toy poodle health

Question
QUESTION: How often should we have our poodles anal gland cleaned? He has been pacing the floor and not sleeping good. Once before, he had a problem with the anal gland. I don't know if his groomer does this properly.

ANSWER: Hello Paula,
Anal Glands should be cleaned every time your dog is groomed.  That is approxmately 2 months or so.  This will help keep them cleaned out so that they don't get impacted.  
When your dog scoots on the floor he is most likely telling you that his glands need to be squeezed.  The discomfort causes your dog to scoot on the floor.  

If your groomer doesn't know how to do it properly, your Vet can do it or you might look for another groomer.

Hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He seems to be flinching some when we touch his mid section, like there is some pain. Could the glans being impacted cause this reaction?

Answer
Hello again Paula,
Usually glands affect the rear end of the dog.  The Anal Glands are located on either side of the anus and hold a dogs scent in them.
If they get filled up and aren't emptied, the dog will scoot on the floor and try to empty them on his own.  If they still aren't emptied, they can either become impacted or can become infected and cause a pus pocket.

If his mid-section seems tender or sore, first watch to see how his Poo looks to you (check to see if his stool is loose and if there is anything in it, such as blood).  If he has firm stool and no foreign objects in it, you might want to notify your Vet to see if they think that your dog needs to be seen.  

If your dog has loose stool, you can give your dog KaoPectate or Pepto to help ease your dogs stomach.  
For your Toy Poodle, 2 1/2 cc will be enough.

Other than that and without more information about why your dog is acting like this, I can't tell what may be wrong.  

Hope this helps him.  
Kim