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Chapter 11 Clinical Techniques 193

caution: the material will sometimes shoot out at high “milking” like motion will propel the material up and
velocity and in a direction unprepared for! Therefore out of both ducts at the same time.
the goggles! Continue to squeeze and move your finger After expressing the anal glands, wipe any material off
and thumb together until the gland is empty. Rotate the perianal area with a clean cotton ball or wet paper
your hand so the thumb can reach the right gland and towel. Wrap the items used in one glove as you take it off
repeat the squeezing (Figure 11.7). The expressed liquid and then that glove is wrapped inside the second glove
is usually a brownish color and will be quite odorous! (see Figure 2.4 for how to remove gloves safely). Spritz
Alert the veterinarian if the material expelled is the perianal area with deodorant.
bloody, grainy, or yellow, pus‐like, or if unable to empty
the gland. If there is an open sore in the area of the anal
gland it could have ruptured; this is also something to Administration
tell the veterinarian. He/she will need to flush the of Medications
impacted anal glands to empty them and treat any rup-
tured anal glands. Before administering any medication or vaccine to a
The external method is basically the same technique,
except one finger is placed on the skin covering the one patient, review the patients’ rights.
When administering anything to a patient I will check
gland and the thumb on the skin covering the other the patients’ rights:
gland. Squeezing the fingers together and up, in a
Right patient: double check that you have the correct patient
Right medication: double check that you have the right
medication
Right strength: read the label to make sure you have the
right strength

FIGURE 11.5 Position of anal glands and ducts. FIGURE 11.7 Expressed anal gland material.

(a) (b)

FIGURE 11.6 Internal method of expressing anal glands.