-----Anal Sacs
River Road Veterinary Clinic
Box 309
Norwich, Vermont 05055
Phone: 802-649-3877 Fax: 802-649-1345
email: RRVC@Valley.net.com
www.rrvetclinic.com
Dr. Christine Pinello - Dr. JoAnne Giel - Dr. Kathy Ling Newcomb
Anal Sacs
Anal sacs in cats and dogs are located just under the skin on each side of the anus, where they are held in place by the muscles controlling the anus. The anal glands in the sacs produce a foul-smelling substance unique to each animal. Just as no two snowflakes are alike, the smell of each animal's anal sac material is unique. Since the anal sac empties when the animal defecates, the small amount of material from the anal sacs adheres to the feces and serves as identification to other animals.
The anal sac is connected to the outside by a small passageway, which can become blocked if the anal sac fluid becomes abnormally thick. Animals experiencing an anal sac problem often lick their anus frequently or drag their buttocks across the floor or the ground. Sometimes the anus looks swollen and painful. When this happens, the anal sacs must be expressed (squeezed) manually by a veterinarian.
We suspect that one of the prime causes of anal sac problems is related to today's commercial animal foods, which have been formulated to produce a small volume of stool. When the stool is smaller, however, less pressure is applied to the anal sacs, and they fail to empty completely. Some animals respond well to having bran added to their diet (1-2 teaspoons for small dogs and 2-3 tablespoons for large dogs).
Impacted anal sacs can become filled with pus. If not treated promptly, this infection can become systemic (spread to the entire body) or cause the anal sac to rupture. Veterinarians treat infected anal sacs be expressing them manually and starting the animal on a course of oral and or topical antibiotics.
If your pet has a chronic problem with anal sacs, your veterinarian may recommend that they be removed surgically. In this case, your pet will come home Wearing an Elizabethan collar to keep it from chewing out the sutures. You will need to administer oral antibiotics for ten days to prevent infection and clean the surgical site twice a day.