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2,098 Posts
Hello all!
I had to make the painful decision to have Maggie's glands removed; she is three years old, and her glands were filling up completely every ten days....vet bills getting too expensive.....not to mention her suffering.
She is 36 hours post-op, and after a rough 24 hours, has finally turned the corner and is starting to eat again (even though she insisted on cooked chicken tenders ONLY at 1:30 a.m.!! Turned her nose up at ALL her favorites except that. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif )
The scariest possible complication to anal gland surgery is for a nerve ending to be cut that will permanently damage the anal sphincter and cause the dog to wear a diaper the rest of it's life......
HOWEVER, my vet just recently began using a new technique which lowers the risk of complications, AND makes post-op healing less traumatic. I was excited to hear about it, and wanted to pass it on in case anyone here is considering anal gland surgery.
A small balloon is inserted into the gland and inflated, whereby the sugeon can know EXACTLY the size and location of the gland, can pull it up closer to the surface (less cutting of muscle and nerves) and cut PRECISELY around the gland.
My vet has performed this technique just a dozen times, and he's THRILLED with his new little tool!! He expects Maggie to suffer less (even though having your butt sliced open is still painful) and expects 100% muscle control when she's healed.
I don't know the name of the tool or technique, but I can get the information if anyone here is facing the same thing.
Maggie and I send our love to all of you; we've been traveling MUCH with the dog collar business (I don't have a laptop) so we've sure missed being part of the Beagle World Family these past 4 or 5 months.
Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.....and I look forward to renewing friendships now that I'm home a bit more. :wave:
I had to make the painful decision to have Maggie's glands removed; she is three years old, and her glands were filling up completely every ten days....vet bills getting too expensive.....not to mention her suffering.
She is 36 hours post-op, and after a rough 24 hours, has finally turned the corner and is starting to eat again (even though she insisted on cooked chicken tenders ONLY at 1:30 a.m.!! Turned her nose up at ALL her favorites except that. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif )
The scariest possible complication to anal gland surgery is for a nerve ending to be cut that will permanently damage the anal sphincter and cause the dog to wear a diaper the rest of it's life......
HOWEVER, my vet just recently began using a new technique which lowers the risk of complications, AND makes post-op healing less traumatic. I was excited to hear about it, and wanted to pass it on in case anyone here is considering anal gland surgery.
A small balloon is inserted into the gland and inflated, whereby the sugeon can know EXACTLY the size and location of the gland, can pull it up closer to the surface (less cutting of muscle and nerves) and cut PRECISELY around the gland.
My vet has performed this technique just a dozen times, and he's THRILLED with his new little tool!! He expects Maggie to suffer less (even though having your butt sliced open is still painful) and expects 100% muscle control when she's healed.
I don't know the name of the tool or technique, but I can get the information if anyone here is facing the same thing.
Maggie and I send our love to all of you; we've been traveling MUCH with the dog collar business (I don't have a laptop) so we've sure missed being part of the Beagle World Family these past 4 or 5 months.
Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.....and I look forward to renewing friendships now that I'm home a bit more. :wave: