WHAT ON EARTH ARE ANAL SACS?
Anal sacs (also called "anal glands") are two small glands just inside your
pet's anus. The material secreted into these glands is thick and foul
smelling. Most animals can empty these glands voluntarily for scent marking
or in self defense (like a skunk might do).
Domestic animals have largely lost their ability to empty these sacs
voluntarily. Walking around and normal defecation serves to empty the glands
but some animals become unable to empty their glands on their own at all.
The sacs become impacted and uncomfortable. Dogs with impacted anal sacs
usually scoot their rear on the ground in an attempt to empty the glands.
Some dogs will lick their anal area and other dogs will chase their tails.
Cats often lick the fur off just under their tails.
WHAT HAPPENS IF AN IMPACTED SAC DOES NOT GET EMPTIED?
An abscess can form and rupture out through the skin. This is a painful,
messy and pretty smelly condition often mistaken for rectal bleeding. If an
anal sac abscess forms, it must be properly treated by your veterinarian.
Antibiotics will be needed.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD ANAL SACS BE EMPTIED?
This is a highly individual situation. The best recommendation is to let the
pet tell you when the sacs are full. If the pet starts scooting again, it is
time to bring him in.
WHAT IF MY PET'S SACS SEEM TO REQUIRE EMPTYING ALL THE TIME?
To avoid the expense of having the sacs emptied, you can learn to empty
them yourself at home but most people feel it is well worth having someone
else perform this service. A non-invasive technique that helps some patients
is a change to a high fiber diet. This will produce a bulkier stool that may
be more effective in emptying the sac as it passes by.
If the sacs need to be emptied every few weeks or more, you may opt to
have the sacs permanently removed. This procedure is complicated by many
local nerves controlling fecal continence, the fact that any change in the
local musculature of the anal sphincter area can affect fecal continence,
and the fact that with chronic anal sac problems anatomy is distorted.
Draining tracts can develop after surgery if the gland is not completely
removed. Still, despite these pitfalls anal sac removal is considered a
relatively simple surgery by most board certified surgery specialists. If
this procedure is to be done we generally recommend that an
experienced surgeon perform the surgery.
Many people own pets for years without ever learning that anal sacs exist
at all and the “wive’s tale” that worms cause scooting erroneously
continues. If you have further questions about Anal Gland disease, ask your
veterinarian.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT SCOOTING?
The first step is to check the anal sacs when any pet has a history of
scooting. The anal sacs can be emptied in one of two ways: externally or
internally, see demonstration below.
WHAT IF SCOOTING CONTINUES?
If scooting continues for more than a few days after sac emptying, the sacs
should be re-checked. For some individuals, it takes several sac emptyings
in a row before the sacs stay emptied. If the sacs are empty and scooting is
persisting, another cause (such as itchy skin, tapeworms, or even lower back
pain) should be pursued.
| A rag or tissue is held up to the anus and both sides of the anal
area are squeezed. If the secretion is very pasty, this method may be
inadequate to empty the sacs.A lubricated gloved
finger is inserted in the anus and the sac is squeezed between thumb &
forefinger into a tissue held externally. The procedure is repeated on
the opposite side. |
|
If the sacs have been emptied adequately, the scooting should resolve in
a couple of days.
