Warning: This post describes disgusting bodily functions.
When I was starting veterinary school, I visualized myself as "the boy-wonder equine surgeon". I really thought that I’d be doing nothing but horse-work. Not only do horses not have anal sacs, at that time I wasn’t aware that these particular disgusting anatomical structures even existed. Had I known how much of my life would be involved with anal sacs, I might well have made a different career choice.
Sometimes people call them "anal glands" instead of "anal sacs". I believe this may be to avoid the aural confusion between "anal sacs" and "anal sex". Believe me, that is not nearly as funny as you think it is when it really happens in the exam room.
Dogs and cats both have these things. The actual anal glands are very tiny and surround the anus. Their secretions accumulate in the anal sacs. At the end of each bowel movement, the animal gives things one last squeeze and this empties a few drops from the sac. They fall freely and land on top of the waste-pile. The pheromones (hormone-like chemicals) act as a scent territorial marker.
In skunks and ferrets, the anal sacs become more specialized as the main musk glands. The skunk has a special expelling mechanism. In dogs and cats, they don’t generally squirt the stuff across the room. The exception would be the large and frightened German Shepherd (aka "anal glands with teeth"). Any dog or cat experiencing an extreme "butt-pucker" moment (like… looking at me) may squirt the secretion onto the floor. The volume is more impressive when the Shepherd lets go.
The more common problem is the dog who doesn’t spontaneously expel his anal sacs. This is most common in dogs with generally poor muscle tone: very small dogs, very old dogs, and very fat dogs. When the sacs don’t empty, the secretion accumulates. This stretches the sacs, which creates pressure, which creates discomfort. That’s why these dogs scoot around on their butts. They are trying to empty the sacs and relieve that discomfort. This (NOT worms) is the most common cause of butt-scooting. In order to relieve the dog’s discomfort, a groomer or veterinary technician (OR a veterinarian, like me) empties the sacs by squeezing. If the dog is very fat, this may require a rectal examination to complete. Sometimes the secretion gets thicker and harder over time, making it harder to empty. Alas, this is a very common problem.
Worst case scenario is rupture of the sac. This is a painful and nasty mess, but is generally salvageable. Conservative care with warm compresses and antibiotics is often all that is required.
Dogs who have continual or recurring problems can have the sacs surgically removed. They are not a necessary structure, as their only purpose is to provide a scent territorial marker. Our pets have their territories marked by the fences and sidewalks. They can get along without these sacs.
One thing I failed to mention: this stuff stinks powerfully, much worse than mere feces. A few drops are supposed to last weeks outside. When the dog succeeds in squeezing a little out by scooting, it gets smeared on his hiney and you can smell him a mile away. When it all gets emptied in one spot, it is mighty stinky. Just washing doesn’t fix it up. You’ve got to add some odor neutralizer, something a little like this: 
The last time I went to the vet he said my dogs glands were full and he emptied them. This was a couple months ago. Now she is scooting around and she also smells. Is the odor these glands give off a sour smell – because it is different then “wet dog” smell?
My dog and starting to dig holes in the backyard and putting his butt in it to get relief… Does anybody else have their dog do that? Also the vet did an internal check of his glands and told me not to have anybody else to it but him but he is still suffering the same symptoms
Hello, Chloe,
I have never heard a story like that before. If your dog’s anal sacs were not infected, and secretions seemed normal when your doctor emptied them, there may be something else going on. Please give your doctor some feedback on how your dog has responded.
I have a different question I have a dog that I got because it had been sexually abused and he come up to my store and I took care of it and it has a problem with using the bathroom all the time just dropping out of them abnormally he don’t know how to go to the bathroom by herself she just I guess it hurts broke what can I do and what kind of surgery can she have to fix this problem
Hello, Kim,
I don’t know any way for me to advise you. This will require a hands-on examination with your veterinarian to evaluate the source of the problem.
My dog was throwing clear liquid and foam. Before that she had soft stools. She went to the bathroom again. It was diarrhea and blood with mucus. Brown liquid and it smelled horrible. After that she was better. I gave her a bath and her left gland was swollen. Should I still bring her to vet.
Hello, Laura,
If you haven’t already taken your dog to see her doctor, I would recommend that you do so.
I’ve been doing my Pyper’s for the past 5 years ever since a new vet charged me the normal $10 for it when I am sure he hadn’t done it because once done, that pungent odor what I’m assuming is what skunks spray out, is always extremely strong no matter what, so due to being over charged for so many decades by numerous vets since 1972 as a dog owner, I decided to learn how to do it myself on YouTube like I did when I dropped my new HP laptop ???? saving my $100s, it’s still working since dropping it 2013, where that pungent odor has become the most rewarding smell ever after knowing I’ve just relieved her again from dragging her clean white furry poodle ass everywhere including on filthy dirt! ????
Always put our thumb & index fingers at 7 & 5 when squeezing upwards.
Hello, DLHamer,
I agree that draining anal sacs is not rocket science for most dogs. Actually most dogs don’t need attention — the sacs express spontaneously at the end of each bowel movement.
In the dogs where they don’t, a “milking” action, as you describe usually empties the glands. It is not difficult to learn. If one were working in a dog-grooming parlor doing it all day, most people could develop the skill. Unfortunately, when you just have your one dog and don’t really know what you are doing, it can be pretty challenging to get the hang of it.
Then are the dogs where the sacs cannot be easily felt or grasped because the dog is too fat. One had to glove up and insert a finger into the rectum to get a grip.
Then there are the patients where the secretion has become dry and thick and it takes more pressure to express it than is safe to apply. These patients need to have some liquid infused into the sacs to loosen up the stuff. Squeezing too hard can rupture the sac under the skin, and that is a mess.
The advice they give mechanics is good: don’t force it.
Hi Doc. I have a 3 year old female chihuahua. I’ve noticed for a month or so, she gets uncomfortable when I pet her lower back, as well as her butt/vaginal area. She doesn’t whimper, or cry and hasn’t shown me any indication of pain. If I pet the area she just tenses up, and follows my hand and looks at me as if she’s telling me to stop. Not having money to take her to the vet, I googled the symptoms which led to anal gland issues. Which then also led me here. I would really appreciate any advice, or suggestions on what can be wrong, if your able. Thank you.
Hello, Kelsey,
I wouldn’t think that anal sac problems would cause pain as high as the lower back. You describe things that sound more like lower back pain. She is awfully young to be having intervertebral disc problems, and Chihuahuas don’t often have that problem anyway.
All I can really say from what you tell me is that it sounds like something painful is going on, but I don’t know how to help you long distance.
Please do not give over the counter pain medicines, as they can cause problems. Some can be safe, when properly dosed, but others are quite dangerous.
My dog is nonstop leaking his anal glands everywhere he rests. We have had to put blankets on all our couches. We have been trying to release the sacs from the outside ourselves or when he gets his nails cut and he’s on special medicine that adds fiber….Sadly nothing is working.
Is it normal for him to release this fluid 2 to 4 times a day?
Hello, Nicole,
It is definitely not normal for this to be happening. If you continue to have problems, I would certainly ask your veterinarian to evaluate the area. If there is no obvious reason for this, you may have to opt for surgical removal. The sacs serve no purpose other than territorial marking, and the dog has no real need for that.
My dog has the same issue. Lies down then a pool of clear watery odourless fluid is left on the floor from his bottom. Dripping down to back of legs. Vets have tried to express his anal glands which are always empty, they don’t know the cause. Changing clean towels 3-4 times a day. This can’t go on. Did you find the right treatment or cause eventually?
Hello, Jill,
Is there enough of the fluid that you could collect it in a syringe for analysis? I’m sure your veterinarian would be happy to provide you with a syringe and a specimen tube.
My great pyrenees/mareema sheepdog mix had an itchy behind. I took her to the vet 3 days ago and they expressed her anal sacs saying they were full. It’s been 3 days, her bottom looks dirty and red, no bad smell, no itching or licking just ugly to look at lol I’m just concerned and need to know if this is something to worry about and get checked or if it’s normal after this is done. She’s only 2 yrs old so this was her 1st time getting it done. My daughter says it’s not as bad as I make it sound. I’m use to her being very clean so this stands out to me. What should I do?
Hello, Shawnee,
It is not common to see inflammation after draining the anal sacs. On the other hand, the dog does not seem to be bothered. I would keep the area clean with mild soap and water for a few days. If the problem gets worse, then you should contact your veterinarian about it.
