Ah…the anal gland. The vestigial harbinger of allergic ailment, the overly-manipulated emitter of stinkiness. We all dread its disease—pet owners and veterinarians in equal measure. No one likes dealing in their unsightly and malodorous expression.
In case you’ve never had the pleasure of handling an anal gland, let me properly inform you. In this post I will distinguish between the pervasive fictions applied to the structures and the biology of their existence, their raison d’etre and the disgusting consequences of their disease.
Anal glands are two small, “grape”-shaped glands located just under the skin at four o’clock and eight o’clock to the anus. The fluidy, odoriferous material they normally produce is used by dogs, cats and other small mammals to lend a unique scent to their stool, thereby identifying it as their own. Butt-sniffing is, at least in part, a behavior that recognizes this special aroma as peculiar to an individual and worthy of special attention.
In domesticated animals, the anal gland no longer retains its lofty status as preeminent signpost of a territorial boundary to be respected by all neighbors. Canine and feline glands are considered vestigial, much like an appendix (the “cecum” in dogs and cats) or a dewclaw. They are essentially useless glands which, unfortunately, are rife with opportunities for offensive disaster.
The most common problem with anal glands occurs when inflammation of the perineum or anus itself allows for swelling at the site of their outflow. Thus frustrated, the gland’s indwelling material continues to accumulate, creating pressure within the structure and discomfort to the pet.
Most pets (usually dogs) will bite, scoot, twirl on their behinds or otherwise demonstrate dissatisfaction with the area. Some will simply be stinky in a gross, fishy sort of way. In these cases, a trip to the vet is often in order to free the anal glands of the bulk of the material and deal with the itchiness in the surrounding area. Allergies are a common underlying cause for this inflammation and its resulting itch.
It’s important to note that cats don’t usually engage in the same behavior. Many times, though the glands are full and uncomfortable, cats will continue to tolerate the situation. This may well be because the area is not itchy in their case; we think it’s merely an increasingly uncomfortable sense of pressure they feel. Overweight cats are especially prone to anal gland disease, perhaps due to the stress imposed by the heavy folds of skin on the perianal region.
Left untreated, both dogs and cats will sometimes even get a nasty infection of one or both glands which may well lead to a painful abscess. Swelling, redness, smelly and discolored drainage and/or ulceration on one side of the anus are the typical signs. Most owners seem surprised by the event. And that’s because abscesses occur most frequently in pets who have not demonstrated the telltale signs of discomfort that might have led to a preventative vet appointment.
The tricky thing about anal glands is trying to determine how often to squeeze these suckers. Left in the hands of the untrained (and sometimes even in the hands of an expert) excessive expression in an otherwise comfortable pet can lead to lots of local irritation and more trouble than you bargained for.
For that reason, I tend to leave regular anal gland expression for those pets who have a history of anal gland infection and aren’t always demonstrably uncomfortable when they do. All others get expressed only when they seem to get antsy or unduly smelly back there.
This may contradict everything you’ve ever heard about anal glands. In fact, many groomers are trained to express anal glands with every clip, cut or bath. My opinion? If it’s never caused your pet a problem let your groomer keep on doing it—no harm no foul. But if your dog has never endured even one bit of perianal discomfort—leave it alone; why start now?
The more astute among you may well ask—“If they’re not supposed to be there and they can cause so much trouble why not just take them out?” Indeed, in years past it was the fashion to remove these guys and have the whole business over with. The approach certainly dealt with the chronic infections and abscess issue but dogs and cats suffered a high rate of complications from these surgeries. And—surprise!—they still itched.
For this reason, removing anal glands fell out of favor. The allergy that led to the condition obviously never resolved, only its untoward effects on the glands. In my opinion, it’s a tricky business best left to experts (surgeons) under well thought-out conditions. The glands are harder to remove than you’d expect and the nature of the anal realm (as bacteria-prone as it is) can lead to more infections than you can shake a stick at—even with antibiotic therapy at the time of the procedure. Chronic infections and recurrent abscesses are certainly good reasons to remove these critters but, aside from that, I frown on a surgical “cure.”
