Jennie's anal glands

[otto]

I've been worried about Jennie's anal glands for a few of days, and this morning when I flipped her over to check them some pus spurted out.

I've made an appointment to see a vet tech to have them expressed and if the tech thinks there's infection she'll bring a vet in. My vet is not in this week.

So we'll be leaving early to give us lots of time to get there, I'm worried about driving in the bad weather, (we're having an ice storm) but for my cats, I will do anything.

Please send us some TCS vibes for safety on the road, it is very bad out there.

 

[katkisses]

Oh no!

I hope you have a save, uneventful trip. Please be safe! I know she will be fine, anal sac issues seem farely common.

 

[jalindal]

Good luck and please be as safe as you can be! I hope everything goes well.

 

[otto]

Thanks you guys. Jennie's anal gland issues are chronic and I have been talking to my vet about having them removed, but am of course hesitant to put her through such a surgery unless absolutely necessary.

Anal sacs are normally cleared out when the cat has a bowel momvement but it's not happening for Jennie.

I've been attempting to control the problem with added fiber (psyllium) to bulk the stool, the theory being a larger stool will clear out the sacs but the experiment has not been successful.

I am adamant that I will not drive in bad weather conditions, especially ice, but when it comes to the cats I have to make an exception. Originally I was going to get her in on Friday but when I saw the pus this morning I knew I had to get her in today.

I've decided that our gaurdian angels will watch out for us, the ice will stop falling just when I need it to, to get me and Jennie there and back safely, and we won't encounter any idiotic giant SUV or pick-ups with plows drivers on our way.

I am fighting the sick nervous feeling in my stomach. I hate being on the roads in this kind of weather. It's not my driving I worry about. People are idiots.

 

[bastetservant]

I'm hoping it went well - the drive and the exam.


Robin

 

[ritz]

Ditto. Just drive really slowly, remember how to brake (depends upon the type of brakes). And your cat prefers to be driven slowly, too. And, play classical music. I swear it helps the cat (and you).

 

[tillymoo]

Drive extra safetly, you don't add extra fibre to a diet that actuallyheonly exaggerates the problem its firmer stools you want if you could try adding some bone to her diet i wouldn't envisage any future problems.
I've fed raw for years and i used to have a bitch that in the end i learned how to express the anal glands myself and we were at the point of considering removal she was a reluctant raw eater so i just upped my gear and switched her totally and we never had a problem with her anal glands again the bone ratio in her diet helped enormously for firmer stools.

 

[darkmavis]

I hope the roads were starting to clear by the time you headed out. Best wishes for you and Jennie!!

 

[otto]

We're back! All is well.

I stayed on main roads, going slightly out of my way to do so, and they are wet but nothing is falling out of the sky at the moment, though more is supposed to come later today.

Anyway, Jennie got her bottom squeezed and there is no infection. She was highly indignant as you can imagine. I feel sooo much better now. I couldn't resist flipping her over just now to check her area, and it's lovely to not see those tell tale brown dots on either side.

Peace of mind is well worth the trip. Thanks for all the well wishes.

Originally Posted by tillymoo

Drive extra safetly, you don't add extra fibre to a diet that actuallyheonly exaggerates the problem its firmer stools you want if you could try adding some bone to her diet i wouldn't envisage any future problems.
I've fed raw for years and i used to have a bitch that in the end i learned how to express the anal glands myself and we were at the point of considering removal she was a reluctant raw eater so i just upped my gear and switched her totally and we never had a problem with her anal glands again the bone ratio in her diet helped enormously for firmer stools.

Thanks for your comments. Actually the psyllium fiber is meant to BULK the stool, not loosen it, I am not talking about laxatives.

A bowel movement normally clears the anal sacs. Some animals have problems and things don't work the way they are supposed to, and one theory is adding stool bulking fiber is a way to solve the problem. This has not worked for Jennie.

I have been taught to express glands at home, but in spite of the many skills I do posses in cat health care, for some reason I am unable to do this, though it is not for lack of trying.

Jennie is not my first cat with this problem, and I was unable to express Bibbs'

anal glands either.

I appreciate your suggestions. I won't be feeding a raw diet to my cats, ever, though the thought of a raw chicken wing type snack now and then for them has crossed my mind.

