![]() Q: I was given a kitten for my birthday, and he’s very cute and very happy, but even though I followed the shop’s instructions to the T about feeding him, he seems to have a constant case of diarrhea, and I’m slightly worried about it.Ī: Mild, temporary diarrhea in kittens is often related to the stress of a new environment and changes in the diet. Is it normal for my kitten to have diarrhea? Lameness and flu-like symptoms are more common in Lyme Disease cases. It is unlikely causing the salivary gland problem. Lyme disease is carried by ticks, and can spread to dogs and humans by tick bites. Try adding a mineral supplement and Accent(r) to your dog’s food to see if it helps. It just so happens MSG changes the feces flavor also when added to your dog’s food. One common feces flavor modifier is monosodium glutamate, MSG, a flavor inhancer found in supermarkets. Multi-vitamin and mineral supplements, such as VitaGravy, are often helpful in satisfying certain cravings your dog may have that lead him to such behavior. ![]() The corprophagy, eating feces, may be the source of the germs.īehavioral corprophagy can be stopped by diligent cleaning of the fecal matter, mineral supplementation and changing the flavor of the feces. For instance, certain germs are common to the feces, and not normally found in salivary glands. The specific germ name, obtained by culturing, would be more indicative of the source of the germ. Your dog likely picked up germs in his mouth, or it was introduced through a puncture wound. Such infections are usually caused by local irritation and infection inoculation. Could he have Lyme disease, and do these symptoms match up at all?Ī: Infection of the salivary glands is less common than infections of the throat and lymphnodes next to the salivary glands. True? Successful?Īs a final note, my normally inside the house dog got under the barn about a year or two ago and we spent about two weeks pulling ticks from around every part of his body. Could this be leading to an infection? We have heard that there are pills available to make them so distasteful that the dog won’t want to ingest his feces. We do everything we can to catch him as he goes, but are not always successful. One question I don’t believe I ever asked him: My dog has a very bad habit of eating his excrement. Two doses of antibiotics got them back to normal. After an extremely thorough examination, including drawing and testing fluid, he concluded that the glands were infected. After several weeks, we obtained a second opinion. My veterinarian wasn’t very concerned, and neither was his associate. Q: My three-and-a-half year old male Maltese developed swollen salivary glands about a year ago. Repeated or severe anal gland blockages warrant surgical intervention. Following surgery, dogs may be incontinent for several weeks, until the anal sphincter muscles regain strength. Removal will provide permanent relief for your dog. The anal glands can safely be removed surgically. Some dogs have recurring monthly blocked glands.ĭogs do not need anal glands to defecate properly, and scent marking is not necessary for pets. Most dogs never have anal gland problems. Some dogs lick their anus excessively when they have problems. He or she may drag or scoot the anus on the carpet as if to scratch a painful itch on the area under the tail. Most dogs have normally functioning anal glands, and never need them manually expressed or drained.Ī dog with blocked anal glands may walk hunched, have difficulty defecating, or seem constipated. The exudate with chunks of feces is then collected into the glove and disposed. When the doctor expresses the anal glands, pressure is applied to the gland, blowing out the blockage. A vicious cycle is created, for the more they become blocked, the more likely they will become blocked again. Blocked anal gland ducts cause the glands to enlarge, inflame and become painful. Repeated damage may cause the ducts to be partially or totally blocked. Infections, trauma and irritation damage these ducts. The anal glands normally secret their fluid through ducts to the surface. Domestic dogs have retained the scents and the behaviors associated with them. Wild canines use scents in feces and urine to mark territorial boundaries. They lubricate the anus, and provide a scent. These are a pair of grape-sized sacks just inside the opening to a dog’s anus. ![]() What is wrong with my dog that this is happening to her? And what will the surgery actually do?Ī: All dogs have anal glands. Q: My dog has had a problem with the sacks in her anus.
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