SWOLLEN ANAL GLANDS?

Question
Last week, I noticed my cavalier king charles had crusted poop on his butt.  I washed him and it seemed his anal glands were swollen.  This happened again, two days later and my husband said the same thing.  He is pooping on the patio and right in front of us, which is not normal behavior for him.  I haven't changed his diet and do not notice any change in his behavior.  He is 2.5 years old.  Do you think his problem is impacted anal glands or something worse?  Is there anything I can do before taking him to a vet?  

Answer
Hi Melissa,

Checking your dog's anal gland is a really good first course of action.

Having impacted anal sacs, or glands is something fairly common in dogs, that most pet owners encounter at one time or another. It's not something which has occurred due to your dog's diet.

A dog with blocked anal glands may walk hunched, have difficulty defecating, or seem constipated. He may drag or scoot the anus on the carpet as if to scratch a painful itch on the area under the tail. Some dogs lick their anus excessively when they have problems.
There is usually a very foul and distinctive smell that accompanies impacted anal sacs.

Clearing, or expressing the anal sacs is something you could do at home, though you may want your vet to show you how to do it, at least for the first time. When the anal glands are expressed, pressure is applied to the gland, blowing out the blockage. The smelly fluid and chunks of feces is then collected into a gauze pad and disposed.

You can read about how to do it here:
http://www.dr-dan.com/analsac.htm

Hard stools and difficulty in passing them, on the other hand,  are the usual signs of constipation. A dog's normal stool comes out without problems and is rather hotdog-shaped. If your dog has to make a lot of effort and only ejects a couple of balls, it is a sign that he's constipated.

You can try adding water to the food, or a teaspoon or two of canned pumpkin. Adding some roughage in the form of fruits or vegetables such as a baby carrot or two, or an apple wedge (no seeds) or a bit of banana would help too.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti