (Prestige) which he's currently on. She's switching back to High Oats though. Unless low fat (and few ad far between), treats are banned, which again has worked brilliantly.

her vet thinks its linked wit his skin compaints. He's said he has 'Atopy', and was hoping that my managing the rest of the probelms (pyoderma-had that since about 9wks old, and other skin complaints i believe), the anal glands would follow suit.

he's had his glands packed twice so far (last time was about a fortnight ago), and has been on steroids for the past few months, but its now at the point of going every week or two to have his glands expressed. He's going for another check up on friday.

i've advised to get a second opinion and sign up on champdogs for some friendly advice!

thanks for your thoughts everybody-i've emailed her with the detials of this thread.

nicola x

Has she tried a handfull of All bran or bran flakes in his food ? I know other people who swear by it ;)

well i saw her earlier catweazle, and she was armed with Kelloggs All Bran! She's also going to get some raw bones. She asked me which type, and i'm not 100% so just said knuckle or rib bones. Am i right in thinking it can be any so long as they're not cooked? Are there any specific type that are more prone to splintering eg, lamb more so than beef etc ? Any that should be avoided? Presumably those with marrowbone in it (gives mine the squits)?

thanks again everybody :)

nic

If the dog is not used to eating bones then chicken wings are a good start as they are easy to chew. Mine get plenty of ribs etc but I tend to stay away from the larger leg bones etc largley because mine have alsorts of tactics to bury what they can eat somewhere in the house and there  is nothing quite like walkign round the house trying to locate a rancid bone :O

mmmmmm....nice!! :D

They do so love to leave me little surprises. Still it is better than one of our cats who sometimes forgets that we have a litter tray and a garden and chooses somewhere like down the back of the sofa for a poo :O 

ever nicer! I can't say my cats do that, although they're forever missing the tray, and end up piddling on the floor. Or they snuggle into your clothes then hack up fur balls in them, look in disgust, give you a dodgy look then swagger off somewhere else...

Always good to know you are not the only one!