You want your house full of guests to meet your little treasure. In comes your elegant, aristocratic Cavalier and begins to scoot his bottom along your lovely carpet, rear legs held high in the air. Your little darling is telling you he has either full/impacted glands or this can also be a sign of worms.
Anal Glands are located on each side of the anus and they secrete a substance that enables your dog to pass a stool. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are prone to these glands becoming blocked or clogged.
Anal glands are two primitive scent glands situated on either side of the anus – not visible from outside. They are of no practical use in pet dogs.
The glands can become infected and impacted. This is fairly common in many Cavaliers it can prove to be uncomfortable and very painful in some.
Signs of problems with the glands include:
- ‘Scooting’ – pulling their bottoms along the ground/carpet.
- Chewing at their hindquarters, or nibbling near the area.
- Pain or problems on ‘poo-ing’
- Signs of blood or an external opening near the anus – which would be an anal gland abscess.
Your vet can empty these glands for your pup/dog if necessary and could show you how to do so.
The addition of 2 – 3 teaspoons of ordinary bran to the dog’s food (NOT breakfast cereal) -may often help to prevent this problem occurring. Some dogs never have this problem, but others have it fairly often. The surgical removal of anal glands should only be considered as a last resort – and only if the dog has had repeated abscesses or chronic problems.