I wonder....if that would help her. I'd like to avoid the surgery if at all possible. I'll discuss it with my vet.

 

[otto]

Here is Jennie sleeping off her ordeal. You'll notice she has her tail tucked tightly under herself. She's not taking any chances, no one is taking liberties with her bottom again today.

 

[darkmavis]

Aww, poor Jennie, poked and prodded at, and then having the story blabbed on the internet!

I'd be tucking my tail too!

Glad everything went well, with Jennie, and with you on the wintery roads..

 

[bluerexbear]

This will be a weird question (and I am very glad your girl is fine now!) - but are cat and dog anal glands expressed the same way? My dog can NEVER get himself expressed, but my cats have never seemed to have an issue. I was just wondering incase I ever need to do this one of my cats.

 

[ldg]

So glad you made it there and back safely!! Also glad there's no infection.

So... does Jennie cuss at the vet & staff too?

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by LDG

So glad you made it there and back safely!! Also glad there's no infection.

So... does Jennie cuss at the vet & staff too?

Thanks Laurie. LOL, nope. Jennie sits quietly with her tail tucked tightly under herself, covering her privates, when at the vet. It's only with her fur-sibs that she is brave and gutter mouthed.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

Aww, poor Jennie, poked and prodded at, and then having the story blabbed on the internet!

I'd be tucking my tail too!

Glad everything went well, with Jennie, and with you on the wintery roads..

thanks Erica.

Originally Posted by BlueRexBear

This will be a weird question (and I am very glad your girl is fine now!) - but are cat and dog anal glands expressed the same way? My dog can NEVER get himself expressed, but my cats have never seemed to have an issue. I was just wondering incase I ever need to do this one of my cats.

I don't know. I mean, the technique might be the same, but of course their physiologies are different.

I would not recommend anyone trying it on their own without first being trained how to do it by the vet or vet tech. I HAVE been trained, but for some reason just can't do it right.

If you are already skilled with expressing your dog's anal glands, n I suggest that next time you're at the vet with one of your cats ask your vet to show you how on the cat.

 

[tillymoo]

Originally Posted by otto

We're back! All is well.

I stayed on main roads, going slightly out of my way to do so, and they are wet but nothing is falling out of the sky at the moment, though more is supposed to come later today.

Anyway, Jennie got her bottom squeezed and there is no infection. She was highly indignant as you can imagine. I feel sooo much better now. I couldn't resist flipping her over just now to check her area, and it's lovely to not see those tell tale brown dots on either side.

Peace of mind is well worth the trip. Thanks for all the well wishes.





Thanks for your comments. Actually the psyllium fiber is meant to BULK the stool, not loosen it, I am not talking about laxatives.

A bowel movement normally clears the anal sacs. Some animals have problems and things don't work the way they are supposed to, and one theory is adding stool bulking fiber is a way to solve the problem. This has not worked for Jennie.

I have been taught to express glands at home, but in spite of the many skills I do posses in cat health care, for some reason I am unable to do this, though it is not for lack of trying.

Jennie is not my first cat with this problem, and I was unable to express Bibbs'

anal glands either.

I appreciate your suggestions. I won't be feeding a raw diet to my cats, ever, though the thought of a raw chicken wing type snack now and then for them has crossed my mind.

I wonder....if that would help her. I'd like to avoid the surgery if at all possible. I'll discuss it with my vet.

I

It maybe worth thinking about if she'd eat a chicken wing a couple of times a week, the poop goes really firm stimulating the glands just don't overdo it or the poop goes like rock hard bullets

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I'm SO glad you made it there and back safely. I was worried about you driving on all that ice! (sorry to be posting so late, but am spending so much time at the hospital with my mother that I am lucky I see any posts here at all!!!)

 

[my4llma]

Jennie is a beautiful cat! I'm glad that she's ok, I'm glad you guys made it to the vet and home safely. I don't like driving with the kittens period. I'm always worried about an accident. If I had to drive them in the snow and ice. I'd probably be the 1 to cause the accident, because I'd be so nervous. But no matter what the kittens health come first, snow or no snow, ice or no ice.

 

[my4llma]

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

Aww, poor Jennie, poked and prodded at, and then having the story blabbed on the internet!

I'd be tucking my tail too!