And now for your experiences…
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Maybe I'm way off here, but my dog never had *real* problems with her anal glands.
However, as a puppy, she has been mallnurished and dehydrated. This resulted (I think, one can never be sure) in a very low tollerance for food in her earlier years.
Every treat that she wasn't accustomed to would result in days of diareah. (And trust me, having the cutest pup evern and trying to prevent people from giving her treats can be "difficult" to say the least)
As she basically constantly had a very "soft" stool, she had a lot of discomfort around the anal region, itchyness and so forth.
When I finally found a brand of food that she took very well, her stool became more solid and healthy in general, within weeks (mostly during the transition from her old food), her discomfort vanished.
Someone told me that during the poo-ing act, the glands were suposed to be empty by themselves due to the presure of the passing poo.
Can you verify that this is how it's suposed to go, or is it more likely to do with her discomfort on account of the wrong food being served?
(Even though she can now eat practically anything, after a tripe diet her entire bowel system appears to be normally regulated)
Faragon February 4th, 2007 10:37:00 AM
I started laughing when I read this and I'm not sure why as once the smell of anal gland gets stuck in your brain, it never leaves. Much like the stench of parvo.. Blech!
I don't have any experiences to share, but I do know that expressing anal glands first thing in the morning does not make for a good day.
What do you call the stinky stuff that comes from anal glands? I've asked a number of vets this very question and none of them have an answer for me. They all call it "goo" or some other name. Is there not a technical name for anal gland juice?
Stacy February 4th, 2007 05:13:00 PM
I didn't know cats had anal glands until Tom had a problem. He didn't want his tail petted, and I wanted to know *why* so I forced him to hold still and looked. My first thought was, "Oh dear, that looks expensive."
Tom is a former feral. He's not fond of being held. Or the carrier. He had to be muzzled and bagged before expression could occur, and then he needed a round of antibiotics. I still have to check him regularly, and the next time he doesn't let me touch his tail, back to the vet he has to go.
Georg February 5th, 2007 09:12:00 AM
What do you call the liquid that comes out of anal glands?
At our school, we just refer to it as 'poop-juice'...lol
Lisa February 5th, 2007 03:42:00 PM
Glandular material? I'll ask my expert and get back to you on that...
Dr. Patty Khuly February 5th, 2007 06:18:00 PM
Not entirely on-topic, but it reminds me a lot of the human skin condition hidradenitis suppurativa (http://hs-usa.org/), in which apocrine sweat glands are plugged up for an as-yet-unknown reason.
zandperl February 6th, 2007 10:39:00 PM
My little beagle--a teeny-tiny ex-research girl*--leaks like CRAZY when she sleeps. EWWWWW. That plus general all-over itching and some very attractive and devoted butt-licking has earned her a trip to the dermatologist. My bank account already hurts at the thought of skin-testing. Not to mention that she's a total shrieking wimp when it comes to getting poked. When she got micro-chipped, it sounded like a tormented soul in the depths of hell.
Ah, well. It's less pricey than MY allergy work-up. I'm worried about it NOT being allergies or a low-grade infection, though, because then I will consider surgery--I can't live with blankets, furniture, carpeting, her bedding, my clothes and anything else she lies on or sits against getting a daily coat of anal fluid for the next decade and a half.
*Courtesy of a completed non-terminal study, not some ridiculous ALF action. In homage to the (very, very high) inbreeding coefficient on her paperwork, as well as her non-standard brain power and looks, we've nick-named her 'Double Cousins'.
Maille February 8th, 2007 11:40:00 AM
Does anyone know how long it takes the irritation to go away after the vet "expresses the anal glands"? My dogs were expressed today, and they're still driving him nuts. He won't stop scooting around the room. :(
Jen March 7th, 2007 10:28:00 PM
Maille- my pitbull rescue does the sleep-leak thing. It's not pleasant.... but other than that, no problems. He doesn't scoot,lick or itch. But at least once a week, there will be a horrible odor, and sometimes a little greenish spot on the bed. It's a good thing he's cute .....
