Hi all

Please help all the advice would be much appreciated

Our Boy Gizzy 19 month old Cavalier Kings Charles Spaniel

Has Anal Gland problems

He has a erupted sore with infection in and around his anal gland and we have been advised to remove his Anal Glands Completley.

The risks- Incontinence
             

Any Advice Please ???

Surgery would be my very last resort I have heard too many bad reports about the incontinence and he is very young for this to happen. If you can get the present infection and sore cleared up try adding a teaspoon of rough bran (from health shops, not the cereal type) to his daily meal - if you feed a dry kibble you may need to moisten a little after adding the bran. I have gone down the route you are on and the bran has worked for me and for friends. You will need to add it every day though.

I have a differnt opinion to Mort, since my cavalier king charles had the op to have the glands removed, when he was about 2 years old (he is nearly 12 now). The op went really well and he never had any issues such as incontinence, so personally I am glad we had it done (this was after repeated episodes of anal impaction and infection).

Cheers

Before you decide on surgery,I would like to suggest trying the following treatment.
We had a dog whose anal glands repeatedly filled up week after week,for years,often becoming infected.My vet suggested we try the following regime,and for the last  two years she has no longer required the glands emptying....
You will need a tube of antibiotic creme eg bactroban,fucidin or panalogue.
A soft pipette of dilute betadine.
The glands should be emptied ,then you insert a finger smeared with the antibiotic creme into the anus,and gently apply in the position 5 o clock and seven o clock ,where the glands are.
At least twice a day,flush the glands with the betadine solution...
repeat for ten days.
  The glands are very delicate and great care should be taken to not damage the tissue ...ask the vet for a demo and their advice before you procede.
I hope this resolves the issue,as it did for my dog.
Sophia.