You’ve noticed your dog scooting their bottom across your brand–new area rug. And then it hits your nose . . . a terrible fishy smell that has notes of something dead or at least rotten. What is that?
Anal glands (or anal sacs) are two, small glands that sit in the 10:00 and 2:00 position just inside the anus of your pet. Both dogs and cats have them. The material that these glands secrete is thick, oily, and very foul smelling.
In the wild, these glands serve as a way to mark territory or act in self-defense (like a skunk). Wild animals can usually voluntarily empty the glands. However, domestication of our dogs and cats has mostly removed the ability for them to empty the glands voluntarily. In some pets, the anal glands will express themselves with activity or normal defecation. In others, they are unable to empty the glands efficiently, allowing the anal glands to fill up and become uncomfortable.
Impacted anal glands are often problematic. Most dogs can be seen scooting on the ground, trying to express them. Some will lick the area excessively. Many cats will lick so incessantly that they remove the fur from that area. Other pets just show vague signs of discomfort, such as hiding, shaking, holding their tails down, and not wanting to jump.
When anal glands become impacted, if not manually emptied, they can form an abscess and eventually rupture through the skin. This condition is painful and messy, often causing bloody fluid to leak around your house. In some pets, it gets so bad that the abscess has to be drained while the pet is under sedation. Anal gland abscesses usually require a course of antibiotics, some pain medication and several recheck exams.
How to Stop the Scooting
If your pet is showing signs of impacted anal glands, they need to be addressed as soon as possible. The easiest way to start this is to have a veterinary professional express the glands. This is a quick and simple procedure and is typically painless for the pet. Some owners are interested in learning how to do this procedure at home, but we highly recommend bringing your pet to a veterinarian to have this addressed to ensure effective and safe outcomes.
Each pet is different as to how often they need their anal glands expressed. Some never need it. Some need it done every 6-8 weeks. Some will continue to scoot for 2 – 3 days after having their glands expressed, simply due to irritation. If a pet continues to show signs of full anal glands beyond 3 days post-expression, there may be another cause, such as parasites, food allergies, or back pain. A diet change to particular prescription diets may be recommended for some cases, to decrease the frequency of filling or improve the consistency of the fluid excreted.
People often ask if anal glands can just be taken out. They can, however, it’s a complicated surgical procedure that carries some risks of complications. Our veterinarians typically reserve that as a last resort for problematic anal glands, or if there is cancer within one of the glands.