My cat went to see the vet, I wasn’t sure what the vet was doing to my male cat, but he screamed like some one hurt him really bad, not sure if the vet squeezed the anal sack of my cat or not. But my went crazy, he was not the same sence he left the vets office. He has never ever severely attacked me. Especially me accidently dropping my phone on the floor I tryed to get my phone but my cat jumped up at me continued to attack & rip at my skin on my arms I have severe bruising & bleeding a lot. I tryed to calm him down he attacked me again a couple hours later. I had to quickly go into my bedroom & call some one for help. My cat has never ever acted like this being this aggressive towards me & the attacking I couldn’t take no more. He is in a different home & a really nice man is working with him. Found out after he is neutered he will be going to farm & be enjoying living outside with other cats that’s at the farm. It breaks my heart I will never see him again but my family was really concerned about me, because I am going blind they don’t want my cat hurting me any more
Hello, Brenda,
We don’t typically squeeze the anal sacs on cats. They rarely have problems with the structure. They are more likely to spontaneously empty the sacs on their own if greatly stressed, having a “butt-pucker” moment.
I am sorry that I cannot offer you any explanation for what happened. I am mystified by your description of the cat’s changed behavior.
My dog has the opposite problem and no one can tell me how to fix it. Shes a rat terrier mix. She can just be laying in her bed and her sacs leak. No impaction, they just leak. All the time. I have no idea how to fix this. Her stools are fine. Shes not overweight. How can i stop this nasty leaking problem?
Hello, Kate,
IF this is persistent, your best bet will be surgical removal of the anal sacs.
My Sharpei has the same thing! It’s almost every morning when she wakes up… it’s not a whole lot. I brought it up to the veterinarian and he checked her and said she was fine. I got her as a rescue so I don’t know much about background, but I heard she was used just for puppies sadly. Was thinking maybe they probably should be removed. The smell is awful.
Hello, Jen,
If you are having such frequent leakage problems, removal of the sacs is probably your best option.
The vet. Said the anal sac is too big to express, about an inch wide. What should I do?
Hello, Abby,
If the sac is an inch wide, that is VERY large, even for a very large dog. I would be suspicious of an anal sac tumor in the area. I haven’t seen yhour dog, but it sounds like a biopsy/surgical removal might be what is indicated.
Dear Jackie,
I don’t know that I would describe the smell as “sour”, but it is extremely pungent. It is a bad smell that is neither “wet dog” nor feces. Typically it will be worst when the stuff first comes out, but the smell can linger for hours. The anal sacs could certainly have refilled in two months. The over-filling causes pressure, pressure causes discomfort, and the dog scoots on its rear in an effort to relieve the discomfort.
Thanks for reading.
I have always called it , the sour butt smell. Potent, yes. But pungent and sour and just nasty… ironically, I have always called it, the sour butt smell. As a Nurse, sometimes I smell something from humans that reminds me of this as well, and for them, I say the same, it’s a sour butt smell.
My dog recently when you scratch her back on either side squirts a brown liquid from her bum
There’s no smell
Can u advise pls
Hello, Zodie,
I would suggest that you see your veterinarian on this. It would sound like the anal sacs, but they usually have a pungent odor.
I took my dog to my vet because he was having pain on his right hand flank area . He said that he believed it was probably anal glands issues . He did squeeze the glands. But the next day he still is in pain and actually secreted more today ???? his leg is still hurting and is on pains
Um so this happened a long long time ago,but I call it blown butt one of her gland is swollen and red she was fine all day nothing see my dog is old very old she only will eat chicken and mashed potatoes but I tried her on one can dog food a omg she’s been craping her brains out but she started dragging three days ago nothing was there what do I do what can I feed her so she can poop normal she gets sick off alot of dog food and we can’t find our vet please any help much appreciated
Hello, Alice,
Your post is a little hard to follow with no punctuation.
I think that you are asking two questions. The first being what to feed her to help with a normal bowel movement. Feed her regular food, but try adding some metamucil powder (psyllium) to each feeding (1 teaspoon per 20 pounds of body weight).
The second is what to do about an infected anal sac. I would recommend a warm compress on the area three times daily. Run a pan of water as warm as you can keep your hand in it comfortably. Use a clean cloth to apply heat to the area for 10 to 15 minutes, three times daily.
These often need antibiotic treatment ( by mouth), and sometimes they need to have medication infused directly into the sac.
These would be things that would require your veterinarian’s help.
It smells like rotten shrimp! I just lost my dog to anal gland adenocarcinoma cancer (not sure if I spelled that right) but he was 14 and for months his anal glands would leak and finally his last visit the vet was able to check him there & she said it was a very aggressive form of cancer and he was way to old to treat but she was right, he went down so fast he passed less than a week later. Just wanted to share incase anyone else had this issue and they can afford to please bring them to get checked by the vet.
Hello, Jane,
Thanks for sharing your story. I am sorry for your loss.
When my dog gets nervous, usually when someone enters the house, he lets go this awful smell. It usually lasts like 30 minutes. I’m wondering if this is what is happening, he also often licks his butt when her gets nervous. Its quite embarrassing when guest come over and they are greeted with this awful smell. Is there anything I can do about this besides having them removed? Thanks
Hello,Derek,
It sounds like your dog’s nervous excitation causes him to have a “butt-pucker moment”, which squeezes out some of the anal sac secretion.
I think having his sacs surgically removed is probably overkill.
Aside from trying to work with his nervousness (a big task), I believe in your case you should invest in some deodorizer. Just wipe his anal area (and the underside of his tail) to get the odor under control sooner. The combination that works best for me is clean him with Pfizer’s Canine Eliminodor (an odor-neutralizing compound), followed by a spritz of Lambert-Kay Fresh-n-Clean (the can doctored up to look like “Butt-so-Fresh” in the post).
Good luck.
Hi Doc. I’ve taken my Chihuahua mix to the vet several times over the last year because of his glands, and again last week to have them expressed- once infected even. This time nothing changed though. Our two other male rescues are obsessed with him.. like he’s a female in heat! I am at my wit’s end. The behavior of the 3 is out of control. Please any suggestions I’d be sooo grateful. Not sure if you’ll see this as I didn’t know how to post correctly. Thank you!
Hello, Lisa,
I don’t know how to explain the behavior of the other males, unless this guy has a a sertoli cell tumor. These are testicular tumors that secrete estrogen. If he is having constant problems with his anal sacs, then they can be surgically removed.
Thank you SO much for the reply and info I’ve not found anywhere. Got him back to the vet again today. (very limited veterinary services in Fl. Keys) We’ll see.. now unexpectedly diagnosed with an UTI. Was given an antibiotic injection. Crossing my paws!
Hello, Lisa,
Glad you have been helped. Take care.
???????? I hope ???? all is well as I have a chiuahaua too and I have always had very big dogs but I was at the pound and the unadoptable after the 15 second exam was almost as frustrating as the big puddle of antifreeze in the middle of the only way in and out of the animal services in Pinellas county Florida st Pete and I assured the woman I was not trying to get out of the fees but they have just said that he was going to get a ???? and I said I want all of him and not having his full reproductive organs are not a healthy way leading to obese and the easiest way to be a good owner and don’t let them run around loose it’s been almost 10 years and he is the best thing ever to happen to me and more protective then when I had 140 lb rottweiler and 100 lb doberman female and I can home and it looked like he had 2 holes under his tail and I will never forget that day I ran a bath and used towel to be able for him to have a little more traction and the second it burst he licked my face and I will say that he said thank you daddy and the next morning at our vets he was like that bath just saved you a bunch of money and not having to put him through any more pain and runs from food and the stuff that is in the glands are not even close to the same as it is a puss type of thickness and the other dog his expression well just say that the Dr had to go get a different shirt because he got blasted and it was so pungent made the office smell like a truck of manure in like 5 second’s and they went and opened the door and started spraying ozium to be able to stay in the same room and he said he was able to tell that’s first time he’s had them done because basically it’s bacteria and not taking care of it can take a$20 procedure the groomer can do into having to go through surgery and now I know what to do warm sink or even a plastic tote if you only have shower and not a tub but it will definitely help as well as comfy as possible for your furry kids after the wrestling to be kissed on my nose I can just imagine how much he was saying ????
Hello, Craig,
Not every patient is the same on this. I am glad that the warm soak worked for you. It can be a lot more complicated for some dogs.
