Persistant Anal Gland Infection - Help!

[Sunshi500]

Our Catahoula mix is 16 months old. In January, she started scooting around so we took her to the vet. Her anal glands were full and she did have an infection. He gave us some antibiotics and expressed the glands. About 3 weeks later, she still had the issues and was nibbling at her bottom constantly - a recheck showed she still had the infection, so they infused antibiotics into her glands, and gave us another oral antibiotic. At that point, she told us we may have to consider surgery to remove the glands. At our recheck 3 wks later, it still showed infection, so she gave us one more antibiotic to try for 2 weeks. It's been one week on them, and she is still nibbling at her bottom. We've changed her food from Purina Pro Plan to Wellness Core to try to give her a higher quality food, and have added pumpkin to her meals, in hopes that larger/firmer stool will clear out her glands. I'm concerned that she is still having issues after a week on the pills. How long would food take to help? Should we be asking for different antibiotics (we've tried 3 already)? I really feel like surgery should be a last ditch effort after we've exhausted all possibilities due to the side effects - does anyone have any experience with this or the surgery itself? She's only a year old and this is the first issue we've had, but the infection just isn't going away after over a month!

[oldie moldy]

There are some really bright and experienced folks here so I'll be interested to see what others have to say.

But to me: It looks like you are covering all the bases; You're working with your vet and are remaining on top of the situation. I've never heard that pumpkin would make for more solid stools, I mean fiber is what they recommend in humans to loosen thing up? With my dogs, when I get those large knob end beef bones (head of the femur) to chew/gnaw on I notice the stools come out something like presto logs. I attribute it to the "web" of bone that makes up the knob, the part that winds up being eaten.

Something you might try, although it fall under the category of better you than me, if your vet will teach you, you could keep the gland squeezed out at home if the vet thinks that would help. I'm guessing but probably any infection on that end of things has got to be subject to constant re-infection until the tissue itself is all healed up.

I understand your reluctance to go the surgical route but I don't think the operation is all that invasive.

I would suggest that this is one of those times where having found a vet you really trust is so very important. I would talk to the vet and get her to explain what is going on and the why of everything. If ever I run into a vet who hasn't time for me and seems to blow me and the dog off: then I'm out that door like a shot.

New subject: That's a serious dog you have there and I would be sure to socialize it very, very well. I would also obedience train it for pleasure and absolute control.

Best Wishes, Rob

[kian]

It does sound like your doing everything possible. A member here finally had the surgery and happy to report all went well and the dog is doing great!

[oldie moldy]

Now Kian, I'm a little confused; who had the surgery? I'm glad everything went well and I guess the dog was at the kennel while the owner was indisposed?

Sorry.....it's been raining here for a solid week and I'm border line cabin feverish.
Rob

[Sunshi500]

I'd love to hear from someone who actually had the surgery Kian, glad it went well!

Rob - the Catahoula is a serious dog? Our Peppers is awesome - we are actually in Manners 2 class right now! She's the sweetest dog ever, and super smart! We enjoy training her and love her to death - probably why I am so overprotective of her

We do like and trust our vet, it was just scary that she was already recommending surgery. If this had been going on for a year or so, then I'd be more inclined to say yes to it right away. She did say, knock on wood, they've never had any dog that developed permanent incontinence problems, so that is a plus - but I've read that recovery can be rough, hence my hesitation. Obviously I want do whatever is in the best interest of the dog long term though.

[kian]

LOL Rob!!!!

Contact Ruby Jeans Mom (RJM) Here is her thread, somewhere in there should be the discussion, I tried to find it but could not. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4901&start=1350&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

If you send her a PM let me know, she isn't on here much anymore but we talk alot so I can let her know.

[Sunshi500]

Thanks, I'll try sending her a PM!

[oldie moldy]

Well Sunshi, I hope I didn't give offense in calling your dog "serious" but as I read the breed characteristics that's just what she is.

Check out dogbreedinfo.com and wikipedia.org Darn good looking dog and nothing there that would make me shy away from the breed but there are clear warnings about raising one and the relationship with the family and the world at large.

Many, very many, of the "dog behavior" problems you will see here could have been "headed off at the pass" if the owner had only been on top of it. After the fact it's so much harder, on you and on the dog. There's an old saying: "Start as you mean to go on."

My advice may well be unnecessary, if that's so I'm glad. It's just that when a big dog finds it's self in serious trouble it's rarely it's fault but the dog often is the one to pay the price.

Best Wishes, Rob

[RubyJeansMom]

Hi Sunshi500, I sent you a PM!

Kian, I wasn't able to find Kessler's anal gland surgery thread either.
It must have timed out, his surgery was over two years ago already!