BubbaLeroy

Bogie had us up all of Wednesday night pacing the floor, stretching, circling, whining, etc. He would lay down for about 10 minutes and up again. He would just take off running and then start the circling. Poor guy was miserable, and we were so scared he had swallowed something again. We had him at the vet's at 7:30 AM Tjhursday morning, and they kept him. The Vet there we normally use was no longer there and opening her own practice elsewhere, so we saw a vet that had never seen Bogie before or knew nothing of his history

Turns out he had an impacted anal gland on one side and the other super full. They were just empied on Dec. 3rd, so surgical removal may be in his future. Went to pick him up at 11:30, but after consulting with us and learning more of his history, etc. the vet kept him to do x-rays on tummy looking for a foreign body. We also had his right front leg and elbow x-rayed because he's been limping and holding up his paw when standing. We had planned to take him in this next week for that.

We went back and picked him up at 4 PM. X-rays on tummy showed suspicious spot in lower intestine and some gas as well. So home with antibiotic for anal glands, feeding extra bread to hopefully push anything thing out that might be lurking, and he has calcium deposits on elbow and right front leg probably from pit bull attack and trauma to that leg in August 2008. No meds for that right now until we are sure the tummy is OK. He seems fine this morning ,and we all SLEPT the past two nights. Still checking poop, but he's back to normal being his silly, bouncing, loving self.

Question: Has anyone had anal gland removal on their Basset? We've been having them drained once a month at the vets, and this is the first impaction. She wants to talk to us next week about this. Opinions and advice appreciated!!!!

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You don't own a Basset, a Basset owns you!!
Aroooooos from Bogie !! - Trumbull's Who's Teasin Bogart CGC- Born April 21, 2005
ATB: Bubba - (Trumbull's Surley It's Stormin Norman) Sept. 8, 1998 - Dec. 20, 2005

Scully

We opted to have Scully's anal glands removed when she was about 3 years old, because they were constantly getting impacted and infected. We were warned about the possibility of fecal incontinence post surgery, but Scully did wonderfully and never once dropped an unintentional bomb! Her poor bottom looked very sore and bruised after the surgery, which was quite startling to see, but she healed up very well. Some people may think removal was extreme, but in the end, we were very happy to have gone ahead with it.

Sending drool for Bogie!

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Mom to Larsen, Ninja, and Scully (ATB ~ forever in my heart)
www.countercruiser.com

murraysmom

Both of Murray's anal glands abcessed 6 years ago and the vet wanted to remove them. I wanted to wait and see how he would do with monthly expression, canned pumpkin everyday, and added salmon (for the omega 3's) to his diet. This worked, and he's had only one other episode of impaction about 4 years ago. Good luck with whatever you decide to do- I hope he's feeling better soon!

Sophie.12

Never needed removal but also experienced anal gland issues which needed to be checked and squeezed every couple of months to ensure all was good. Tell take warning sign was rubbing her bassettly bootilicious but beautiful butt along the ground

mhvonalmen8908

I have a question about anal glands in general. Do they express on their own at times? And what does that smell like? Sometimes I smell a kind of oily, fishy smell coming from the dogs. It's not like their farts which can clear a room but it's them without a doubt. And it's only every once in a while. We've never had to express either of their anal glands. It doesn't seem to bother them but I was just curious.

opus

+1 for the canned pumpkin. Opus never really had any problem with his glands, but my friend's lab did and she was encouraged to add pumpkin to his diet and he seems to be in a very good place now with regard impacts. Poor Bogie, it's awful when something is wrong with them. Hope he's on the mend.

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Arlene and Opus

Sophie.12

I also experienced that when I stopped giving Sophie marrow bones the exact same behaviour you have descriibed in your post stopped and never returned. Never did briskett bones as I regarded them as being too fatty for a breed who are prone to surplus weight issues esp as they get older and become less active but as a warning to all basset Mum's and Dad's, marrow bones and bassets can produce a toxic combination.