Dreaded anal glands!

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

Alison Clare Hickman — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 09:21:50 GMT

Hi, agree with Sal as apart from anything else why would you interfere with an animal that has no problem in this area and potentially set up an irritation/inflammation response that could cause problems, when previously there was none?

It's fine and justified if the client has agreed to it at admit and signed for the procedure on the Consent Form. I will declare that if the animal has no issues with AG I do feel that it isn't justified to do it under GA, just because they're under GA!

My own training in this was to watch, learn and practice under the guidance of 1) a vet and 2) a senior nurse, who were both experienced and could show/supervise until they were happy I had got the procedure 'licked' (ahem, cough, yuck!)

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

Sal the 1st — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 08:30:56 GMT

[quote user="Lucy-lu"]

I agree with everyone else. Practice with g/a pets and you will soon become the 'bum' expert in your practice.

[/quote]

not being pedantic but we have had clients complain when we have cut nails without permission (not charged) whilst their pet has been under GA - we saw it as doing what needed to be done and the client saw it very differently. How would one of these clients feel about somebody practising anal gland emptying?

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

Lucy-lu — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 07:37:39 GMT

I am also happy to bum squeeze, as it adds variety to my nurse clinics.

It does depend on your patient's anatomy though. If they are fat then often the glands might be squashed a bit by the extra weight. This will effect smooth evacuation.

Plus is they are 'stretched' sacs from repeated overfilling, then it may just take longer to empty.

I agree with everyone else. Practice with g/a pets and you will soon become the 'bum' expert in your practice.

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

Robyn — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 14:15:22 GMT

I'm weird and enjoy them too so you're not alone ;) I still can take a little while to get the angles right to empty them, I just don't treat it as a big thing in front of the owners. Either I just keep chatting away, make some offhand comment about how they're emptying slower than normal today, some other offhand comment about how 'you're not making it easy for me today wee one!', or finish doing what I'm able to and tell the owner that I just wasn't able to get that last little bit and I just want to make sure we're totally clear, so let me just grab a vet to be sure. I find that most people are either really understanding or aren't fussed what you do as long as it gets done and their dog stops smelling.

I second the call to keep practising too - anaesthetised dogs are great but not quite true-to-life, so if there are other AG consults by other staff members, ask to get in there and if you can try emptying them, so that at least someone more experienced is already there if you're having issues. Emptying glands of staff pets can be great practice too!

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

Tania Ford — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 13:22:03 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]

my tip

declare it an act of veterinary surgery and pass it back to the vet

[/quote]

Am I one of the few nurses that actually LIKEs doing anal glands??? I find it very satisfying when you feel the 'pop' and out it all flows! lol. Think I may be a little bit sick in the head, but I suppose after 30 years in the business, there must be something wrong with me!

All I can advise is that you keep practicing. Try doing anaesthetised dogs, just to get in some extra cases that you can spend a little more time on as there's no 'consulting rush' :)

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 09:20:32 GMT

Yeah I agree! Generally I try do them from the outside As it's not entering a cavity but I find it hard. Majority of the time the vets do do it but sometimes if they don't have the appts and us nurses are free we do sometimes do it but I hate it. Haha.

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

molladog — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 08:40:05 GMT

Sal the 1st wrote the following post at Tue, Sep 27 2016 9:35 PM:

my tip

declare it an act of veterinary surgery and pass it back to the vet

https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/veterinary-nurse-forum/f/5/t/28901.aspx?pi2557

Hahaaa totally agree Sal, after all isn't it technically 'entering a body cavity' !!!

RE: Dreaded anal glands!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 22:35:43 GMT

my tip

declare it an act of veterinary surgery and pass it back to the vet

https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/veterinary-nurse-forum/f/5/t/28901.aspx?pi2557=1#162244