2. The Cavalier King Charles' backside exploded

Don't judge a book (an anal gland) by its cover

A big dark red swelling below and to the right of the anus of this 14-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Bruised swelling. Like a ping-pong ball bulging out from under the skin. Around 20% of the table tennis ball could be seen. There was a small hole of 3 mm diameter from this swelling leaking a reddish black fluid. No smell.

The domestic worker complained that the dog had been rubbing its tail and biting its backside for several days. The lady owner had rushed off to pick up her daughter from Raffles Girls' School and left the dog with the maid. In Singapore, mums seldom car pool unlike some mums in suburbs in Australia. Car pooling and taking turns to pick up children will give them some free time but it is not part of the Singaporean culture.

This case was an instant diagnosis. The left anal gland was impacted and is now full of reddish brown and yellow pus. The solution was to cut and release the pus. The dog was put on the operating table 10 minutes after being given a pain killer and tranquiliser.

A simple procedure. Just incise the swelling and release the nasty contents. However, there was another anal gland, the right one. It might also be impacted with oil and not infected yet.

The anal glands in the dog produces oil every day and this oil is usually passed out when the dog passes stools. In this case, the oil was accumulating and could not be discharged. The gland ballooned on the left side with abundant oil infected by bacteria.

This was a severe case of anal sacculitis. A simple solution. Instead of cutting, I put a piece of tissue paper to cover the swelling. I encircled the lower half of the anal opening with my right hand's thumb and index finger and squeezed the gland.

A simple procedure. Should complete it in 1 minute. One squeeze would do.
Yes, one squeeze. Instant explosion. At least 20 sprays of reddish brown liquid squirted 45 degrees to the operating table, barely missing my face and splattered the wall of the operating room. Flying at 60 kmph or more. Instantaneous, as if one had stepped on a mine.

This was not the second time in many years I had this explosion. The first time involved a German Shepherd. Well, big dog, big anal glands, big explosion of extremely unforgiving rancid yellow oil. I became very careful with big breeds with anal sacculitis. I discarded the shirt as the pungent skunk-smelly oil would be too difficult to wash off.

I was not expecting this from a Spaniel I had seen since puppy hood in 2003. He was one of the two sleeping at the surgery during the first vaccination. Too tired. Like jet lag. Just had to sleep on reaching the surgery.

Now, I must be quick to remove the oil. I used a rag, wet it and started to wipe off the walls before the oval and circular anal oil stains mark the wall. The other spaniel had lots of thick yellow oil squeezed out. Like extremely thick strands of yellowish brown rubber bands oozing out from the left and right side of the anal opening at the 4 and 8 o'clock position.

Most owners think that they are stools but they are old anal gland oil dried up and stuck inside the anal gland.

I hope I will never judge a book (anal gland) by its cover again. This Spaniel had a swollen anal gland, ripe with at least 30 ml of infected oil with 90% of the contents hidden below the skin. So, a squeeze caused an explosion which would have hit my face if the weak point had faced me. Another shirt would have to be thrown away! I must be careful the next time.