Why is my dog still lethargic after anal gland infection treatment?

I hate to hear that Scout has an anal gland infection. I would recommend to call his veterinarian and discuss the lethargy. The lethargy could be a reaction but could also be due to the abscess. I would not advise to stop the medication without talking to Scout's doctor. Make sure you are giving the medication with food. I hope he starts feeling better!

I don't think you should be worried at this point. There is a good chance it will clear up with the antibiotics and anti-inflammatory. Sometimes the infection can be harder to treat and the gland may need to be infused with an antibiotic. Give the medications as directed and monitor for improvement. Your vet can recheck her in 7-10 days to see if the infection is resolving.

Place an e-collar (cone) on Smugde to prevent any licking. Have her rechecked by your veterinarian. The anal glands should be expressed and flushed. Afterwards, medication can be instilled directly into the glands. Before all this, consider obtaining a sample to submit for culture and sensitivity panels. This may identify the responsible organism as well as the best antibiotic to use in treatment.

Poor Maiya! You did the right thing by taking her into the vet. It will take at least 24 hours for you to see an improvement in symptoms with the antibiotics, but the pain meds should be kicking in by now. She likely feels pretty terrible if she has infected anal sacs, and it's not surprising that she isn't 100% just yet. I'd let her stay off the couch and stay on the floor is she wants. She needs to rest and allow the medications to fight the infection. Be sure to give all medications as directed, and keep giving it even if she appears better. If she still isn't wanting to get on the couch in the next 48-72 hours, then I would be concerned that she may have another problem causing her pain such as her back, hips, or hind legs. At that point, I would take her back into the vet for another exam and possibly x-rays. I hope this helps!

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your concerns about Millie! Typically expressing anal sacs does not result in tiredness and lethargy; that being said, hers were very impacted. It’s might have been a bit painful to have them expressed, and then you add on the excitement and stress of a vet visit. All of those combined could lead her to be tired and lethargic. I would keep an eye on her for now, and if she is still acting this way in another 48 hours, I would be concerned she may have an illness causing these symptoms. In that case, I would take her back into the vet for a health check. Hopefully, however, she will be back to normal soon. Good luck, I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear that! It may be that the infection is still going on - you may need a longer course of the antibiotic or perhaps a different one. I would recommend having them expressed again to see if there is still debris present. I would also want to double check and make sure there is not a mass present in the area:( You can ask for a biopsy to be done if the lump seems unrelated to the infection. I hope this helps and that it is nothing more than a persistent infection!

She may be lethargic due to pain. I suggest you call your vet to see if you can get a different pain medication. I have eye problems and I can tell you it is miserable and very painful and you don't feel like doing much. I'm guessing that may be going on with her. I'm glad the eye is looking better though!