Anal Gland Problems

We took our cat to the vet on Saturday to get her annual vaccines. The vet also gave her a physical exam and checked her anal glands, which she said were very clogged. She "expressed" them...and the entire procedure was horrifying! I'd never heard my cat make such terrible noises! It seemed to me like she was in a a lot of pain. The vet technician shook her to try to control her and also tapped her head multiple times. At the end there tufts of fur flying around the room. The whole experience was so terrible that I fainted and threw up. Now my question is...is anal expression supposed to be like this? Or should I change vets? Please help!

Thank you :/

It depends on the cat. My friend took hers in last week when it was apparent his glands were blocked. She never heard him scream so loud when they did it. She has another cat who takes it fairly quietly.

I think about it this way. The glands are inflamed and probably hurt in the first place. Then a big human squeezes them to force out the fluid. Not anything I would ever want to happen to me.

Cleo yowls pretty loudly when she gets her anal glands expressed. My vet offered to teach me how to do it (Cleo needs it done about every 6 months) but I'd rather she associate the pain with the vet, than with me. It does appear pretty painful. I'd be much more concerned with the 'shaking her and tapping her on the head' issue. That is NOT how I'd want any of my cats treated. That alone would make me consider taking my pets somewhere else. That kind of treatment is completely unacceptable.

It was probably just because they were blocked and inflamed. I've had to express Tomas' before (when he was having the diarrhea issues in the past) because they weren't expressing on their own - his never were blocked or inflamed, and while he didn't like it he showed no signs of it being more than a bit uncomfortable.

IMO, it's better to keep them expressed than it is to wait until they block up and it hurts to express them.

One thing you could have done before the vet visit, or if they were willing to wait while you were there, is to apply a warm compress before expressing them. It can help make it easier. If you notice in the future that her anal glads are blocked again and look sore, try applying a compress for 10-15 minutes and see if that alone helps loosen them.

Note: A cat will look at you like you've lost your mind when you try to put a warm damp cloth on their butt.

Originally Posted by MerlinaAddams

The vet technician shook her to try to control her and also tapped her head multiple times.

Or should I change vets? Please help!

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I would change vets or at least tell your vet you do not want that tech to handle your cat from now on. Anal gland expression does not include shaking and head tapping! That makes it so much more traumatizing for your poor kitty. I don't get how shaking and head tapping makes the vet tech more able to control your kitty?

My cat has cried out in the past during this procedure. I am sure it is not a pleasant experience to have your glands expressed, but that's the way he typically reacts even if someone just touches his butt area (like when I'm flea combing him). He acts out dramatically.

I completely agree. Change vets if possible. My 2 year old female just had a rectal exam and had her anal glands checked, and there was no shaking or tapping. They were very very gentle with her and she barely made a peep. Now, when a man (or woman) with fingers the size of tree trunks shove their fingers up in there and act like they're changing an oil filter, I would scream, too. I think some are too heavy handed. The head tapping and shaking was uncalled for. My vet wrapped Chickster up in a thick towel while a tech PETTED her head gently and cooed at her.

Poor kitty

Our Vet always takes Sven out of the room whenver she expresses his anal glands, and I can usually hear him "objecting", but he never screams and when they return, she's usually holding him like a baby over her shoulder and he's clinging to her for dear life.

I'm certain he's not being shaken or bopped on the head or in any way mistreated (other than the necessary procedure), because he really seems to like Dr. Christina, and even purrs through his exams (though probably doesn't purr thru the anal expression )

IMHO, if the Vet doesn't know what the Vet TECH did, he should be told, and if they were BOTH in the room, then I would change Vets. If this were a child, that could be considered child abuse and someone could go to jail!!

Originally Posted by MerlinaAddams

The vet technician shook her to try to control her and also tapped her head multiple times. At the end there tufts of fur flying around the room.... The whole experience was so terrible that I fainted and threw up.

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WHAT??? If this was in my vet's office I would be raising hell! I would be writing to the board of veterinary medicine making a complaint, putting reviews all over the internet, writing a certified letter to the Vet in charge of that facility - NO WAY anybody would EVER treat a pet of mine like that and walk... NO WAY. This is just absurd! After raising hell, I would walk and never go back there again. And the bill, sorry, but wouldn't pay for it either.

My vet was able to do my Semi Feral s glands with relative ease... No fur flew ... Please consult a different vet...

LJ has her glands expressed every 4-5 months and never raises much of a complaint, even when they were full and inflammed.

Consulting a second vet sounds like a good idea. Neither one of my vets nor their techs tapped or shook her to control her (and she's fiesty).

Luckily Ku Ku hasn't had the problem for a long time but I'd definitely have to get my vet handle it if that becomes problem again. My vet tech told me that I could do that for Ku Ku but...uh uh..
There's absolutely no way for me or anybody(including my vet) to do it without first sedating her.
Even compressing her butt is an ordeal for me as Ku Ku would freak out if I just try...

I noticed my little man had a stinky skunky bum - so when I took him to the vet last week I had her express his glands. She said it is "rare" that a cat ever needs this done but she did do it for me anyway. She took him to another room and I never heard a peep - he came back in and was just fine. The skunk smell was gone, so I think I was right in asking her to express them.

The smell hasn't come back and he seems to clean his bum more now too which is always good. Well almost always not so good right before he demands kisses.

.. Hi Cat Friends..

newbie here... what do the vets charge for these expressions? I need to take my Fang for one this weekend, and need the moola first...

kp

Kimmy page said:

.. Hi Cat Friends..

newbie here... what do the vets charge for these expressions? I need to take my Fang for one this weekend, and need the moola first...

kp

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Mine charges $13.