Thanks for replying so quickly! I agree that it doesn’t warrant surgery. I guess I’ll have to keep trying to get him over his anxiety. Until then I have a bottle of odor neutralizer at the ready!
I have a year old female morkey and she just had her period for the second time during that time I noticed that her anal area is puckered out and appears to be swollen. There isn’t any smell and she doesn’t drag her bottom. We just took her to the groomer and its still very puckered and swollen. She been sleeping a lot. What can I do to help her? Sorry I’m a first time morkey owner.
Hello, Heidy, I don’t think that Morkies have any different anatomy in that area than other dogs. If it looks abnormal to you, then the best thing would be to get an examination by your veterinarian.
Hello,
My chocolate lab’s anus smells extremely bad. We have taken him to the groomer and he still smells awful. He also appears to be bleeding or secreting excrement from his anus. We have called the vet and they just recommended taking him to the groomer to get his anus squeezed. Could there be a bigger problem than his anal sacs being full?
Dear Andrea,
The anal sacs can become infected, needing treatment with systemic (i.e. oral) antibiotics and sometimes infusion of antibiotic ointment directly into the sacs. There is also a condition called perianal fistula.
I would call your veterinarian and tell them that you followed their advice, but you are still having problems and would like to bring your dog in for an examination. I don’t think they can fix this over the telephone.
Good luck
We have a mini Goldendoodle and he will be a year old December 5th. We have never had any problems whatsoever with his anal sacs busting or secreting any liquid…smelly or otherwise. We had him fixed about 12 days ago. He just had an episode with odor. Could this be a side effect of being fixed?
Hello, Vivian,
I do not see how the odor would be associated with neutering surgery. If his incision doesn’t look good, then you should certainly take him back to his doctor to be rechecked. Dogs that get stressed will sometimes spontaneously empty their anal sacs. They have a “butt-pucker moment”, and that empties the sacs somewhat, which really stinks.
My dog was diagnosed with perianal fistula in August. She was succesfully treated with Atopica and Protopic. She was spayed a month ago and the vet decided to decrease her dosage of Atopica from once a day to every other day. She now has an odd odor. She has no discharge, there are no fistulas visible to the eye, is not in distress, no visible symptoms of pain. Could this odd odor be caused from her anal glands themselves? The smell is not a feces type odor. It almost smells like a yeast infection. Have any suggestions for me vets or techs out there?
Hello, Carol,
Anal sac secretions are very strong (and foul) smelling. That is certainly a potential source of the odor,and should be checked (possibly by rectal examination). It is also possible to have yeast (Malassezia sp.) infections in the skin. You have been using drugs that suppress the immune system to control the fistula problem. It is not unreasonable that you might have an infection as a result. Both possibilities should be checked.
I hope this helps.
Hi there,
We have a 10 1/2 year old male beagle. He has been scooting for a long time (years) but we never knew that this was a symptom of full anal sacs. He’s never really had any foul odors until about 3-4 weeks ago. He smelled absolutely putrid. We kept bathing him, but the smell would immediately return. The scooting was increasing as well. After a bit of internet research, I learned that he may need to have his anal sacs expressed and took him to the groomer who tried to express them externally with no luck. I then took him to the vet and he was only able to get a very small amount out of one side with an internal expression. The smell seemed to go away for a couple of days but has returned and is more foul than ever. I have also noticed decreased energy and his anus even looks a bit prolapsed. I called the vet and am bringing him back in tomorrow but wondered if what I’m describing sounds to you like infection or something else? I have heard that cheaper dog foods (with a lot of fillers) can contribute to plugged anal sacs because the stools are not firm and the sacs don’t get expressed with a bowel movement. We feed him Beneful by purina. Do you think we should switch foods? If so, what would you recommend?
thanks!
Hello, Julie,
While an anal sac problem would be the first thing I would think of with scooting and a bad odor, it does not appear to be your dog’s problem. If the sacs were empty, there may be something else going on. It is possible that the dog had partially emptied them, and they were just still very irritated when the doctor checked them. In that case, it may be necessary to squirt some medication into the sacs to treat this. Your veterinarian will need to do this for you.
It is also possible that there is irritation in the rectum or colon. Clostridium infections can do this (a type of bacteria). Sometimes symptomatic treatment with a combination of Metronidazole and Sulfasalazine will be helpful. Long-term treatment with an antibiotic called Tylosin is another possibility. The Metronidazole and Sulfasalazine are very inexpensive and your veterinarian can prescribe these for you.
Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate the cause of this problem without a little trial therapy.
Good luck, and thanks for reading and writing.
My 8 month old black miniature schnouser has a really strong dog odor on a daily basis, he needs about 3 to four baths a week to keep him from smelling.Some times even just after a bath he smells & If i take him out even for just fifteen minuets, & after a bath he comes in with a really strong dog smell.He is a house dog and dosent stay outside. I only bathe him once maybe twice a week, he does have a skin allergy and is taking medacine.what other symptoms should i look for if its due to internal issues, or what can i feed him or bath him with to get rid of the smell.
Hello, Melissa,
Check out this posts on possible causes of dog stinkiness:
http://www.yourpetsbestfriend.com/your_pets_best_friend/2007/04/why_dogs_stink_.html
If your dog’s allergy is not controlled well, and he scratches excessively, this can cause an excessive skin oil problem. The oil gets rancid and the dog smells bad just from that. The odor will return rapidly after bathing. Also, dogs that scratch a lot and develop the excessively oily skin frequently have secondary yeast infections on their skin.
Share your concerns with your veterinarian.
Thanks for reading and writing.
We have an english bulldog. He gives the foulest smell, a mixture of dead fish and metal. We take him to the vet to have his glands taken care of regularly..but we just had it done last week and he is already giving off the foul smell again. We just moved, do you think this could be causing him stress?
Thanks for any info or tips on how prevent or treat this awful smell from our lovable bulldog.
My dog, a Great Dane, anal glands were leaking. Took her to the vet who expelled her glands. One was bloody. Dr. Put her on anti-biotics and Carfonell? She has been on these medications for over 2 weeks and continues to leak bloody smelly discharge although not as bad & has quite eating. Does this take a long time to clear up or do I have a different issue?
Hello, Micki,
I think that if this treatment were going to work, it would have worked by now. In cases that don’t respond to systemic antibiotics, we sometimes have to flush out the infected sac and place medication directly into it.
My French Bulldog scoots all over the floor and constantly I find her rubbing her bum on a chair to wear the top of her bottom is even bleeding she’s constantly itching and scratching she doesn’t have fleas and she doesn’t expel all this odor that you were talking about. We have been bathing her often we have changed her diet although she is very picky and it is hard for me to get her to eat any dog food except Purina moist and meaty. We also have to add Instinct raw boost mixer powder for picky eaters or she will not eat it. Please help, she is like one of my children I love her very much and I want to help her. I’m willing to do whatever it takes.
Hello, Michelle,
I would recommend that you let your veterinarian examine your dog. It often takes a rectal examination to evaluate the anal sacs properly. I would be very concerned about allergic problems, and your veterinarian can help with some trial therapies.
Hello, Christy,
You say that your dog goes to his doctor to have his glands taken care of “regularly”. Is that once a month, once a week, once every two weeks, or what?
If the odor is from his anal sacs, and you are having to have them emptied every week or so, you might consider surgical removal of the glands. While the operation is a bit delicate, most dogs do well afterwards and then you don’t have to deal with this anymore.
A move to a new environment could indeed be stressing the guy. Stress may be producing “butt-pucker” moments, which would spontaneously empty his anal sacs, producing the foul odor.
I would ask your veterinarian to help you be sure that the odor is indeed from the anal sacs, and ask his/her advice about what to do.
Thanks for reading and writing.
I have a 11 year old pekingese. She has never had any problems with her anal sacs before. She got a lump beside her rectum it had a purplish color to it. Then a few hours later it ruptured and oozed out some brownish sticky liquid. There is no blood or green pus and no smell. She doesn’t scoot or seem to be in any pain. She is using restroom normally.
Does this sound like a anal sac rupture to you. Thank you for reading and for any advice you can give.
Hello, Teresa,
This does indeed sound like a ruptured anal sac. Most will respond to hot compresses and antibiotic therapy, but other diagnoses are possible and so are complications. You should take your dog to see her doctor.
Thanks for reading and writing.
I have an 11 year old cat, very healthy, but has these 3 small black projections around her anus all the time. She is a very clean cat, active and eats dry food. Like previous readers it’s hard to miss when they present their backside to you.