Agadore's momma March 24th, 2007 05:13:00 AM
Had to crack up while reading this blog...I stumbled on it while trying to figure out just WHAT that godawful, room-filling fishy odor was that our newly adopted Newf has been emitting for the last few days. It's much worse at night, too, so perhaps she's got a little leakage problem. Will get it checked by DVM, of course, but we already know she has allergies and for the last few days she's been very skittish around her haunches. So it looks like we have a diagnosis...
I'm a fairly sturdy pet owner and will willingly express the anal glands on a rabbit, but a 120-pound dog? Given how she smells from across the room, I can't imagine getting up close and personal with the goop inside her glands. I think I'll defer to a vet tech...and bring candy as a thank you present.
Newf lover May 23rd, 2007 01:12:00 AM
I was wondering if this 'dreaded anal gland condition' is considered allergy provoked is there something we can give our beloved pet to help control or erase this condition completely?
bonnie January 30th, 2008 10:14:00 AM
I've never had a dog with this problem until I got my beagle three years ago, in fact, I had never smelled that odor or even knew this issue existed. I've seen dogs scoot, but I thought they were just wiping an itchy rear.
But this problem is really, really bad with the beagle. He doesn't scoot all that much, but man, HE STINKS at least once a week with the anal odor. btw, we call it anal juice! It seems to occur most in the evening. He likes to lay across the back of the couch and all of a sudden that smell will waft across us. I've learned to express them myself which usually makes me wretch (from the smell, not the expressing). Before that, it seems to leak out all over his rear end and tail and it's just so awful.
Now several times I've woken up in the morning to the smell and found him sleeping in a small puddle of it so clearly he's leaking during the night (he burrows down and sleeps under the covers so that means all the bedding has to come off and be washed. Once it was two nights in a row).
I actually came online to see about having them surgically removed but that sounds like it comes with complications of its own.
Don't know what to do, am at my wits end with this problem. It's so embarrassing to have company over and have him start smelling that way.
Eric April 12th, 2008 12:40:00 PM
Does anyone know how long it takes the irritation to go away after the vet "expresses the anal glands"? My dog has been expressed twice this month and he still scoots. I see clear liquid coming out and his anal area is irritated. I washed this area and applied Preparation H. Is there any over the counter cream or medicine that works so that I don't have to spend money on a vet bill? Thank you! Gail in Phoenix.
Gail December 30th, 2008 11:58:01 AM
I have read and read everything possible about anal glands,I have a jack russel who is six, and has this problem we think, the trouble is although he does bite his rear end he never scoots, his main problem is he cannot lie down,every time he tries after a few seconds he jumps and sits again, this can go on all night for upto twelve hours, then he will be ok.I have his glands cleared by the vet every three to four weeks, but this seems to happen every few days, has anyone eles had these symtons as everything that I have read does not mention anything like this..Please help.
Jacki February 7th, 2009 05:59:50 AM
My cat recently had a anal gland abscess that ruptured. He's done with his antibiotics and the wound is healing, but now, every time he passes gas or poos, the smell is intense!! Has this happened to anyone?? i mean, their pets?? His wound site does not smell otherwise; no infection or goo comes out. Luckily he didn't have to have surgery, but I hope this is natural and the body is trying to adjust itself... OR is over-expressing a sign of something else!?!?
Naomi March 3rd, 2009 12:55:01 PM
My Dacshund, baby, has a distinct smell to him. We often call him 'Stinky baby' because it is unique to him. His breath is also horrible. The vet put him on antibiotics - 1 pill a day for 5 days. have to do this every month. What can cause such a reoccuring smell. He does not itch, his skin/coat is shiny, soft, etc. His anul glands are not full or a problem. So why does he have this smell and if the smell goes away for 30 days after giving him a pill a day for 5 days, why can't it be treated to permanently be gone?
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