Causes and treatment of cough in dogs: notes for caring dog owners

Recently, more and more often there has been a tendency for dog breeders to begin to more carefully monitor the health of their pet. Regular brushing of teeth, ears, nail trimming and eye rinsing.

But unfortunately, many dog ​​owners do not pay attention to other, equally important parts of the animal’s body. I'm talking about the anal glands in dogs. This part of the body needs to be looked after just like any other.

Let's talk today about what the paraanal glands are in dogs, why problems arise with them, and how you can clean them yourself.

What are paraanal glands

The anal glands in dogs are small sacs that are located inside the anus, just before it exits. Inside these bags, a special secret constantly accumulates, allowing dogs to differ from each other by their individual scent.

During normal emptying, feces, passing through the anus, press on these sacs, and the secretion from the sacs, along with the feces, comes out.

Thus, most dogs naturally cleanse their bodies themselves, and the owners do not even suspect the presence of any glands there. But only until you have to face this problem yourself.

Cough due to tracheal collapse

This phenomenon is chronic and can be congenital. For a long time, collapse can be asymptomatic, but then it can manifest itself in not very pleasant relapses:

1. Vomiting when drinking or eating.
2. Loss of appetite.
3. Heavy breathing.
4. A hacking cough.

This disease is easier to treat at the initial stage of development. The veterinarian prescribes dietary supplements. In advanced collapses, the disease is eliminated through surgery.

What causes blockage of the anal glands?

Blockage of the paraanal glands occurs because the secretion accumulates in the glands for a long time and does not come out. Problems with the anal glands are a direct consequence of problems with excretion of feces from the animal’s body.

These problems may be caused by:

1. Sedentary lifestyle (the animal moves so little that problems arise not only with excretion, but also with the formation of feces).
2. Poor nutrition (frequent constipation or diarrhea leads to the fact that when passing through the anus, feces have such a heterogeneous consistency that they simply do not squeeze out the secretion from the paraanal glands).
3. Incorrect daily routine (the animal endures a lot and, as a result, secretions accumulate in the glands and blockage occurs).

Who is called mestizo?

You can often hear the expression “mixed breed of dog.” This is not entirely true, since a mestizo is a mixed breed or half-breed resulting from the crossing of representatives of different breeds. Crossed individuals can balance and complement each other's qualities, but the result can sometimes be unpredictable.

One thing is true: mestizos usually have excellent physical health, a high degree of productivity and a stable psyche. They are easy to train, but their inherited personality traits may surprise the owner. But the fact that these are not purebred individuals does not mean that they do not need proper care and maintenance.

Of course, everything depends on the source breeds. Sometimes mestizos are born from mixed pairs of parents (pedigree and mongrel). The great advantage of such dogs is that they do not inherit genetic diseases of their parents.

How to Determine When It's Time for Your Pet to Have Anal Glands Cleaned

If the secretion accumulates in the gland for a long time, then the animal begins to experience discomfort in a certain area. The dog tries to squeeze out the contents of the bags on its own. At such moments, the pet begins to behave as its natural instincts tell it.

If the anal glands in dogs are clogged, the animal begins to behave as follows:

1. Rubs her butt on the floor, especially on its fleecy surfaces. In such cases, many pet owners begin to think that their pet has worms. But they could be wrong.
2. If friction on the floor fails to squeeze out the secretion, the dog tries to chew under its tail. The animal may suddenly jump up, twist towards its tail, trying to catch an invisible enemy. Sometimes it comes to the point that the animal chews out the fur under its tail.
3. An unpleasant, previously unusual odor appears from the anus.

If you notice all these symptoms in your pet, then most likely he needs cleaning of the anal glands. If you are a squeamish person, or are afraid of harming your pet, then, of course, it is better to go to a veterinary clinic.

But in fact, if there is no inflammation in the anal area, and if the dog does not experience pain when pressed, then you can clean your pet’s anal glands yourself. Cleaning the glands, although not the most pleasant procedure, is quite simple.

A dog has a coughing attack: what to do to prevent choking

It’s one thing when a dog chokes or coughs, but copes with the situation on its own. However, it happens that the pet requires outside help - the attack can be prolonged, and the animal begins to choke. Choking can be prevented by following a few tips.

• If this is an attack of reverse sneezing, then you should ensure that the saliva that has accumulated in the mouth is swallowed and takes a deep breath. This is achieved by pinching the four-legged friend’s nose or running the palm across the throat several times.
• It is advisable to turn the pet over so that the head is lower than the body and limbs. You can shake the animal and give it a series of slaps on the back. If your pet is large, you can raise its hind legs (the dog must stand) and also make several claps at chest level.
• In short-snouted pets, the airways may become blocked by surrounding soft tissues. If the dog is choking, you can check the free passage of air with your finger.
• If the animal is not breathing, you need to urgently begin resuscitation efforts: ensure the supply of oxygen to the respiratory organs and massage the heart area.

Attention: after such an attack, the animal must be shown to a veterinarian.

How to clean your dog's anal glands yourself

Before you begin the cleaning procedure, you must make sure that your dog has a problem with the anal glands.

To do this, you need to palpate the anus from the inside. It is best to carry out this procedure with gloves. Insert your index finger shallowly into the hole (almost at the very exit) and gently begin probing. If there are no seals, the bags are soft and practically cannot be felt, then you can be sure that everything is in order. If the dog’s paraanal glands are clogged, then even with light pressure you will immediately feel a compaction.

If you find seals, then you can safely begin the cleaning procedure.

What you will need

Prepare:

• Gloves.
• Paper napkin or clean rag.
• Basin.
• Petrolatum.

How to clean a dog's anal glands

There are two ways to clean the anal glands in dogs.

Method one

Do the following:

1. Place your pet in the bathtub. If the dog is small, then you can use a simple basin.
2. Ask someone from your household to hold the four-legged animal by the muzzle and body so that it does not spin or struggle.
3. Put on gloves and feel the glands from the outside.
4. Next, take the dog by the base of the tail and lift the tail up as far as possible, but so as not to cause pain to the animal.
5. With another gloved hand or just using a napkin, use your thumb and forefinger to apply pressure to the area on the sides of the anus. If you did everything correctly, a viscous, unpleasant-smelling beige liquid should come out of the bags.
6. After this, rinse everything thoroughly with water.

If after this procedure there is no result, and the paraanal glands are not freed from secretion, then under no circumstances press with double force. In this case, it is better to contact a veterinary clinic. It is possible that the glands are so clogged that home cleaning will not help and surgery will be required to remove the sacs.

Method two

Try this:

1. Place your pet in the tub or basin and have someone help hold the animal.
2. Wear gloves.
3. Lubricate the index finger of your right hand (on top of your gloves) with Vaseline.
4. With your left hand, in the same way as I described in the first method, lift the dog’s tail as much as possible.
5. Carefully insert your index finger, lubricated with Vaseline, into the animal's anus. The palm should be in a position perpendicular to the floor.
6. Using the index finger of your right hand, gently feel the gland.
7. Next, use the index finger of your right hand (inside the anus) and the thumb of the same hand (outside the anus) to press the pouch, squeezing the secretion out.
8. Rinse everything off with water.

It goes without saying that this procedure will not give your pet any pleasure. Therefore, together with your assistant, act harmoniously. The assistant must hold the four-legged firmly (but not painfully) so that he does not escape. Talk to the animal, calm it down, praise it.

As a rule, such cleaning lasts for a maximum of six months. But if you regularly carry out preventive measures, then it is quite possible that in the future you will not need to do such a procedure at all.

Preparing for childbirth

Pregnancy lasts two months. You need to prepare for childbirth in advance: decide on a place for a den, select the necessary tools and materials for obstetrics and receiving newborns.