Are these clogged glands, do they need treatment? She has none of the ‘scooting’ behaviours
Hello, Shaun,
I really couldn’t say without seeing and doing a touchy-feelie. They could be serious black-heads (or comedones, as we scientists say). They could also be skin tumors. Maybe they are just black spots.
When she has her next checkup, be sure to ask your veterinarian about them.
Good luck, and thanks for reading and writing.
I have two mini-Dachsunds and both frequently “scoot”. They will “scoot” within two weeks of being at the Dr’s. When I’ve taken them into the Dr. in the past, I’ve always asked to have their sachs suppressed. How often should I take them in for this procedure? They don’t seem to be comfortable when they are scooting around the yard or carpet. And is it something that an everyday person can learn to do themselves so as not to have to take the dogs to the vet? Thanks for your input!
Hello, Tracy,
I have one patient who comes in every 14 days to have his anal sacs drained. If this were my dog, I would have his sacs surgically removed. While the procedure is delicate, it is not “major”. These folks would rather come see me every two weeks. Who am I to complain? ME, that’s who.
It does not take a rocket scientist to express anal sacs. It does take practice. If you worked in a grooming shop all day for a few days, you’d get good at it quickly. When you only try your own dog on rare occasions, it will be difficult for both of you. You just have to learn where to squeeze, and how hard is “hard enough” and how hard is “too hard”. Fat dogs often have to be done with one finger inserted in the rectum. That’s probably one of those “don’t try this at home”.
In any event, you need some instruction and practice. Don’t just grab them and start squeezing. It actually is possible to cause damage with excessive pressure.
Talk to your regular veterinarian about this.
My dog is not scooting, but definitely has a sour odor emitting from her posterior. I have tried to expell the sacs myself, to no avail. I’m starting to wonder if the smell may be due to something else?
HI,
I have a 10 year old Shih-Tzu that has a right lymph node under her chin that is swollen about double size, it has been aspirated and the results were inconclusive, so we are treating her with doxycline for 2 weeks to see if that decreases the swollen lymph node. In the past week I have noticed she has swelling on her anus, one side is pink/red and the other side is black. Could this be a tumor, therefore causing the lymph node swelling? It doesn’t seem to bother her, she doesn’t mess with it at all or scoot on the carpet. What do you think?
Hello, Jesse,
Sorry about the delay, but I was gone to Scout camp.
While emptying the anal sacs is not a difficult task after one has learned and practiced the technique, it is likely that you would not be completely successful in your attempts, being self-taught.
You should really take your dog to the veterinarian.
Thanks for reading and writing.
Hello, Kathy,
I feel sure that your veterinarian will want to biopsy that lymph node (by surgically removing all of it or a piece of it) if your dog is not much better after the doxycycline.
I suspect you have a recheck appointment scheduled and you should certainly take that opportunity to call your doctor’s attention to the dog’s anal situation.
Tumors are certainly possible, and they can be related to the other problem, or coincidental and unrelated.
Get that kid back in to the veterinarian.
Thanks for reading and writing.
hello,
i have a 5 year old mix, shes part daschund, shitzu and mini poodle. recently she has started pooping in the house, at first we thought it was because we had shrunk her running area, but after having returned it to her normal size she was still pooping in the house. next we noticed that she was starting to have diahrea mixed with red blood. her area around her butt seems to be swollen on both sides, but i think shes always been a bit puffy there. we have never had her sacs expressed. last night she acted like she was having a hard time going and when i brought her in she was oozing red blood out of her butt. i havent actually seen her scoot on the floor, but im pretty sure she did since next her mess in the house there was brown spot like she either sat down or scooted. i am taking her to the vet today, but wondering what your thoughts are.
Hello, Christie,
That doesn’t sound like anal sac problems, though she could have those, as well. Seeing your veterinarian is the correct choice, here. Don’t forget to bring a tablespoon-ful or more of stool (less than 12 hours old) if possible.
There are many causes of colitis, everything from an infection to bleeding tumors, so don’t let this slide.
Thanks for reading and writing.
We have a old english sheep dog and we had her anal glands removed about 8 months ago. She is 2 years old. She would express the glands when she was groomed or bathed everytime. Prior to the surgery she now after being groomed or bathed her butt swells up on one side and it burst (bloody puss like stuff) I think like an infection. The vet just gives us amoxil each time it happens. So I am wondering if he didn’t remove it right or if something else is wrong. Or is this going to happen everytime we bath her. I think I need to get another opinion Thanks for any ideas you have!!!!
Hello, Lori,
This is the sort of thing that is impossible to evaluate “long-distance”. I would be suspicious that a portion of the anal sac was not completely removed. The secretion builds up, eventually causing a foreign-body type reaction and breaking open.
I would start by asking my regular veterinarian what he believes the cause of the recurring problem actually is (versus just amoxicillin over and over again). If you are not satisfied with the answer, then it may be best to seek a second opinion.
I must stress that long-distance diagnosis is fraught with errors and I may be completely misinterpreting the situation. I urge you to get in better communication with your veterinarian on the matter first.
Thanks for reading and writing.
I have a 12 year old maltese. A couple of months ago she had to have one of her anal sacs emptied. Lately her back end has been wet, but there’s no foul stench. The skin of her anus is also a dark color. Thoughts?
Hello, Kim,
I’d like to help you, but this sounds like a job for your regular veterinarian. It needs “touchy-feelie” in addition to looking at. I don’t think a picture would be enough to tell much.
Thanks for reading and writing.
Hi Doc, very informative thank you! I had been a little concerned about my min pins anal sacs because he sometimes has attacks of fish butt in the car, when that happens he seems fairly concerned and licks the seat, it sometimes happens at other times and it is pretty stinky but sounds like I have nothing to worry about. No scooting, no discernable discomfort. It is kind of gross when he sits on my arm or my chest and has that problem going on but no one is perfect I suppose.
Hi!
My 1 1/2yr old Standard poodle seems to express her own anal sacs regularly (every 10 days or so) unfortunately she does it on the couch or on our clothes instead of with her stools outside. It is a clear very foul smelling liquid that comes out even when she’s just napping or hanging out. She doesn’t scoot or lick/bite her rear end and doesn’t seem to feel any discomfort. We had her sacs emptied by the vet 10 days ago and sure enough I stuck my hand in a wet puddle yesterday! She eats only the best quality food and treats and the vet didn’t detect any infection or problem, but $25 every week for them to empty her sacs would be a lot of money. Any suggestions (besides doing it myself) to avoid her doing it in a place where we all smell it?
Hello, Melissa,
I can appreciate the unpleasantness of your situation.
The only suggestions that I have are:
1. Regular emptying by veterinarian or groomer (too expensive?)
2. Learn to do it yourself (too gross? nobody wants to teach you?)
3. Have them sacs surgically removed. A significant expense, but it’s one time only. The dog certainly doesn’t need them for anything.
Sorry I’m not much help here. Good luck.
Thanks for reading and writing.
Hello,
We have a 10 mos. old American Pitt Bull and he releases the smell you are describing when he is stressed or really excited. This morning we were both laying around half asleep on the couch and i noticed that he was releasing “the smell”. Why is he doing so when he is clearly in a relaxed state of mind? Does this mean that his anal sacs are full. If so, how is the proper way to help him empty them? Also, we have to wipe his anal area every time he poops, or else he will come inside and scoot on the carpet. Is this contributing to his anal sacs being too full?
Hello, Celina,
It is very unusual for the anal sacs to leak while the dog is at rest. It is possible that they just do not fully empty in the natural fashion that they should, resulting in them being over-full and leaking.
I do not think that your wiping his bottom is contributing to the problem.
I do think that you should have your dog examined by your regular veterinarian. This is one of those things that is going to need a hands-on (and finger-in) exam.
Thanks for reading and writing.
My Golden Retriever will pass gas while she is sleeping and some will ooze out. She has a liver shunt though and is on Lactulose. That might be why. My poor baby. I’m doing the best I can to keep her alive and comfortable.
Hi,
Thanks for all the info here. Am concerned about our 8 month old neutered male Beagle.
This afternoon for the first time our Beagle acted like he had a quick pain near his rear area and just sat down. This continued for some time, almost looking like it was becoming more frequent and more painful. He seems quite content lying down when normally in the evening he’s playfully attacking our older dog or chasing us around with a squeak toy. He has had no injuries, neutering was near two months ago, doesn’t seem to be bothered with me poking around trying to pinpoint the source of discomfort. I haven’t re-checked his anal area after reading this, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary when first looking. There is no odor. He did do the ‘scoot’ thing a couple times.
