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Standard Poodles - Anal Sacs (Glands)
My Unpleasant Experience with Anal Sacs! Well, I do know from first hand experience that anal sacs or glands are smelly when expelled! My sister-in-law and I had the unpleasant experience of having them expel, or should I say explode all over us! One year at Christmas we decided to go look at Christmas lights in her neighborhood and her and I were sitting in the backseat with her Border Collie. We came up to a beautifully lit house with a life-size lighted plastic Santa outside. Her dog Moe, got so scared and upset seeing that Santa that she went hysterical barking and trying to claw her way out of the car! At the same time her anal glands released all over both of us. It is hard to describe what it smelled like, kind of like a cross between a skunk and vomit! Needless to say, that cut our holiday lighting festivities short. We couldn’t get home fast enough to shower and wash our clothes! What are Anal Sacs or Glands Anyway? They are two small glands on either side of your Standard Poodle's anus. The material secreted is used for marking territory or for self defense (against plastic Santas!) Most dogs empty their sacs by normal walking around and defecation. Some dogs have problems emptying them and they become impacted, sore, or even abcessed. If you see your dog scooting across the floor, it may not be from worms; he may be trying to empty the glands. Other signs that they may be having problems are that they will often chase their tails, lick their anal area or have dog odor. How do I Take Care of the Anal Glands on My Dog? Well, if you’re brave and have a strong stomach, you can try expressing them yourself following either of the two following methods: The first method is to hold a rag up to the dog’s anus and squeeze both sides of the anal area. This may not work very well if the secretion is thick. The other method is to insert a gloved finger into the anus and squeeze the gland between the thumb and finger, doing the same thing on the other side. You may have to perform this over a period of several days to get them completely empty. If you can’t seem to get them expressed yourself, you’ll have to have a vet or your groomer do it for you, which is my preferred method in the first place! If they are impacted, they can get an abscess which can rupture and that’s really a mess! If you want more information and directions on how to express your Standard Poodle's sacs (UGH!) you can watch this excellent video on how to express your dog's Anal Glands by Anne-Marie Forde of Sudsy Dog Grooming Shop. More Than You Every Wanted To Know About Anal Sacs – Or Why Is My Pet Scooting? 
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