Just taken Mo to the vet for a check up as she had been paying a lot of attention to her "girly bits" and Frederick has been showing interest in her. So me thinks either a vulval infection of some sort or anal glands (although she hadn't been scooting or anything).

I knew by walking in the door I would charged £40.22 which I think is high for a consult but on top of that I was charged £18.77 to have her anal glands emptied, a job which took all of 10 seconds. It may be me but I think that is a LOT of money. My previous vets would have included the emptying in the much lower consultation price.

Take her to a groomer next time you need the glands done, that's extortionate!

My vet doesn't charge extra for anal glands but they do charge a full consultation price so you end up paying £35 for anal glands to be emptied. 

I don't see why this can't be a job the vet nurse does with a lower price to reflect this. My dog has to have her glands emptied every 8 weeks or so and was costing me an absolute fortune....until I found a groomer that does it for £5!

I am a groomer (lol) but it's not something I've ever done, or was trained to do (I trained at the same place as you Lucy, was it something they taught you how to do?). I've actually just e-mailed the practice to ask them how they can justify their charges, whether I'll get a reply is another matter.

No wonder you are upset by the price ....... one of my mum's girls needs hers doing quite regularly and her groomer charges £7 but she needs it doing more than her 6 weekly groom so to save her trotting up and down to her groomer I just watched a few video's online and I do it for her now when she comes over, it is very easy to do :-) if it is going to cost you so much I would have a go too, once you get the hang of it it only takes a few seconds, all you need are rubber gloves and some kitchen roll and you're away. :-)

Think I may well do that Carrington. My Sussex really needs hers doing, so she may become the first victim. :)

:-D Once the first one is over with, you will be flying along and it will also be a great asset to your grooming business. ;-) Good luck!

Holy cr@p!  :-o

> I don't see why this can't be a job the vet nurse does with a lower price to reflect this.

This is exactly what happens at my vets - it costs £9 a dog and no consult fee.  I usually do it myself (ex groomer) but externally, and over time two of my dogs' glands fill up until they need doing internally (sticky-out bums that don't empty the glands properly each time).  Last time I went though, the nurse was happy to teach me how to do it internally and for no extra cost, so I shouldn't need to take any again :-)

I'm happy to do it externally, I generally check particularly spaniels when they come for grooming. I won't do internally though, yuck! :-D

The problem is the more they are emptied manually the more they have to be done.
I can appreciate that in some instances it may be necessary but in most cases if you feed a diet with bones or chicken wings in the anal glands will empty for themselves.
I had a bitch that kept having to have them emptied and they became infected, and she needed antibiotics. It was an older breeder who told me to change her diet, and since doing so we have never looked back. She has never had to have them emptied again.
if possible I would try the more natural route first as if they keep getting infections or end up having to have the glands removed it is not a very nice operation and they can have problems afterwards so I have been told.

I am a groomer (lol) but it's not something I've ever done, or was trained to do (I trained at the same place as you Lucy, was it something they taught you how to do?).
Oooops :)  It's not difficult and was taught at the grooming school that I worked at.  But more importantly, when to do it should also be taught.

I agree with dorcas0161, it should not be done as a matter of routine - only when there is a problem or the glands will just fill up more often.  A change of diet can often rectify the problem but not in all cases.

I live in hope that my dog can empty her glands without having them done manually.....tried raw with her for about 6 months and it just did not agree with her, constant funny tum, runny poos......so had to change back to kibble. I now give her Naturediet because of the bone content and her stools are nice and firm but just do not empty her glands and I'm a bit wary of constantly changing her food. She does well on Naturediet now and is healthy in every other way.....just wish we could sort this issue!

>The problem is the more they are emptied manually the more they have to be done.<br /> I can appreciate that in some instances it may be necessary but in most cases if you feed a diet with bones or chicken wings in the anal glands will empty for themselves.

This is the first time Mo has had a problem, although Winnie has had to have them emptied 3 or 4 times (she's almost 10 years old). Both are predominantly raw fed, including bones, as are all my dogs, yet Winnie still has a problem. I'm loathed to get them emptied too often as I was aware that the more you empty them the more often they need doing, something of a vicious circle.

The vet did come back to me and has said that if I'd just gone in to have her anal glands emptied the cost would have been just over £23 but because she had a full examination/consultation the price was reduced to £18.77 (+ the consult fee). Aren't I lucky!

Yes I was taught it at grooming college, though I already knew how because of having Cavaliers. I don't do it routinely, but I do check to see if it needs doing, particularly with spaniels, and advise the owner if I think there's a problem. :-)

Could I ask why it is that spaniels have more of a problem with anal glands? Is it all breeds of spaniels?
Hadn't realised this can be such a problem as its not something that has happened with the dogs I have owned.

Is it all breeds of spaniels?
Hadn't realised this can be such a problem

I wouldn't say that it is.......... although, funnily enough the dog with the problem is one of my mum's Show Cocker's :-D but she has owned countless packs of Show/Working Cockers and Springers over the past 40+ years and this is the first to ever have an anal gland problem and they are all fed a mix of BARF and kibble so diet is not the problem.

I guess from a groomers point of view it is much more interesting, but could it quite simply be that more Spaniels are in the groomers due to their coat so other breeds may not be seen as much to compare? Or perhaps certain lines carry the problem? But from an 'owners' point of view I can't say I've ever come across it until now, the Cocker in question started with the problem at approx 4 years of age and nothing including introducing bran has got rid of it, but her poo's are always solid anyway, just one of those things I guess, but from my point of view it has not been a breed problem.

> I'm happy to do it externally, I generally check particularly spaniels when they come for grooming. I won't do internally though, yuck! :-D

Can't say I wanted to learn it lol!  But with Linc, his just don't empty properly by themselves - never have done and with his shape I just can't do them fully externally so over time, the problem builds up again.  Paige is the same.

I once accompanied my friend's dog to the vets for anal gland problems. As the dog was quite nervous (she had actually been for a check-up after getting out of the house for a few hours and we thought she may have been hit by a car as there was some dried blood on her nose!!) I had to restrain the dog for the vets and the resulting fluids went all over the arm of my coat!!!! It is safe to say I hope I never have to empty anal glands and my coat went in the bin!

Nice!  Worst one I've done was a tiny yorkie, about small chihuahua sized.  Full to bursting poor little sod, and when I emptied them they went with explosive force, 4ft up the sides of my shower cubicle and all over my face and hair :-O  *shudder*  I'm glad to say I never saw that dog again :-P