Could the anal sacs be the issue with a dog this young, and does it just come on suddenly like this? Will it pass in time or should we try and get in the Vet first thing tomorrow?
I realize I probably wont be getting an immediate response here, but worse case it will provide advice for others in the future! For now, we’ll plan on seeing a Vet tomorrow. Thanks again!
Hello, John,
This is one of those times when you really wich the dog could talk. Most of the time the answer would just be something like, “I don’t feel good”. Sometimes, though, they might actually tell you where it hurts… IF it hurts.
Anal sac problems can come on in a hurry, and they can happen in young dogs, although they usually don’t. Usually it’s an older dog, a fat dog, or a little dog with very little muscle tone in the area.
I think you’re right on target in getting a checkup from your regular veterinarian as soon as you can. It doesn’t sound like a life-threatening emergency, but how long do you want him to hurt?
Thanks for reading and writing.
Hi,
I think my chihuahua, Frankie, may stump you as he has done to his current vet. I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. Approx. 2 weeks ago, I woke up to find Frankie in his bed, shaking and refusing to come to me. He has a reputation for being sassy at times (he has a HUGE personality!) so I let him be. I noticed that he was extremely lethargic and didn’t want to get up. When I took him outside, he would walk normally on a leash but was very sluggish. I noticed that his hind legs collapsed a couple of times, but he would still walk fine, no limp, would still stand on one leg to pee. Obviously I poked and prodded him all over, I assumed he had hurt his leg (my other chi does this all the time with luxating patella) but I couldn’t find a source of pain. I know the usual Rx for this is “keep him off of it.” So I did. 3 days later, he was no better. He just layed around, acting miserable. I brought him to the vet and they found he had an anal sac infection. They emptied them, and sent me home with Clavamox and some pain meds. Over the next few days, he still had no improvement. He is SO lethargic! I brought him back to the vet, and they said that his anal sac infection had greatly improved so he really shouldnt still be that uncomfortable. They emptied what little was in his sacs, gave me a different pain med and sent me back home to monitor him. Few days later, same miserable Frankie. Back to the vet. This time, he has a 103.9 fever. They put him on IV for fluids to get his fever down, and did bloodwork along with every test they could think of (Addisons, Cushings,etc), and even did xrays to make sure he didn’t have some type of mild obstruction. Every test was normal. Frankie is still mopey, and in the past couple of days I have noticed that his hind legs have kind of given out a couple of times, but again I can find no pain or injury. I also noticed since this whole saga began that he had tremors, mainly concentrated in his back legs. He’s had a lot of them over the past couple of days. I brought him back to the vet today, where they are monitoring him again. The vet said that if nothing shows up today and she’s still stumped, she will refer me to a specialist on MOnday. Said he could possibly have some type of spinal cord inflammation or somthing. What does it sound like to you? Just to summarize, here are his current symptoms: Extreme and constant lethargy, leg tremors, very occasional leg lameness (doesn’t want to climb stairs, up or down), has had a normal temp for about 5 days, no vomiting or diarrhea, will eat soft food if I feed it to him though won’t eat a ton, will drink water on his own. He just seems like he’s in pain…He lies there shaking looking at the ceiling with glassy eyes and when I call his name sometimes he won’t look at me. And when we come in from walking he either immediately goes to his bed or will sit under the coffee table like he’s hiding? I just want him to stop suffering from whatever it is, and I want my little Monkey back!!! Please help!
Just an additional bit of info on Frankie: He was diagnosed with anal sac infection on Wed Oct 1st. The vet told me that the infection was better at our second visit on Oct 3rd. On October 9th, they said it was pretty much clear. Is it possible that he is still in a great deal of pain from this infection? Or should I go ahead and see a specialist? I can’t take him suffering…
Hi,
First off, thank you for taking the time to write all that you did. It saved me a ton of time. I greatly appreciate it.
Do you mind if I ask what the outcome was regarding Frankie’s diagnosis? I ask because my 6yr old chiwennie is having the exact same issue without the anal gland problem. I think. He could have butt issues, I’m just not sure.
My chiwennie (Bam Bam) has been doing this weird backwards army crawl. He wags his tail like he’s happy. He does have these odd looking balls on top of his…well balls. My apologies for that. I’m open to any thoughts or what it might be. I’m sure most of us can all agree that stuff is getting expensive.
Hello, Jennifer,
If the “odd looking balls” are about an inch in front of his testicles, you may be observing the so-called “dog knot” of his erection. When the penis is engorged, there are round swellings on either side. This is why dogs can get “locked up” together during mating. Bam Bam may be engaging in an masturbatory behavior.
Hello, Jennifer,
I couldn’t find the post on Frankie. There are 15 years worth of comments on this post.
Jennifer,
It sounds to me like your veterinarian’s assessment of spinal cord inflammation may be close to the mark. They have ruled out many other possibilities and some type of neurological problem does fit the clinical signs that you have described.
I urge you to follow your veterinarian’s recommendation to see a specialist, an internal medicine specialist first, then possibly a neurologist. If there is a veterinary school nearby, it’s great to have the benefit of all the specialties under one roof.
Good luck.
This article is overdue because it is not an every day subject. My dog had this problem and I had no idea about this until it arose. Thank you.
This article is overdue because it is not an every day subject. My dog had this problem and I had no idea about this until it arose. Thank you.
My mini schnauzer had her anal glands surgically removed on Wednesday, she has had extreme leakage the last two days. It’s only Friday but I’m totally stressed out and thinking that I should have continued to have them drained every other week instead of doing the surgery. Does this leakage mean that the surgery was a failure or is this common for a few days? If so, how long?
Hello, Kam,
You should contact your veterinarian. It is quite possible that the incisions have become infected. Regardless of WHAT is wrong, something IS wrong if there is drainage. Your doctor will want to know and check it out.
Surgical incisions heal best if kept clean and dry. These incisions are next to the dog’s anus. This is not a clean, dry place. It is quite difficult to avoid some contamination during the healing period, making infections fairly common.
Again, let your veterinarian know what is going on.
Thanks for reading and writing.
For several weeks my Bichon
has been emitting that real
putrid odor and we wash her
hind area. My husband does
groom her and squeeze her anal sac, but why is she releasing it herself so much in the past few weeks?
Appreciate your opinion and
suggestions, thanks.
Hello, Jo,
Two things come to mind here. One is that dogs who stress easily can have “butt-pucker moments” when they spontaneously expel secretion, due to sudden contraction of their anal sphincter. It would be unusual for this to be a continuing event in the home.
The second thing that comes to mind is that the sacs are not being fully emptied, despite your efforts to do so. Dogs whose sacs remain full have discomfort, which they try to alleviate by scooting on their rears. This can empty a bit of the secretion, but it winds up smeared on the dog, rather than free on top of the stool outside somewhere.
If the sacs are infected, the dog may behave similarly, even if there is not a great deal of secretion accumulated.
Your best bet is to have your veterinarian assess the situation. He/she will be able to tell whether the sacs are overly full, and whether the secretion is abnormal.
Thanks for reading and writing.
i just purchased a great dane puppy from a breeder.. he is going to be 8 weeks old on the 27th of november… that being said i noticed during the 6 days ive had him his anus seems to pucker out more than normal.. i have expressed his anal sacs.. they emptied but they still tend to pucker out.. its not always puckered.. just sometimes.. should i be greatly concerned? he is not in any type of pain at all.. he doesnt lick or scoot his rear end… but it does look a lil…odd.. to say the least… its not like a hemrrode (sorrie for bad spelling)… it look like his anus is just “longer” than normal… like it extends further from his body than it should… if that makes any sense… so what do you think?
Hello, Vanessa,
Without actually seeing it, I suspect that this is something that he will “grow out of” (or “grow into”). I often see puppies that look a little weird back there and look perfectly normal as they mature.
Be sure to mention it to you veterinarian when you take him in for his first check-up (which should be right away).
Thanks for reading and writing.
We have an 11 yr old Min Pin who has an infected anal sac. He is overweight, but otherwise healthy and energetic for his age. We didnt notice any symtems until we noticed some bleeding from a rupture. He had one other espisode some years earlier and the vet emptied the sacs manually. However they were not able to empty them this time. They prescribed antibiotics and suggested removal of the glands might be the best course of action. What do you think of the chances of success of the operation? Are there any other courses of treatment you would recommend?
