Help Needed! anal glands etc

Lisa Marie Mayer

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Feb 20, 2013
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lord igor (aka iggy pup), bones and blue
Good morning all.

My bully igor was behaving oddly for the last couple days. Spinning a bit then sitting down and trying to nip at his back right paw. He does get a little paw yeast on occasion so i monitored and cleaned/acv as needed and found no increased irritation. I also added a Benadryl for good measure. This seemed to provide a little relief at least during the night. Yesterday I noticed he was walking a bit hunched from the hind quarters forward and when he would stop he would flop on his butt. He also backed into corners. I examined him and found no tender spots either muscular or bone. I called our bully vet and there were no openings until Wednesday so I opted for my second vet. They said it sounded like anal glands that needed to be expressed and if it was something else they would bring in a vet (as techs express). We took him in and had him expressed. The tech said they were quite full. My issue is he is still spinning and nipping. The hunch is gone. Is there an after affect of having them full and the express process itself?

I feel horrid I didn't notice this sooner for him but he has no gas that we ever smell so the option of smelling it get worse isn't there nor does he scootch.

I am inclined to make a bully vet appointment anyway just to be safe but since this was my first experience with anal glands I thought it couldn't hurt to ask here.


Thanks in advance. lisa
 

bullmama

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Does he have a tail pocket possibly? It's a small cave under the tail but above the anus, and yeast can easily build up in there if not cleaned regularly. In order to find it, you do have to stick your fingers up under the tail otherwise you would never know it was there.


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2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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I agree with Lisa.... Sounds like a tail pocket, as this is what my girl does if I miss a cleaning
 
OP
Lisa Marie Mayer

Lisa Marie Mayer

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lord igor (aka iggy pup), bones and blue
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i wipe him regularly and have never found issues. i huffed his bum and there is no odd oder. i did notice after the expressing a few little clumps of hair that came loose :( ill look now.
 
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Lisa Marie Mayer

Lisa Marie Mayer

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lord igor (aka iggy pup), bones and blue
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little more hair clumps ( nothing major) some "debris" no puss etc
 
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Lisa Marie Mayer

Lisa Marie Mayer

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lord igor (aka iggy pup), bones and blue
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keeping very close eye on it. did a few very invasive wipes with witch hazel pads. hair clumps again and some more debris. hard to tell if its damps because i used a moist wipe. ill let it dry out and do a finger check would oddities. thanks all. i think to be safe ill make a bully vet apt. if there is an issue id prefer to nip it.
 

2BullyMama

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keeping very close eye on it. did a few very invasive wipes with witch hazel pads. hair clumps again and some more debris. hard to tell if its damps because i used a moist wipe. ill let it dry out and do a finger check would oddities. thanks all. i think to be safe ill make a bully vet apt. if there is an issue id prefer to nip it.


When cleaning that area try to only use witch hazel... You want it to stay dry under there baby wipes are moist and will add to the problem. I learned that the hard way. :)
 

bullmama

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When cleaning that area try to only use witch hazel... You want it to stay dry under there baby wipes are moist and will add to the problem. I learned that the hard way. :)

Agreed wet wipes will make it worse, need something with a drying agent in it :up:


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Lisa Marie Mayer

Lisa Marie Mayer

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off to the bully vet we go tomorrow. im sure he has a mild infection in the tail pocket :( he will be fine but i cant help feel i let him down a bit. thanks again everyone for the feedback.
 

Texas Carol

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off to the bully vet we go tomorrow. im sure he has a mild infection in the tail pocket :( he will be fine but i cant help feel i let him down a bit. thanks again everyone for the feedback.

Try not to be hard on yourself, it's a learning process and even the
most experienced here have issues from time to time, it happens
with these dogs. And these issues can magnify in an instant too.

Let us know and I hope Vet doesn't charge for this visit only the meds.

They should have checked the tail pocket when they expressed the
glands and asked if you knew to do it & clean it.
 
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Lisa Marie Mayer

Lisa Marie Mayer

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Feb 20, 2013
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michigan
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lord igor (aka iggy pup), bones and blue
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  • #13
lord this day cant end soon enough. he came to work with me because the office is closer to the vet and he is having the roughest time. he doesn't like walking on the tile. i am having to pick him up and carry him around. he wont go in our basement because he hates the floor too. on a positive note he is getting much loves.
 

bullmama

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Hope your day goes by quickly, and let us know how his appointment goes. :hug:


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Lisa Marie Mayer

Lisa Marie Mayer

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Feb 20, 2013
38
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michigan
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united states
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lord igor (aka iggy pup), bones and blue
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  • #15
Back from the vet and I am not sure how I feel about the visit. This vet is the only bulldog specialist in our area. I have four meds for him. Steroids, antibotics, medicated wipes and an ointment. Igor had to have his pocket flushed as there was infection there. The poor guy is already trying to sleep of the bad of this day. The part that doesnt set right with me is the vet started saying because Igors tail is so tight he will probably get this over and over again and he will probably need his tail removed. This is his first pocket issue in the two years I have had him. This is the same vet that told my husband that the solution to the eye watering/tenderness was to do surgery to remove his wrinkle there. My solution was to keep it clean and dry. My plan is the same for this. Take care of my dog and no surgery unless it is the last resort. Naps all around.
 

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