Many pets (mostly dogs) do not express their anal glands as regularly as they should. These glands are scent-marking tools that are meant to be expressed when the pet defecates. When this doesn’t happen, the material can build up and must be manually expressed. If your pet is licking or scooting their rear, this may be an indication that their glands need to be manually expressed. As you might imagine, this experience can be quite distressing for your pet. Through our Fear-Free approach at Summer Creek Animal Clinic, we do everything we can to make this process as stress free as possible by giving treats liberally, providing a calm environment, utilizing calming pheromones, and much more. Please see Fear-Free Nail Trims, Victory Visits, and the Fear-Free Visit for more details about how this process will help your pet. Please call today to schedule your Fear-Free anal gland expression.