Question from Jo Padfield

Why is my staffy rubbing his bum on carpet after his glands were done.

Answer from Shanika Winters (online vet)

Hi Jo and thank you for your question about your dog’s anal glands. I will explain a little about what anal glands are, where they are and why dogs have them followed by a discussion of what can go wrong with them and how these conditions are treated.

What are anal glands?

The anal sacs (commonly called the anal glands) are a pair of sacs found either side of the anus (bottom); they are around 1cm across and open via a duct (tube) in the anus. As with your dog the anal sacs often become blocked and or infected and this is called anal sacculitis. The substance inside the anal sacs is produced by glands that line the inside of the sacs, this smelly substance should be passed each time your dog does a poo, and leaves a scent marker to other dogs.

What goes wrong with the anal sacs?

Diseases of the anal sacs include anal sacculitis as mentioned and less often tumours. Other conditions around the bottom include anal adenoma (small non-cancerous lumps around the anus), anal furunculosis (cracked infected skin around the anus usually found in German Shepherd Dogs) and perianal hernia (where muscles weaken and separate either side of the anus allowing pelvic and abdominal contents to push through, seen in older uncastrated male dogs).
It is really important to have your dog thoroughly examined by your vet to make sure that the condition has been diagnosed correctly so that the correct treatment can be given.

How are blocked anal sacs treated?

We usually treat blocked anal sacs by manually emptying them out, this can be done by inserting a gloved finger into the anus and gently squeezing on the sac to empty the contents into a piece of tissue paper. The anal sacs can be emptied from the outside but this does not allow the anatomy of the sacs to be examined as thoroughly. Some owners feel confident that they can learn to empty their dog’s anal sacs, this is something to discuss with your vet who can show you how to do this.

If there is an infection in the anal sacs then your vet might give your dog antibiotics, this can be given orally or put directly into the anal sacs after they have been flushed out. If the anal sacs are going to be flushed out, most dogs will need sedation or general anaesthesia to allow this to be performed, a small cannula (plastic tube) is passed into the anal sac via the opening of the duct on the anus and saline is then flushed in and the glands then emptied, the process is repeated until the glands appear clean. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory preparations can then be put into the anal sac. Sometimes steroids may also be given to ease the irritation caused by anal sacculitis.

Anal sacs sometimes are not properly emptied if your dog has soft poo or diarrhoea; this usually improves once your dog’s poo is firm again and can be helped by a change in diet.

When is surgical removal of the anal sacs an option?

If there are severe repeated anal gland infections and the dog does not tolerate medical treatment and manual emptying of the anal sacs then surgical removal is considered. The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia and does carry a small risk of disturbance to the dog’s ability to control passing poo. In most cases the lack of control when pooing is temporary but due the closeness of the nerves controlling continence to the anal sacs themselves there is this risk of them being damaged. Remember that your vet will discuss the pros and cons of a procedure with you so that a joint and informed decision can be made by you with the help of your vet.

I hope that this answer has been helpful for you and that your dog starts to feel more comfortable soon.

Shanika Winter MRCVS (Online Vet)

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