How do I know if my dog needs an anal gland expression?

Anal glands are sacs near the opening of the rectum that carry liquid scent marker material. Normally they are expelled when your dog defecates but some dogs have trouble emptying them and need it done manually. When your dog’s glands are full you may notice a fishy, foul odor, scooting behavior (dragging their bum on the floor), or excessive licking of the rectum.

My dog just had surgery, how can you help ?

Post operative care can vary between procedures, but typically medications are involved to help with pain, inflammation, infection and more. Our home care veterinary nursing can help administer medications, apply warm/cold compress, assess incisions, educate you on the healing process and make sure that your pet is recovering well. They can be the first line of defense to catch issues and let you know if further follow up with your vet is needed.

My dog is fearful and can be aggressive for treatments, will you still be able to help me?

Working in the veterinary field, aggressive and fearful pets are just a part of the job. Luckily there’s a lot we can do to make sure your pet is still getting the medication, care, and attention they need. Utilizing fear free techniques like treat distractions are a great option, but sometimes more intervention is necessary. Depending on the case, it may be needed to utilize calming medications prescribed by your vet before home care visits. These are not sedatives that knock your dog out, but rather oral medication that takes the edge off so we can do what we need to do and keep everyone safe- including your pet.

I have a lot of questions about my pet but my vet isn’t always available, what can I do?

Nautilus Veterinary Nursing is owned and operated by licensed veterinary technicians. This means that we have a wealth of knowledge and can assist you in many ways. While we can’t give medical advice over the phone, we can help with any other questions, concerns or assistance you may need. If you need clarification on how to give a medication, want to know what to look for with an incisional infection, or just have no idea what an anal gland is you can give us a call!