What you will need

You need to prepare the following items:

• oilcloth, clean sheets that you don’t mind throwing away;
• baby box;
• scales;
• sterilized scissors;
• suture material;
• alcohol, brilliant green;
• thermometer;
• syringes;
• Vaseline or baby cream;
• antiseptic ointment;
• solutions of ascorbic acid, glucose 5%, calcium gluconate 10% for injection.
• warmer;
• trash bin.

You should have a veterinarian’s contact number, a notepad and a pen on hand to record data on the live weight of newborns, the order and circumstances of their birth.

Place for birth

They select a box or playpen into which the bitch is placed when she begins to nest. Choose a place where no one will disturb the pet. Clean bedding and favorite toys are placed in the den, which are removed when signs of childbirth appear.

At home or in a clinic?

The following indications are available for whelping at home:

1. In most cases, bitches whelp without problems. They do not require the help of a veterinarian or even an owner.
2. Minimize stress during transportation to and from the clinic. The expectant mother gets used to the den.
3. The veterinarian examined the pet before giving birth, recommended whelping at home, left a contact phone number, and promised to come to the house if the need for his services arises.
4. There are no additional costs required to keep an animal in the clinic.

The dog owner needs to master the skills of cutting, tying and cauterizing the umbilical cord, cleaning babies from mucus and amniotic sac.

Whelping is carried out in the clinic when the following indications exist:

1. Breed predisposition to pathological childbirth.
2. Previous births were difficult and ended in caesarean section.
3. The birth of stillborn or weakened cubs in a previous pregnancy.
4. The use of medications to preserve pregnancy.

The dog owner must make a decision on his own: where to give birth to his dog - at home or in a clinic. During surgery, a sterile room, equipment, instruments, and a team of veterinarians will be required.

How to understand that childbirth is near

A week before whelping, the belly drops; if you examine the bitch from above, it seems that she has lost weight. Hair falls out around the nipples. The dog begins to nest - fuss, look for a place for a den.

3-5 days before whelping, whitish mucus is released from the vulva. 2 days before the event, the bitch begins to constantly lick the genitals. The udder enlarges, the nipples swell, and sometimes colostrum is released from them. In the middle of the ninth week of gestation, thermometry should be carried out. A drop in temperature below 37°C for large bitches and 36°C for small bitches occurs 12 hours before whelping.

Prevention of blockage of the paraanal glands

So that you don’t have to find out what paraanal glands are in dogs and avoid problems with their treatment, you just need to follow the following preventive measures:

1. Walk your pet more often. The less often the dog goes to the toilet, the less often the secretion is removed from the anal glands.
2. Walks should be active. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to constipation and inflammation of the glands.
3. Monitor the four-legged diet. It is important that the stool is well formed. This will eliminate constipation or diarrhea, which increases the risk of blockage and inflammation of the anal glands. An excess of protein foods and carbohydrates very often leads to constipation. The four-legged diet must contain fiber, which improves digestion. You can read here how to balance a dog’s diet, which foods must be present in the diet when feeding them naturally, and which should absolutely be excluded.
4. Carry out hygiene procedures regularly, not forgetting to check the condition of the glands. For young animals, such a check should be carried out once a year. Elderly animals need to check the condition of their glands more often – once every six months.

Diagnosis of the disease

An examination in a veterinary clinic is carried out to exclude similar pathologies, identify the cause and stage of the inflammatory process. You shouldn’t delay making an appointment until your condition worsens. Lethargy, lack of appetite and unbearable itching are quite serious symptoms that require a mandatory examination of the four-legged patient.

The list of mandatory diagnostic tests includes a blood test, skin scraping and assessment of secretions. If there is pus, blood or a foul odor, a bacterial culture test is also taken, which determines the type of bacteria and their sensitivity to antibiotics. Other diagnostic methods are prescribed on an individual basis.

Consequences of blockage of the anal glands

Inflammation

Inflammation of the paraanal glands occurs because the secretion accumulates inside the paraanal sacs for a long time. Having no way out, the secret begins to rot.

Characteristic signs of inflammation of the glands are: redness, rash, swelling and irritation near the anus. The fur around the hole gets wet and falls out. The dog begins to behave restlessly. She constantly rolls her butt on the floor, trying to relieve the itching and pain, gnawing under her tail.

If a dog’s paraanal glands are inflamed, then in this case there is no need to resort to self-cleaning. It is better to contact a veterinary clinic. The veterinarian will clean the inflamed glands, treat the skin and prescribe further treatment. If the owner of the animal is a careless person and does not pay any attention to the appearance of inflammation in the anal area, then irreparable consequences may occur.

Abscess

This process can be compared to a balloon bursting. The liquid inside the anal sac accumulates and accumulates and, not finding a way out, breaks through the walls of the sac.

Characteristic symptoms of an abscess: ulcers, swelling and redness around the anus. Constantly oozing foul-smelling liquid from it, dampening of the fur. The animal becomes lethargic, refuses food and water, and the temperature rises. In this case, you need to immediately run to the veterinarian, because there are often cases when abscesses lead to death.

Dietary regime

The diet is based on easily digestible foods enriched with fiber. Regular consumption of dietary fiber prevents blockage of the ducts by stimulating peristalsis. Additionally, you can take vitamin and mineral complexes prescribed by your veterinarian.

To prevent constipation and diarrhea, it is recommended to use only fresh food, avoiding reheating food. To avoid overfeeding and excessive stress on the intestines, increase the frequency of feedings by reducing the size of portions. Eliminate all prohibited foods from your diet: canned food, sweets, pickles and other dishes from the human table.

When dry feeding, it is recommended to choose food from a veterinary line. Pay attention to the series recommended for digestive problems. The exact brand and serving size should be checked with your doctor.

Saculectomy

Sakulectomy is the removal of the paraanal glands. There are cases when the anal glands in dogs become clogged regularly. The secretion cannot come out, even with regular cleaning. Even if there is no inflammation or abscess, the cleaning procedure, although painless, is still not the most pleasant.

Wherever it goes, if the glands need to be cleaned once a year. Well, what if you need to do this constantly, almost every week. In this case, it is much more humane to perform a removal operation than to torture your pet and constantly treat and clean the inflamed gland. The operation to remove the glands is not considered difficult. The doctor makes two small incisions in the skin, approximately above the glands. Then he brings the glands out (from the anus), cuts them off and sews up the wounds. This way, neither the anus nor the rectum are damaged. To prevent the stitches from coming apart, light feeding and frequent walking are recommended after such an operation.

Today we talked about what the paraanal glands are in dogs, what role they play and how to properly care for them. I hope that you have learned a lot of new and useful information. Good luck to you!

Take care of your pets!

Features of childbirth in different breeds and sizes

Dogs of large, small, short-faced breeds are prone to pathological whelping. Great Danes, Labradors, Bullmastiffs, Pugs, Bulldogs, Toy Terriers, and Yorkies are at risk.

The dog owner should consult with a veterinarian or dog handler and find out whether the animal is at risk for birth complications.

Optimal period

There is no specific fertile period for bitches of all breeds. If we take the average indicators, then this is 11-12 days from the start of bleeding. The owner should be more attentive to the behavior of the pet so as not to make mistakes in the calculations, especially during the first mating. In subsequent times, the favorable days will be the same as the first time.

Show ring for dogs: what is it and what is it for?

As a guide, you need to remember that when:

• in a cycle of 21-23 days, fertilization is possible from 10 to 14 days;
• cycle of 26-28 days - from 14 to 18 days.

Attention! Regardless of the breed and size of the animal, conception can occur even on the eighth day of the cycle.

What does it mean when a dog is ready for mating?

