Anal glands at the groomer
Do you express anal glands?
Scooting across the rug, a fishy smell, a dog that keeps turning to lick its rear: these are the signs that send owners searching. Here is what a groomer can do about anal glands, where that stops and the vet takes over, and how to book it at 210 Eastern Ave.
The short version
Yes, externally, as a $40 add-on, and only for glands that just need emptying
Dogs have two small scent glands either side of the anus that normally empty a little each time they pass a firm stool. Some dogs, particularly small breeds and dogs with soft stools, tend not to empty them fully. The glands fill, the dog feels the pressure and scoots or licks. External expression is gentle pressure from outside to empty them, a routine groomer task done during the bath.
That is the whole of what a groomer does. We do not express internally, we do not treat glands that are swollen, hot, bleeding or clearly painful, and we do not diagnose. If anything looks wrong, the groom skips that step and you hear about it at pick-up, with the advice to see your vet. The add-on is $40 on top of the bath or full-service price.
- External expression only, during the bath
- $40 add-on to any bath or full service
- For glands that are full, not glands that are sore or infected
- Anything that looks wrong goes to your vet
How it works at Dogtown
Book the add-on, the groomer checks, expresses if appropriate, and reports at pick-up
Add Anal Glands Express to a bath-only or full-service booking online through MoeGo or in the Dogtown app; grooming needs no evaluation. At check-in mention the scooting or licking you have seen and when it started. The groomer expresses the glands in the tub, where the bath rinses everything away and the smell does not linger on the coat.
If the groomer finds the glands are not simply full, if there is swelling, heat, discharge or your dog reacts with pain, the expression stops and the note goes on your pick-up summary with a clear suggestion to see your vet. Impacted or infected glands need veterinary care, and pressing on them is not something a groomer should do. We would rather send you to your vet than hurt your dog.
- 01
Book a bath or full service and add Anal Glands Express ($40)
- 02
At check-in, describe the scooting or licking and when it began
- 03
The groomer checks the glands during the bath
- 04
Glands that are simply full are expressed externally and rinsed
- 05
Glands that look sore, swollen or infected are left alone and flagged to you
- 06
You get the result at pick-up and, if needed, a nudge to book your vet
Groomer or vet
Full glands are a grooming task; impacted, infected or recurring glands are a vet visit
The line between the two is about what is happening in the gland. A full gland is a plumbing issue and a groomer can relieve it. A gland that has thickened, become infected or abscessed is a medical issue, and so is a dog whose glands need emptying every few weeks despite a good diet, because your vet may want to find the cause.
If your vet has already looked and is happy for a groomer to maintain the glands, tell us at booking. If you are unsure which side of the line your dog is on, book the groom without the add-on, ask the groomer to check at the bath, and let the check-in conversation decide. For an emergency, Gloucester's list of local emergency veterinary offices is the place to start.
| What you see | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Occasional scooting, mild fishy smell, no swelling | Groomer: external expression, $40 add-on |
| Rear licking after a soft-stool week | Groomer, with a note to mention diet to your vet |
| Swelling, redness or heat beside the anus | Vet |
| Blood, pus or an open sore | Vet, promptly |
| Yelping when the area is touched | Vet |
| Needs expressing every few weeks | Vet to look at the cause; groomer can maintain between visits if your vet agrees |
What it means for your dog
Small dogs and soft-stool dogs need it most, and many dogs never need it at all
Most dogs on Cape Ann never need their glands touched. Labs charging through the surf at Good Harbor in the October to April season, Bernese hauling up the Dogtown Common boulder trails, Aussies working the turf at daycare: firm stools and plenty of movement usually keep the glands emptying on their own. Expressing glands that do not need it does the dog no favor, which is why it is an add-on and not part of every groom.
The dogs who do need it tend to be small breeds, dogs whose stools run soft, and some seniors and overweight dogs. Puppies almost never do; scooting in a puppy has other likely causes, so it is a vet question first. If your dog is in the small-breed or soft-stool group and scoots a few days after each groom, ask the groomer about adding the expression to every visit.
- Puppies: rarely; scooting in a puppy is a vet question first
- Adults: usually only small breeds and soft-stool dogs
- Seniors and overweight dogs: more often, at the vet's advice
Booking it
Add it to a bath, a full service, a daycare day or an overnight stay
The add-on rides on any groom. The simplest pairing is a bath-only visit, $55 to $95 by size, plus the $40 expression and nails at $16, which covers the three things a short-coated dog actually needs. Book it inside a daycare day and your dog is groomed between play sessions, or before pick-up from an overnight stay, where the Classic and Deluxe bundles take 10 or 15 percent off grooming.
Book the following visit at pick-up and save $5 on it. If the drive to Eastern Ave is the obstacle, the Pup Van runs to Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea at $10 each way. One note for tick season, April to November: the groomer working around your dog's rear end during the bath is also checking for ticks in exactly the spot owners miss.
At Dogtown
The add-on menu around the bath
Anal gland expression sits alongside nails, teeth, Shed Release and de-matting in the Gloucester studio.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
How much does anal gland expression cost at Dogtown?
How do I know if my dog needs its glands expressed?
Do you express glands internally?
Should anal glands be expressed at every groom?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Add it to the next bath.
Book a bath or full service online or in the Dogtown app and add Anal Glands Express for $40. The groomer checks first.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