Hello, Dan,
Many of these will heal with antibiotic therapy and some supportive care in the way of a hot compress applied for 10 to 15 minutes, three times daily.
If there are recurrences, I would consider having the sacs removed. However, some dogs have this problem once and have no futher trouble. After he heals (assuming that he does), you should have your veterinarian check his anal sacs monthly for a while to keep tabs on things.
The surgery is a complete removal of the sacs, so that’s the end of the problem. One has to be careful with the procedure so that the anal sphincter is not damaged, resulting in incontinence. However, I’m sure your veterinarian is capable.
Post-surgical infections are common, as one is supposed to keep incisions clean and dry, and these incisions are next to his anus — not a clean place.
Your veterinarian is actually seeing your dog, and is the best qualified individual to advise you.
Thanks for reading and writing.
I want to thank you for such an informative site. As a life long dog owner, I have only recently become aware of anal sac “issues” when our latest canine addition was a male Jack Russell pup. The almost daily spontaneous expulsion of his anal sacs is the most foul smelling experience I’ve ever had – and there have been many ‘fox poo’ moments with the pups over the years! Now I’ve read this page, I will be taking ‘the smelly one’ to visit our vet tomorrow. Thank you for the great advice.
Less than a year ago my cat went through a procedure to flush the anal glands. Yesterday, the same problem. This time the vet did just express the gland and gave him an injection. The expressing was pretty painful. I don’t think he’s getting better since he’s licking a lot.
What else to do?
How to treat?
How to prevent future episodes since this is the 2nd one in less than a year?
How to incorporate fiber on his diet?
Please help me.
Thank you very much
My 14 year old male dachsund has a eraser size blister at the 7 o’clock position of the anus. He appeared to be lethargic recently, shallow breathing, with cool extremities. I thought he might be diabetic so I gave him orange marmalade on bread to pick up his blood sugar. The anal problem I thought was just a rub blister from the carpet. It appears after reading and taking him to the vet that day that he may have a anal sac infection. This was a new vet filling in so I wanted to buy time for the regular vet to return and wanted a run of oral antibiotics (Keflex) and he recommended pain meds in case. After the first does he picked up and seems to be getting back to normal. I have been applying warm compresses to the area. Tried to external express the fluid with not results. I want to avoid surgery at all cost with his age and my area does not have a big vet selection. His blood work was normal in all ranges except Albumen (just under high) and Phosphate (just under)? He has not been neutered and has recently had swelling near his front right shoulder.I fear cancer the most but since Keflex that has reduced. Please give your recommendations as I do not want to do more harm in expressing the glands if they are clogged or have burst on that one side.
Hello, Anabela,
The easiest way to add fiber would be to use a low-calorie diet. They have fiber added. Also, the hairball control diets have additional fiber.
You could add a 1/4 teaspoon of plain, unflavored metamucil (psyllium) powder to the regular food.
It is unusual for cats to have anal sac problems. If he continues to have difficulty I would strongly consider having the sacs surgically removed.
If having the sacs emptied is painful, sedation may be required. When they are infected, we also use a tiny, blunt-tipped needle (cannula) to infuse medication directly into the sacs. I have had pretty good success using an ear medication called Otomax. You would definitely need a tranquilizer for the infusion procedure.
Systemic (oral) antibiotics can be helpful, and so can using a hot compress on the area for 10 to 15 minutes, three times daily. I run a pan of water as hot as I can stand to put my own hand in it. I wring out a small towel and use that to apply heat. Heat causes capillaries to dilate, bringing more blood supply to the area (more antibiotic, more oxygen, more healing factors), and this speeds the healing. The heat also can help break up crud that needs to drain.
Good luck.
Hello, Jan,
You don’t want to get rough, but the glands should be emptied with gentle pressure. It sounds like one of the sacs has already abscessed and ruptured. In cases like this, I usually have to put a finger in the rectum to better assess the situation. I empty what I can with gentle pressure, cleaning both sacs.
If the stuff is too hard to empty, I infuse an oily ointment into the sacs to break it up.
The hot compresses three times a day are very helpful. Heat dilates the capillary blood vessels, bringing in more circulation, antibiotic, oxygen and nutrition. It really can speed the healing.
The pain medication is certainly a good idea, as this has GOT to hurt.
There is a good chance that this will heal without surgery. You may have to change antibiotics if the Keflex (cephalexin) isn’t working. I also use Clavamox and Primor on these.
Good luck.
Hello – first f all, thank you for this site – the information in yor replies to other posters has been useful to read. My cat apparently has an anal sac infection. The vet put her on one medicine for two weeks, which didnt seem to work well enough, so now she is on another medication. I think it is looking worse, and sore and a bit inflammed. What are some of the things they may consider doing next if this 2nd medication does not get rid of the problem? Is it possible that they will try another oral medication, or inject something or have to do a surgical procedure? Is this type of surgery very expensive? Thank you very much!!!
Hello, Cilla,
Some anal sac infections will not get better without surgical drainage, sometimes as simple as just lancing an abscess (making a drain hole low on the sac to allow infected material to drain freely).
Sometimes we are successful in infusing the sac with medication. We take a blunt-tipped needle and insert it into the natural opening, and inject medicine to flush the sac.
With continuing problems, the patient may be better off with simply removing the sac entirely. Its only function is to produce a scent territorial marker, which is not needed.
The removal of the entire sac is the only one of these procedures that most people would consider moderately expensive. It is not a major surgery in regard to the amount of tissue removed, but it is a delicate surgery and one must be very careful not to damage the anal sphincter. It certainly requires a skilled and careful surgeon for a successful outcome.
As far as being “very expensive”, that depends on what your doctor charges and what your budget is. If your budget is five bucks, then twenty is expensive. If you’re expecting five hundred and it’s one hundred, then it’s cheap.
I really can give you only the most general of advice. Your veterinarian is the one best equipped to answer your questions, as he/she has seen your pet.
Good luck.
I’m very glad I found this site. The previous comments are very helpful. I’m hoping you can give me some more insight, though. My 8 1/2-year old male Pitt Bull had his sacs expressed on Friday, and the vet said there was no sign of an infection. He was fine until Monday, then the smell started coming back. By Tuesday the sacs were leaking (never happened before). It’s getting really tiring to wipe his behind every 40 minutes or so. Since we’re out of town right now, I’m trying to decide if he needs to go to a local vet. (sorry to get a bit graphic…) The color of the leakage started out more on the clear side with a hint of brown color and the normal smell that was initially noted before getting the sacs expressed. In the past 12 hours or so, the color has been getting darker and redder and the smell is getting a lot more foul. Could my vet have been wrong in saying there was no infection? And why would it be getting suddenly worse a few days after having the sacs expressed? I hate to see my little guy suffering. Any advice would be great!
Hello, Lisa,
It sounds to me like the infection was just getting started when your veterinarian looked at the dog and expressed the sacs a few days ago.
This “Monday morning quarterback” stuff is always just so much speculation, but this is my suspicion:
The dog had enough inflammation that he was uncomfortable, so you took him in. The doctor emptied the sacs and the secretion looked normal and expressed easily. The infection (being in the early stage), while uncomfortable, had not progressed to producing the yucky stuff that you are now seeing.
Since then, the infection got progressively worse (it was actually there all the time, even though it wasn’t obvious at the time of the first exam). Now it’s major yucky and needs to be rechecked, possibly flushed out and infused with medication, probably needing oral antibiotics and hot compresses topically.
We make our best judgment based on what you (the owner) tell us about what has been happening at home and what we can see during the exam. If things change, we need to know that so that we can re-evaluate our diagnosis and treatment plan.
The fact is, your dog’s situation looks a lot different today than it did when your veterinarian saw the dog. You need to get this feedback to your veterinarian so that he/she can help you.
Good luck.
Doc, thank you so much for the fast response. I’m going to take him to a local vet first thing tomorrow morning and get him checked out. Your reply really helped since we are on vacation with him and away from our regular vet. Thanks again!
Take care,
Lisa
Our dog has had his glands cleaned and the vet has given him atopica to take. Is it usual for this drug to be used for anal gland problems.
Hello, Rachel,
Some dogs with anal sac problems have an immune-mediated problem. The inflammation is caused by the body’s own defense system. The body has mistakenly begun to attack the area as though it were some sort of germ invader.