When mating animal dogs, only the readiness of the female matters. Males are ready all year round and around the clock; very rare dates have a bad effect on the character of the pet.

bitch in heat

The bitch’s attitude towards accepting her partner’s advances can be understood by:

• clear discharge from the genital opening (vulva);
• changing the appearance of the loop;
• the pet’s reaction to touching its back - it bends;
• pulling the tail to the side if you touch its base.

We must remember ! A dog ready to copulate is absolutely promiscuous. Any stray sexually mature male can become the father of future offspring.

Possible complications

During childbirth, dogs experience the following complications:

• weakened labor;
• non-elastic vaginal walls;
• “dry” birth;
• a dead, abnormally walking or large puppy;
• retained placenta;
• the puppy got stuck;
• narrow pelvis

Weak labor

After prolonged pushing, contractions stop and labor stops. They carry out medical and physical stimulation of labor or remove the offspring by caesarean section.

The vaginal walls are not elastic

Complications arise during the first whelping. After the first baby appears, the vaginal walls become elastic. But the problem is that the bitch cannot give birth to her first child.

The owner should invite a veterinarian who will inject petroleum jelly into the vagina and

Dry birth

When the water breaks before the baby is born, the fetus becomes stuck in the birth canal and its advancement causes pain. The problem is solved by introducing Vaseline oil into the vagina.

Dead, large or abnormally walking puppy

When a dog pushes for 2 or 3 hours and the baby does not appear, it means it is coming out incorrectly, too large or dead. In all cases, you need to call a veterinarian. In such cases, a caesarean section is indicated.

Retained placenta

After childbirth, it is necessary to count the number of placenta: it should be equal to the number of newborns. The last placenta usually comes out on its own.

If this does not happen or the separation of the placenta remains unnoticed, massage the abdomen and inject 1 or 2 ml of oxytocin subcutaneously. Sometimes the bitch eats the child's place. You can't give more than two. It is necessary to take into account the afterbirth eaten.

Puppy stuck

When a baby is stuck in the birth canal, an intramuscular injection of the antispasmodic No-Shpa solves the problem. Veterinarians adapted the drug for the treatment of dogs. Smooth muscles relax 3-5 minutes after administration of 1-2 ml of the drug.

Narrow pelvis

A congenital anomaly or a juvenile developmental defect makes childbirth impossible. The life of the mother and the offspring is saved by a caesarean section. Before breeding a bitch, her reproductive abilities should be assessed.

Place of mating

Mating of dogs should always take place in the male's territory. His task is more important, so he must be calm and confident. The meeting place is chosen depending on the size of the animals. Large breeds are found outdoors (enclosure, enclosed yard area), small breeds can be kept at home.

foreplay

The mating of dogs itself takes place in the morning. It is better to skip breakfast on this day; water should be unlimited. It is recommended to introduce partners a couple of days in advance, that is, take a walk together. Sympathy or lack thereof will be noticeable already on this date.

Need to know ! Long games before mating are undesirable. They can cool down all the ardor of love.

When you can't do without a veterinarian

Veterinary assistance will be required in the following situations:

1. A foul-smelling discharge from the vulva appeared.
2. Labor continues for more than 12 hours.
3. Contractions last more than 150 minutes, but labor does not occur.
4. 3 hours have passed since the last puppy came out, but the contractions continue.
5. Bleeding occurred.
6. The babies are still born.
7. Convulsions began.

Before whelping, you need to agree with a veterinarian who will agree to provide assistance at home.

Postpartum recommendations and nutrition for your pet

• The dog's diet should contain dairy products and boneless fish. But it is advisable to exclude meat in the first days after childbirth. It is also necessary to increase the number of feedings.
• Monitor the female's milk supply . If it is not enough, apilak will help.
• In the first three days, a prophylactic injection of calcium gluconate . If the dog behaves restlessly, an injection of magnesium will help.
• In the first weeks, it is worth protecting the dog from long walks . First of all, this will help avoid colds and infections.
• After three weeks, your pet will spend less and less time with the kids and this is normal. You should not force her to sit with the puppies . From the age of three weeks, cubs need to be given additional food.