Anal gland expression classification by RCVS

RE: Anal gland expression classification by RCVS

apache — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 22:02:48 GMT

There's 2 places where I think you are allowed to do it, if you go to schedule 3:

Is expressing anal glands a minor medical treatment? If you are paid by an owner to do a job I assume that legally makes you in their employment

"Any minor medical treatment given to an animal by its owner, by another member of the household of which the owner is a member or by a person in the employment of the owner."

Do full anal glands lead to pain and suffering? If so there is also another exemption:

"The rendering in an emergency of first aid for the purpose of saving life or relieving pain or suffering."

I really cannot see you getting a complaint for inserting a finger into a rectum. Perhaps run it past VDS if you have their cover with a note of these parts of the VSA 1966.

The rectum is NOT a body cavity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_cavity

RE: Anal gland expression classification by RCVS

Tania Ford — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 18:31:04 GMT

I had to contact the RCVS about this one before as i needed clarification. It is classified as schedule 3 but.......so long as you have been delegated the task by a VS, it is ok to continue doing so whilst that pet is still 'under the care of a VS at that practice'. Most practices now get the vet to mark it on the animals records that they are happy for a RVN or SVN (if supervised) to undertake this task.

With regards to groomers still expressing AG's, external expression is still OK, but the groomer may not place a finger inside the rectum to perform it. Places like The Groom Room have now stopped offering the service completely and direct them to an in store V4P practice.

RE: Anal gland expression classification by RCVS

Sal the 1st — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 02:01:55 GMT

[quote user="apache"]

I think RCVS guide is wrong, and this is a minor procedure. I've taught a heap of owners to do it that way.

[/quote]

I know of many owners who have been taught how to empty their dog's anal glands and then there are the groomers that also empty anal glands. I have never really understood how this became a sched 3? I will say that in the past, before the rules changed, I have picked up on two anal gland tumours in different dogs which were referred on to the vet. I have never diagnosed just mentioned to owners that I was having difficulty emptying them and I know in at least one of those cases I would have been a lot less likely to have picked up on it with an external expression. I'm not going to fight anybody for the privilege of squeezing a dog's bum but sometimes the 'rules' do seem a bit odd.

I used to work for a vet whose interpretation of sched 3 was that nurses couldn't do anything that might mean they encounter blood - including taking blood, placing cannulas.

RE: Anal gland expression classification by RCVS

apache — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 22:31:31 GMT

[quote user="Lauren Gray"]They informed me that it is classified as a schedule 3 act as you enter a body cavity.[/quote]

One of the key issues of schedule 3 is that a VN cannot enter a body cavity..........

Personally you can empty them externally according to the RCVS guidance. No reason you can't offer EAG as a service, no one is going to be watching your technique that closely.

I think RCVS guide is wrong, and this is a minor procedure. I've taught a heap of owners to do it that way.