Atopica suppresses the immune response with fewer side-effects than the cortisone type drugs.
I would not say that it is used “commonly” because it is more expensive than some other medicines. However, it can be very beneficial in reducing inflammation in the area IF it is immune-mediated. It is the drug of choice for peri-anal fistulas (another, much worse, problem in that general area).
If you do not fully understand why the drug is being used, ask your veterinarian for clarification. Sometimes we think that we have explained things fully and eloquently. The client misses part of it for whatever reason and is embarrassed to ask. Don’t be. I feel that if you didn’t understand my explanation, it wasn’t a very good explanation.
Talk to your veterinarian about your concerns.
Hi..I have a 3 year old male IG who had his sack rupture this morning. We took him to the vet who squeezed out the other side, but stated there is a mass still present in one side and suggesting we have surgery next week to remove it. Does this sound right? He has blood work done a few months ago and everything seemed normal. I am wondering if I should get a second opinion?
Hello, Amanda,
Your veterinarian is in a better position to recommend the course of treatment than I am. Without performing a rectal examination myself, I really cannot speak to your dog’s condition.
In general, anal sacs that become impacted, infected and rupture will have a lot of inflammatory swelling present. This could mimic a mass.
My usual approach to one of these is a week’s course of antibiotic treatment (Clavamox or Primor) and hot compresses three times daily until the drainage stops and swelling is reduced.
If things are looking pretty good outwardly at this point BUT the mass can still be felt with a rectal exam, then surgery would certainly be indicated. Anal gland tumors are heavily influenced by testosterone, so an intact male should be neutered at the same time. While a tumor would be unusual in such a young dog, it is certainly possible.
Good luck
Why does my Schnauzer smell like corn chips? He’s 11 years old and this problem has developed in the last 3 months or so. I’m bathing him more and more often, but it’s gotten to the point that he’s stinky again the following morning. Within a few days, nobody wants to be near him! He has no skin problems at all, no fleas, no ticks, very rarely scratches.
Hello, lfeagins,
Well, my own sense of smell is not great, so I may not be the best person to ask. I’m trying to think of a stinky dog I’ve seen that smelled like Fritos.
I think it’s possible that you are smelling the “rancid oil”-smell that you get when a dog is producing too much of his natural skin oil. This happens with some dogs who are just genetically messed up, a fairly common problem in Cocker Spaniels. However, those dogs have a lifelong problem.
For dogs that develop Seborrhea oleosa (oily seborrhea) later in life, most have either a bad itching problem (and self trauma cranks up the skin oil glands), or a yeast infection in the skin. These dogs usually have greasy-feeling skin, as well as the funky odor.
I would recommend that you make an appointment for the dog with your veterinarian, and refrain from bathing for at least 5 days before the appointment. You want the doctor to see/smell it at its worst.
Good luck.
I have a 7yr old Tabby who has always had a little bit of rectal bleeding for the past 5 yrs or so. It would happen only about once every 2 months and she was perfectly healthy otherwise. Our vet would recommend having her drink more water and eat less fatty foods. We did this and it helped. We recently moved and switched vets. The new vet recommended having her anal sacs emptyied. We had never had this done before. A few days after her this visit to that vet, her condition has gotten worse. She now has a mucousy diarhea like discharge drip from her anus after a normal stool. Something that happens 2/week now and did not happen before getting her anal glands emptyied by the vet. Even more alarming is that the rectal bleeding is more frequent now, about once a week. The blood is bright red and few drops drip from her anus. Her stool looks normal but is slightly coated by thick mucous like blood in some areas. Please help! I want to know if the vet somehow hurt my cat.
Hello, Cecilia,
Since I cannot actually examine your cat, I can only give you general ideas.
First, I think it is unlikely that your new veterinarian injured your cat in cleaning the anal sacs. With recurring blood from the anal area, it would make sense to drain the sacs to examine whether or not they are the source. While cats have fewer problems than dogs in this area, there are many toy-breed dogs whose sacs do not drain automatically and require assistance every month, or more often. This is not likely to be a traumatic procedure.
With a problem that has been going on for five years, it seems more likely that we are seeing a worsening of that problem, and it is time for some diagnostic tests. You could try changing the diet again to add fiber, but five years is a long time to be passing blood. If it were my own colon bleeding, I believe I would have asked the doctor to take a look in there before now.
The mucus on the stool usually means you have colitis. This term is not really a diagnosis, meaning only “inflammation of the colon”. This could be anything from parasites to an infection to a tumor to inflammatory bowel disease. Often the diagnosis cannot be made definitively without colonoscopy and a biopsy. The biopsy might require surgery, but can probably be done with an endoscope under light anesthesia.
Other tests would include rectal cytology (just takes a cotton swab in the rectum), fecal flotation for parasites, and possibly a stool culture.
It sure sounds to me like it’s time for some diagnostic testing for your cat.
Good luck.
Hello,
I have an 8 year old german shorthair with an infected anal gland. He did not scoot and his tail is not docked so, unfortunately I did not notice a problem until I bathed him earlier today. I expressed them externally (which I have done before) but it appeared that most of what came out was from the other side, and it was pretty thick. Financially, I cannot bring him to an emergency vet so it will be another 36 hours before I can get him in. I have given him metronidazole and baby aspirin for the pain hoping that will hold him over until I can get him in (the metronidazole was excess the vet had given me from a previous infection). I plan on doing an internal expression tomorrow but, should I? I would like to hear what you think I should do until I can get him in. FYI I am a zoologist and work with animals so I have access to metacam and buprenorphine, would one of these be better for his pain? Also, is there a topical I can apply to his irritated skin around that area that would help?
Hello, Marni,
I cannot prescribe for your dog, as I have not examined him.
I would recommend hot compresses applied to the area for 15 minutes three times daily. I doubt that topical medications will help much. You can use the Neosporin Plus Pain Relief for its topical numbing property.
Buprenorphine is a narcotic pain reliever and would be more effective than the aspirin. It could be used on top of the aspirin, but due to our lack of doctor/client/patient relationship, I cannot recommend a dose for you.
Metacam would be more effective than the aspirin, but the two should not be combined. You need a 24-hour “washout” (zero aspirin for 24 hours)before starting the Metacam.
Putting a finger in the rectum to help express the anal sacs will give one a better grip and a better feeling for the size of the infected sac. HOWEVER, putting too much pressure on the area can certainly make things worse. I cannot recommend this to an inexperienced operator.
These cases may or may not require surgical drainage. There are other antibiotics that will probably penetrate better than the metronidazole.
Good luck.
Hello, Doc!
Great to find this article — even after a year! We have a question, though. Could blocked anal glands cause lethargy? Our dog, Jake, was scooting quite a bit. We didn’t think much of it — he can normally expel his sacs on his own. But now he’s not acting like himself. We took him to his regular vet, and she noticed he’s been chewing on the area around his penis, causing a raw spot that has been oozing pus. She prescribed Keflex for him. However, we forgot to mention the scooting bit and are wondering if it could be related.
He’s still emptying his bowels on a regular basis and peeing normally. He was diagnosed with bladder stones about a year ago and had several removed. Since then, he’s been on Prescription Diet U/D. We try to limit any and all extra protein (though some occasionally sneaks in).
Any thoughts on Jake? Feel free to e-mail me as well. 🙂
Thanks!
MissSea =)
Hello, Miss Sea,
Usually blocked anal sacs cause local discomfort, with scooting, rubbing or chewing at the area. If they are infected, that can certainly make the dog feel bad.
If his other problem does not resolve, or if it does get better and Jake still feels bad, be sure to mention your concerns to your veterinarian.
If she found the problem around his penis, she is probably doing a pretty thorough physical exam. If she repeats that and cannot see an obvious cause for Jake’s problem, then she will probably want to do some diagnostic testing.
If she recommends a complete blood count and blood chemistry profile, that would be a pretty basic start to screen for medical problems.
Be sure to stay in touch with your veterinarian and let her know how Jake is doing. If she doesn’t hear anything, she will assume he is getting well and everybody is happy.
Good luck.
My 6 year old samoyed seems to be lazy when passing a stool, he will then walk around dropping lumps of feces around the house. Any ideas? Thanking you in anticipation. Dawn
Hello, Dawn,
I would recommend that you take you dog to see his veterinarian. He/she can check the anal sphincter and related structures. It would also be good to take stool specimen (about one teaspoonful, same day it is passed) for microscopic examination.
