By Dr Lise Hansen
Dr Lise Hansen DVM MRCVS CertIAVH PCH is qualified as a veterinary surgeon and a homeopath. She has also undertaken training in acupuncture for animals.
A quick overview
Unlike humans, but like other carnivorous mammals, dogs (and cats) have anal sacs aka anal glands. These are small, paired glands located on either side of the rectum. The lining of the sacs contain glands that produce a dark liquid which can only be described as one of the strongest smelling substances in the world. This substance is emptied into the rectum through ducts that lead to the inner edge of the anus. When a stool is passed, it squeezes the sacs so that a few drops of the fluid coat the stool. This is the reason why dogs are so keen to smell each other anuses and stools (or bums and poos in plain English). The anal gland fluid is how each dog leaves his own unique scent-based visiting card.
In most dogs, this system works impeccably, and there is no need for you (or your groomer or vet) to go anywhere near the anal glands. You don't even need to know that they exist. It is a common misconception that 'checking' or expressing the anal glands is a part of good grooming or healthcare. It isn't. They should be left alone unless there is a reason to think they are causing a health issue.
Anal gland disease
It happens occasionally – much more commonly in dogs than in cats – that the glands, for whatever reason, don't empty properly. If the glands become over-filled and blocked, the dog will feel acutely uncomfortable and will typically scoot on the floor or spin around to lick his or her anus. If you see this behaviour a vet should be consulted. You should also contact your vet immediately if your dog is badly constipated as this can be very serious if untreated.
If the anal glands are impacted and sore, your vet can generally express them quickly and easily, which will bring immediate and immense relief. While it is important, of course, that this is done to relieve a deeply uncomfortable dog, it is equally important not to touch the glands unless there is a reason to do so. Every time the anal glands are manually expressed, it inflames them, which can lead to a vicious circle of inflamed and over-producing glands that come to need regular manual emptying. This contributes to further inflammation, and eventually the natural balance is completely compromised, and the glands no longer empty into the rectum with each stool.
If the impaction and constant inflammation of the glands leads to infection, the condition becomes acutely painful and requires antibiotic treatment. In some cases, an abscess forms, and it is necessary to clean and flush the area under general anaesthesia. Some dogs end up with anal glands so scarred and destroyed that they are surgically removed. This is quite a complicated surgical procedure that carries a small risk of permanent faecal incontinence due to damage to the anal sphincter, a situation that often could have been avoided.
The cause of the problem
There are multiple theories as to why some dogs suffer so badly from inflamed anal glands, while others never feel a thing (many carers are completely unaware that the glands even exist, as they generally cause no symptoms at all). It is easy to be overzealous, potentially creating a problem that wasn't there to begin with. The anal glands don't need manual emptying just because they are half full. They don't have to be empty. They have a job to do and generally do it best when we don't interfere. If the glands are bulging, inflamed and painful, then it may make sense to get them expressed. If not, leave them alone.
One theory is that inflamed anal glands, much like inflamed ears, may be an expression of an underlying allergic problem. A tendency to soft stools may be the main problem for most of these dogs. If the stools are too soft to express the glands as they pass through the rectum (whether during a brief period of diarrhoea or over a longer term), the secretions will accumulate, and problems may follow. Seeing how crumbly hard the stools become when dogs are fed a more natural diet of raw meat and bones, it is easy to suspect that our highly processed and mainly carbohydrate-based dog foods, when they pass through the dog, simply come out too soft to work as nature intended.
Treatment
In an acute situation, relieving the pressure by emptying the glands is the important thing. If infection is present, your vet will probably also recommend antibiotic treatment, as either a cream, tablets or both.
It can sometimes be tricky to get the glands to empty naturally again following an impaction or infection. Once the glands are inflamed, they definitely tend to overproduce, starting a vicious circle of inflammation that necessitates intervention that adds to the inflammation… and on it goes. Previous infections may have caused scarring and narrowing of the ducts that empty into the rectum, making it hard to get back on track. Some dogs, having experienced pain, may become more reluctant and cautious when it comes to defecating (or pooing, as you prefer). It may simply be that whatever caused the first case of impaction has not been resolved. In any case, anal-sac problems tend to recur and often become chronic. If you find yourself in this situation, there are several steps you can take before resorting to having the glands surgically removed, a procedure that should be kept as the absolute last option.
The most important step is to change the diet. Prevention is always easier than cure, but even if you already face chronic anal sac problems, it is still worth seeing what can be achieved through a simple diet change. There are two reasons for this. Firm stools are a prerequisite for proper anal sac function, and no one has firmer stools than the dog on a raw meat and bone diet. Secondly, if your dog suffers from an allergy (whether to storage mites in dry food or to certain foods), a diet change can address this.
Homeopathy and acupuncture are both excellent at treating chronic inflammation and can make a real difference in cases of chronic anal-sac problems.
Osteopathy can address tensions or imbalances in the pelvic area that may have caused the problem in the first place and are certainly likely to be present after one or more painful episodes. An osteopathic assessment is therefore always a good idea for any dog that has suffered more than one episode of blocked anal glands.
The role of diet
Many dogs that have anal gland problems experience a marked improvement on a raw diet, as the food is very digestible and the raw bone firms up the faeces. This means that the dog has to strain to pass faeces, and this action empties the glands on a regular basis, leading to less problems with blockage.
If you live in the UK, Honey’s Healthcare Team will be delighted to devise a special dietary plan for your dog designed to prevent and tackle anal gland issues. Feeding a natural diet couldn’t be easier and we can do all the hard work for you – working out exactly what your dog should eat each day (and how much, of course), explaining what to buy and how to prepare it. If you would prefer, and you will be under no obligation, we will be happy to supply the food you need and deliver it straight to your door.
Parts of this text are revised extracts from ‘The Complete Book of Cat and Dog Health’ (Hubble & Hattie 2019) by Dr Lise Hansen. www.hubbleandhattie.com
The advice and information contained in this fact sheet is for guidance only. The Honey’s Healthcare Team (vets, veterinary nurses and other experts) is here to help you in any way we can. However, nothing can replace a physical examination by a vet or other qualified professional.
