I wrote last month about anal gland issues with my 185 lb. Great Dane. I followed the advice given and have now been to the vet's four times in three weeks with another appt. scheduled this week. I have spent over $500 on antibiotics (that didn't work), probiotics, ointments, shampoos and services (expressing glands). He now has a chronic infection and is walking around with flies swarming over his back end whilst the air in the house is almost unbreathable.
The vet now proposes that I take him back to culture the gland at issue ($160+) after which they propose to sedate him and instill a medication ($200+). I wondered if it might not be more expedient to excise the one gland that is the problem but I am told that lack of sphincter tone can ensue and, given that he also has chronic, intermittent diarrhoea (every couple of weeks with no change to anything), I would not want to risk that. I wondered if anyone has encountered this problem and has any wisdom to impart. I love my dog but do not have unlimited funds. (I'd like to add that he was a rescue dog that came with the gastric issues and nothing that we have tried has made a difference.)

Oh, holy cow, things have certainly become expensive in small animal medicine.

If he is not too wild, and you can get someone to help you, YOU might actually infuse the gland. If you can obtain Panalog with a snout, ear infection ointment, a mix of neosporin-bacitracin-dexamethazone, or something close to that. The duct to the gland is easy to see. A gloved and lubricated finger in his butt, roll your thumb and finger together, you'll feel a marble at both 7 and 5 o'clock -- a tiny gentle squeeze, and you'll see the duct, a dimpled slit. Infuse your medication until it runs out. That's it. Restraint is the biggest problem. Right now he's going to be very tender back there, but in a week or so, likely he will be less reactive. You might even be able to do this while he's sleeping, watching TV, in the evening, with no restraint at all...perhaps you can see the gland leaking, and see the duct. Actually, it might be safer to do this with no restraint at all, so he might just get up and move, without biting.

We were taught to do this surgery(gland ablation) in small animal surgery as junior students, it is not hard to do, but it is easy to screw up the anal sphincter, sometimes this happens in the hands of the most experienced surgeon, we were told, has to do with the anatomy.

There are tremendous numbers of pain receptors in the anal area. So any monkeying around there really hurts. If the gland has partially ruptured and this stinky material has leaked out into the surrounding skin, you can have a mess that lasts quite a while, but with cortizone and antibiotics and time it usually will settle down.

I am sorry that you have had this trouble and wish that I could help you. You must remember whatever you do that this is a big dog and a dane can get serious if he thinks you are not on his side. Don't get hurt.

Thank you so much for your insight, Betty. You HAVE helped me and I'm very grateful for the advice. I think he would let me do it but I haven't even had any luck expressing the gland. I've tried three times and I can feel it but don't seem to have the right motion to express it. Everybody else makes it seem so easy. He is a very patient dog and if he is tender, he gives no sign so I will have a go if I can get down there without a gas mask.

The vet says that they want to sedate him (more $$) in order to infuse something that is liquid at room temp. but becomes solid at body temp. so stays in situ to ward off further infection.

Am working extra shifts (in an O.R.) so that I can cover his bills. I don't mind if this will take care of the problem but he will bankrupt me if it goes on and on. And then there's the diarrhoea.... but am starting him on a "gastrointestinal diet" which will be another $100 every
two weeks. I hear conflicting opinions that the "prescription" foods that vet clinics sell is really
no better than decent quality food from a pet store. Hard to know what to do for the best.

I really can't give you advice about the foods. I am likely brainwashed, Hills came and gave talks when I was a student. So I was thinking ID etc. was pretty good food, but I was always a cattle vet. Some Forum posters think Hills foods are complete garbage, and I don't know what the correct answer is.

Folks here know diet. Feeding a 180 Lb dog anything is going to be an undertaking. I was always a fan of rice and chicken for diarrhea, but I am really no expert at all in that department.

I think if the gland could be infused with a liquid cortisone / antibiotic ointment, just keep it open and the secretion soft, that eventually the gland will quiet down. I don't think that it's a good idea to keep squeezing, it gets the tissue so inflamed. I mean, we used to do it all the time, but I'm not sure how much it helped after the first time or two. The main thing is to keep the secretion soft, so it can come out on its own. Perhaps you could use some Panalog or equivalent and infuse it with a small syringe (WITHOUT A NEEDLE!!!!!!!) just gently squirted into the duct - if you just got a cc in there it would help. Even if it runs right out again it will help.
The duct is usually toward the inside of the anal opening, at 7 and at 5. Usually!

You can't put anythng in the gland that you wouldn't put in your eye -- No peroxide or anything like that - it has to be MILD and non reactive -- no bleach water or anything of the sort -- no Betadine -- it has to be a biologically sensible material. If you work in the OR maybe you can get your hands on a syringe with a hooked nose or a super fine soft catheter. It does not need to be sterile, just hot soapy water clean, run thru the dishwasher on a hot cycle would do the trick.

I am not familiar with leaving a hard substance in the gland. We only did that pre-op to outline the gland when you were going to remove it. Not saying this isn't the right thing, just that I don't know about it.

Some of the "gastrointestinal" foods actually do a good job at eliminating the diarrhea but they don't really target the underlying cause. It might be worth it just to get solid poop until the anal gland issue is done if things like pumpkin and such aren't working.

Lots of people have a tube of Otomax sitting around from an ear infection if you want to do what Betty suggested.

Personally I think the culture might be worth it to target exactly what he's got brewing in there but wonder why it's so expensive. $120(US) for a culture not requiring tissue to be excised just seems excessive. I can easily find price lists online that place it at $30-$70(US). I would be asking the vet why their prices are so much higher and if a simpler(and cheaper!) test like an antibiotic sensitivity test might be worth it versus whatever special thing they are doing that bumps the cost up to $120. I'm just a laymen though. There might be a good reason it costs more. Just sometimes vets are thinking in terms of "best" practice rather than simply adequate.

Apparently $160 Can. is the going rate for C&S here as I called another vet in town to check prices.

Most of the meds I can get my hands on are IV but I can get eye drops plus look around at work for a likely delivery method.

I feel a bit better about shelling out for the food if it might actually help.

Thanks, everyone, for the input.

All I have to add is regarding a delivery method - dental irrigation syringes have a hook like is being described, I am not sure if they may be too stiff but they are easy to order online. Good luck with your boy!

.....and just to add to the misery....he had diarrhoea on his walk this morning. I scraped it up in my flushable dog poop bag, double bagged it and was dragging him home at top speed when the stuff ate through the bags, plopped onto a residential sidewalk and I had to tromp back through the neighbourhood with a shovel, plastic bag and bucket of water.

He is lying beside my chair now stinking to high heaven and the kids want to know why there are so many flies in the house. I have to leave the door open while I'm at work so that he can get into the yard.

Thanks--I have access to dental supplies on Fridays so can check that out. Meanwhile, I cannot see the opening to the gland. That is one very strong sphincter. I may have to rely on the experts.

The duct is embedded in the folds of the anus. This shape: () and about 2/3rds that size. Google it, there's got to be photos. It looks just like the anal tissue.

Expert help would surely be best!