I have 2 questions.

My cav has just started dragging his bum along the ground (kids think it's hilarious party trick of his), am i right in thinking anal glands need to be emptied? If so what do i do.
Also he seems to be out of breath and has his tongue permanently hanging out.
Can you make any suggestions or reassurances please.
Thanks
Hope xmas has bought you all what you wished for, and our 4 legged family members too.

Can be anal glands -if so you need a vet to show you how to do it as there is a knack to it. But in Cavaliers some dogs do it frequently anyway, it's almost a breed thing. :)

Extra panting, out of breath -get his heart checked out!

Yes I have a dachsie who has the same problem.  But we haven't got the knack to clear them ourselves, despite my husband having farmed in a small way lol.  But our vet nurse does them for free so may be worth asking.

Louise

Cavs can suffer with thier anal glands so I would pop along to the vets to get them checked.  If she is panting too she could have an infection or an abcess which is making them paticuarly painful.
Both my two cavs had terrible trouble with thier anal glands and ended up having to have them removed.

I agree, get the vet to check and show you how to do it. Also just check there are no dry bits of poo clinging to the hair round that area causing an itchy bottom. One of my Cavs always seems to be wanting his glands done, and the other one hardly ever! By the way, they can be babies - Henry screams the place down whether it's me or the vet doing it, but my other 2 dogs don't mind it! :-)

My two cav's have the botty problem too.  They are not sore or infected, just full. ususally dogs empty them themselves when they "go", but if their poo is a little soft, it wont empty them.  My two have exemplary poos (lovely), so we are having to keep an eye on it.  They are alsmost always scootching!

Your vets the man (or lady), I don't know if I have the stomach to do it myself though!

You should definetely get the panting checked too, better to be safe and all that!

dragging theyre bums on the ground is also a way of cleaning them selves. my older dog saw my younger one do it and has been seen doing it herself now. if its constant, then maybe consult your vet, check nothings serious!

I agree the vet should check but get them to show you how to do it. It's not hard ( but not pleasant.)

If you can stand it, the gland exits are at 4 o clock and 8 o clock if you imagine the anus as a clock face ( what ??!!) and you need  to press from the side with  forefinger and thumb to get results.

Warning- the contents are likely to exit at speed so do it somewhere suitable and ensure no- one is standing behind - so to speak.

Regards

Rod

ermmmm. really silly question, do you actually have to insert fingers and then gently squeeze, or are we talking just at the exit area.?????

Just curious, we got a cav and thankfully only scoots when got a bit of woopsie left behind.

ummm lovely topic,

Regards julie x :rolleyes:

Just from the outside :D

Read this page for full unstructions etc.

Thankyou chaumsong, have saved this info just in case we need it in future, although i may chicken out and rope vet in to do it. I am sat here giggling to myself imagining my poor girls expression of disgust and wondering just how long can a sulky cav hold a grudge for.

Bless her, lets hope we never have to find out.!!

Julie.

It depends on the breed. It can easily be done from the outside with tailed dogs, because raising the tail makes the anus protrude and the glands are more accessible. With breeds which are docked short there's not enough of the tail to have the full effect, so internal evacuation is often necessary.

Thnaks for that JG, I've never had a docked dog so didn't know that :)