Are my Shih Tzu's anal glands swollen or do they look normal?

Poor smith. I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian to have the glands examined. A warm compress is a great idea but if they are infected smith will need antibiotics to help the swelling resolve. If infected anal glands are not addressed they can ruptured. Also sometimes based on the age of smith. Inflamed gland could be secondary to a mass, recital or prostate issue hope that helps

If she has impacted or infected anal glands then they need to expressed. This is something you can learn to do at home, but it is probably best to have your veterinarian or their staff teach you the first time. In the meantime you can use warm compresses on Gracie's bottom to try to ease a little discomfort. Some of these small breed dogs need their anal glands expressed every 4-6 weeks on a regular schedule. Adding some fiber to her diet may also help her to express them a little more naturally.

You can see some swelling after expression of the anal sacs. Given that Sofia is pooping fine, I would just keep an eye on her for now. If this swelling continues over the next few days, gets worse, or she starts having problems pooping, then I would be concerned and have her seen by a vet again.

Honestly, it could be either from these photographs. If she's not scratching or dragging her bottom and the puffiness is the only symptom at this time, I would keep an eye on it. If it doesn't improve or resolve in a couple of days, I recommend getting her seen by your vet for an exam.

Your pet sounds very much like she has an inflamed or infected anal gland. This condition is very painful and makes it difficult to defecate or even move. Without treatment, the gland may rupture, causing an open wound on your pet's rear that will require wound care and antibiotics as well as some pain relief. I'm glad you're getting her in to see your vet very soon.

It's possible that Mr Puggle Bear's anal area is irritated from the feces and this is making it look larger. If it seems like he is having difficulty defecated or if the area seems painful I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him. Sometimes topical medications are necessary to help with dermatitis from having feces stock on the skin.

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She may be experiencing pain or discomfort while defecating and this can occur for a variety of reasons. Swelling around the anal region could be an indication of an impacted or infected anal gland. The constipation you describe could be due to lack of fiber in the diet, eating something out of the ordinary, or perhaps an infectious cause such as an intestinal worm infection. If Mila has not seen her veterinarian for this yet, I would recommend this happen soon. Her veterinarian may recommend an exam, anal gland expression, and fecal test to help determine a cause so she can be treated appropriately. I hope this helps!