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Small Animal Newsletter
May 2018
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Anal glands are two sac like glands lying beneath the skin of the anus in approximately the 5 & 7 o'clock positions, each with a small duct opening just inside the anus itself.
In the primitive wild cat or dog they probably performed both lubricant and territorial marking functions. In domesticated animals this function is largely unnecessary. Thus the glands have lost most of their own ability to contract and rely on passage of a large firm stool (which 'squeezes' out the gland as it stretches the skin of the anus) to keep them emptied. Anything that therefore blocks the duct or interferes with this mechanical squeezing will tend to lead to anal gland impaction, irritation and inflammation and/or abscessation.
Anal gland impaction may therefore be caused by:
• Irritation of the anus and perianal skin e.g.: by worms, fleas and
chemicals.
• By persistently soft bowel motions (diarrhoea, poor diet, poor
pancreatic function).
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CLINICAL SIGNS ARE:
- rubbing the bottom on the ground,
- licking
- chewing
- constipation.
TREATMENT:
1. Mechanical emptying by manual squeezing (impaction).
2. Mechanical emptying by manual squeezing and antibiotics and
flushing where abscessation has occurred.
3. Anaesthetics may be necessary to either flush the gland out
and/or to lance and drain it (abscesses are very painful).
4. Use of a faecal bulking agent such as Fibor may decrease the incidence
5. Where the problem is recurrent, removing the glands surgically may be considered.
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The home environment contains a number of potential poisons for dogs, and it is important to be vigilant for both the poisons and the symptoms.
Rat bait
Most rat baits kill rats by stopping their blood from clotting, leading them to bleed to death.
Unfortunately dogs often find these baits quite palatable. Just as with rats, the symptoms in dogs are attributable to bleeding.
The symptoms vary depending on where the bleeding is occurring.
- There may be blood in the urine, faeces or saliva
- There may be small haemorrhages in the gums
- There may be breathing difficulties or a cough due to haemorrhage in the lungs.
Treatment involves giving the antidote (vitamin K) and if the blood loss is bad enough, a blood transfusion. Treatment usually goes for at least 3 weeks.
If you notice your dog eating rat bait, contact us and get him to the clinic as soon as possible. If we can make him vomit within the first 4 hours after ingestion, there should be no ongoing effects from the poison.
If you use rat bait, you are best to place it in a bait station, which will stop the dog getting access to it.
Slug Bait
Even though slug bait (metaldehyde) contains a dog repellent, dogs still seem attracted to it. The classic poisoning is when a dog is locked in the shed or garage overnight. He will knock over the packet, and eat the contents.
The symptoms are mostly neurological, with the dog becoming very excited and finally convulsing.
There is no specific treatment, all we can do is treat the symptoms with sedation and let the dog break down the poison. Unfortunately, if the dog has eaten enough, it can be fatal.
There is a slug bait available that contains a chelating agent rather than metaldehyde. This product is a lot safer for dogs. It may make them sick but shouldn’t kill the dog. Ask your plant shop about this product.
1080
1080 is often laid to kill possums and rabbits. By law the area treated must be well signed. If a dog were to eat a possum or rabbit killed by 1080, this will have enough toxin in it to kill the dog.
The dog will show excessive excitability, convulsion and death. Realistically, there is no effective treatment.
Organophosphates
OPs are used as an insecticide in such things as pasture and grain sprays, and old flea and lice treatments.
The symptoms of OP poisoning are very spectacular. The dogs salivate profusely, shake, and as the poisoning progresses, collapse and convulse.
There is an antidote for this poisoning, but it must be given in time and it is very expensive.
Antifreeze
Antifreeze contains a chemical that causes kidney failure in dogs. If you are draining the radiator of your car, make sure your dog cannot gain access to the fluid as you drain it.
Human medication
As silly as it sounds we see a lot of dogs poisoned with human medication.
Drugs such as human anti-inflamatories can be very toxic to dogs, as can a number of other human medications.
There are two points to be made here:
- Don’t treat dogs with human medication
- Store human medication where dogs can’t eat it.
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The recent heavy rainfall is a sharp reminder that winter is all but here. It is fine for us to be sitting by the fire keeping warm, but how are your pets faring.
Obviously it is important that you supply shelter. Check your dogs kennel for leaks, and make sure there are some warm blankets in it to keep them off the cold ground.
As animals get older, their muscle mass and fat content decrease so they have less insulation against the cold. They become more prone to hypothermia.
These older animals are also more likely to show signs of arthritis during the colder months, so have a talk to us about different ways we can control arthritis (both in cats and dogs).
During winter, especially if your pet spends a lot of time outside, they may burn more energy just to keep warm, so you may have to increase their food intake.
If your pets’ water supply is normally outside, remember that this may well be frozen during winter.
If your dog spends time outside, make sure that you don’t get them groomed too short. They need their fur for warmth!
Every year we see cats and dogs that have been sitting too close to the fire or heater and have burnt their fur (or worse still, their skin), so just keep an eye on that too. We have just finished treating a case where 2 young kittens had got in the habit of walking over the top of a log burner during summer. Unfortunately, they tried the same thing when it was on and ended up with severely burnt pads. I am pleased to report that after several weeks intensive treatment and bandaging they are coming right.
Finally, remember that we have dog jackets for sale. Call at our clinics to see our range.
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Hayleys' Hints
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Its getting cold! We have a great selection of Dog Coats available at all clinics!
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Rules from the male side.
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Working in a predominantly female clinic this just seems so right!
We always hear 'the rules from the female side’. Now here are the rules from the male side.
These are our rules!
Please note... they are all numbered '1' ON PURPOSE!
1. Men are NOT mind readers.
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one! Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colours, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a colour. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have NO idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say 'nothing,' we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really!
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as rugby or racing.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
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