You need to rule out parasites, colon irritation, and sphincter problems first. This is not something that can be done over the phone.
Good luck.
Our son has an English Bulldog and after this last visit I am ready for wood floors. How often should his anal sac be cleaned? With what? I had brown shots all over my carpet and after the 4th day it appeared to be more watery. Could that be from eating other than the dog food?
Hello, Weymouth,
The anal sacs are emptied (cleaned) by gentle squeezing. Sometimes this can be done externally. With an English Bulldog, it may require inserting a finger into the rectum to get a better grip on the sac.
In dogs whose sacs do not empty spontaneously at the end of the bowel movement, the secretion accumulates, causing pressure and discomfort. The dog scoots around on his bottom, trying to relieve this. If successful, some of the foul-smelling secretion comes out.
If the spots are anal sac secretion, it has nothing to do with what the dog eats. If the spots are loose stool, then yes, it could be diarrhea from a change in diet.
Try to keep the diet consistent and have your veterinarian check the dog’s anal sacs to see if there is a problem there.
Good luck.
I work at a veterinary clinic. I have previously worked as a groomer and decided to go into the vet tech field. I help the groomer’s at the clinic every now and then when time allows and one of them wanted me to express her dog’s anal sacs. I did and a lot, I mean a lot of the mess squirted out and it was in liquid form, a watery stinky dark brown. She said did you get it all and I said, yes, I see there’s definitely more in there. So I squeezed again and blood spurted out, a good deal. All this stuff was liquid mind you and not solid, so what does this mean exactly? Our substitute vet was filling in for the original and he felt around and said he believed one was ruptured. All the stuff came out easily so what in the world happened? An infection? The dog is a pointer and it is an 8 year old female. She is in tact and hasn’t been fixed either. The groomer said she was licking her bottom and a foul smell was coming from her anus. And her anus was red, but the dog never whimpered or anything when I was doing all of this. The fill-in vet finished emptied what was left in the sac/s which was a little more blood, but most I had emptied. If I had known they were like this I would’ve let the vet have a look first but I thought it’s coming out easily so they’re not rock-hard and the stuff’s not pastey-like. Probably should’ve been infiltrated instead. He prescribed antibiotics for it and Panalog to apply into the rectum/sac.
With all this said, even if they’re not rock-hard and it comes out easily, it proves that it is better off and safer to have the vet do this procedure, especially if there’s a foul odor coming from the sacs. I always let the vet do this procedure when you can’t get the stuff to come out easily b/c they can rupture from the pressure you apply, but I’d never expect this to happen when it comes out like a faucet and I was applying firm pressure but not that hard.
Hello, Paula,
From your description, I suspect all the bloody, nasty material was already present in the sacs, and was not produced as a result of your manipulations.
Sometimes they do become infected spontaneously, and I surely don’t know why. When I find one like that, I flush the sacs out with Otomax or Panalog or some similar greasy ointment with antibiotics and steroids. Then I send the patient home with oral antibiotics and instructions to apply a hot compress three times daily. We recheck in a week.
Dogs that have persistent or recurring problems are candidates for removal of the anal sacs, in my humble opinion.
Thanks for reading and writing.
Hi. Are you still there? My dog has what I think is an anal gland infection. He had it before–I took him in and the tech who expressed the sacs said she didn’t like the color or consistency of the fluid (kind of thick). He got some purple pills (don’t remember the name) and had no more problems for about a year. Well it’s back. I learned to express the sacs rectally (I’m a physcian) and the fluid is slightly bloody with some thick bits in it. What kind of antibiotic would you recommend? Clindamycin?
Hello, Dr. Isabella,
It certainly sounds as though you have an anal sac infection there. Anal sac neoplasia more commonly manifests as a palpable mass.
The purple pill might have been Baytril (enrofloxacin), but I’d hate to make that extrapolation and swear to it.
I really can only give you general advice, as I am not actually attending your dog’s case. Therefore I cannot prescribe a specific medication for you. I have had good luck with antibiotics that one would prescribe for a deep pyoderma, i.e. those that would achieve a high level of concentration in the skin and subcutis.
Applying a hot compress to the area for 10 to 15 minutes three times daily is often helpful.
Some of these cases will not do well unless the sac is irrigated and infused with antibiotics (+/- steroids – I often use an oily otic preparation; the disadvantage being that those are a little thick to push through a 20-gauge olive-tipped catheter). Some dogs will tolerate this infusion with minimal restraint, while others will require sedation.
Dogs that have chronically recurring problems can have the sacs surgically removed and eliminate the situation in the future. This is a scent-marking apparatus and of no practical use to a house-pet, so they get along fine without them. The surgery requires some delicacy, so as not to produce incontinence, but it’s not rocket science.
I hope this helps you in your decision. Just as I feel competent treat myself, I can understand your willingness to treat your dog. However, I let someone else do my colonoscopy. I would recommend that you discuss your options with your regular veterinarian.
Good luck.
Thank-you sooo much for the info! We had an little old dog that smelled very foul. We actually joked about taking turns opening the laundry room door to let her out in the morning. She was 16 when it started and the vet really would not do much for her because she was literally barely hanging on but managed to stay with us for another year. She took 5-10 min everyday to get on her feet and many times during the day we would think she had passed because she slept so deeply and was completely limp when we tried to wake her. I stress this so you don’t think poorly of the vet. We never really discussed the cause of the smell but it was awful. Shortly after her 17th birthday she left us. Now my other pooch is getting on and we thought it was just “old dog smell”. So glad for the info as a course of antibiotics cleared it up! Your web page is really a blessing! Thanks again!
Hi!
My little Chihuahua/Greyhound cross had a walnut sized lump next o her anus. Called the ER (it’s Saturday) and they agreed this would probably be anal glands. I tried to express it and it ruptured. Bunch of goo came out. She has been licking it on and off since.
If she shows no other signs am I looking at needing systemic antibiotics? I saw something about topical antibiotic. Would this be like Neopsporin? Is licking it good or bad? When you say hot compress, how hot? Like body temperature or hotter? I can stand pretty hot water and don’t want to burn her. Does it help to put anything in the water for the compress? Like salt or something?
Thanks bunches!
P.S. She is s very active little dog with good muscles, so I don’t think that’s an issue. This seems to have blown up overnight. Though I wasn’t home yesterday and could easily have missed something.
Hello, Adrienne,
Sorry to be so late on this. We have been changing over our practice management computer software in the last week and it has been killing me.
Topical antibiotics like Neosporin won’t hurt, but really won’t penetrate deep enough to help the infected tissue. Systemic antibiotics work much better, like oral Primor (a potentiated sulfa).
If you think your pain tolerance is too high, then use water as hot as your wimpy friend can stand to put his/her hand in it. You just don’t want to scald the dog. It should feel good, not bad. Putting stuff in the water really doesn’t make much of a difference.
Licking doesn’t really help, but you can hardly keep them from doing it. Their mouth is full of bacteria and saliva really doesn’t have any healing properties to speak of in a wound. It’s just all they know how to do.
I hope things are going well now.
The one ruptured and healed.
Now the other one is getting swollen and hard. Shold I just have the vet express it?
To expand (now that the computer is letting me post). Thanks for the help. I can relate to software issues!
It ruptured but there was absolutely *no* smell. No smell at all and I was expecting a horrible stink. What came out looked like little bits of dried blood in a clear fluid. I used hot compresses. I gave her a squirt of colloidal silver and spritzed the wound with it. Natural anitbiotic, figured it couldn’t hurt.
She showed no signs of fever — no hotness, no lethargy, eating, active. So I just kept an eye on her. The swelling was cut in half that day and now, two days later it is back to normal size and the skin has healed over.
But as above, the other side has swollen up to several times it’s size.
Very bizarre.
It is possible that if it is just impacted (stopped up) the veterinarian will be able to empty it. It is also possible that this sac is headed for the same outcome.
If this problem keeps recurring, consider surgical removal of the sacs. They serve no useful purpose, and the solution is permanent.
Well, took her to the vet. He got some of the gunk out, said there was not enough fluid to lance it . Put her on antibiotics. They seem to be knocking her out pretty well. Hopefully this will help.
I’ll let you know!
Hi, I have a 5 year old pekignese. He hasn’t had any problems before. I noticed him acting strangely today when trying to use the restroom. After straining for about 6 or 7 minutes, he was finally able to go. He wouldn’t walk or move after pottying. I went to pick him up and he cried, after that i looked at his behind and noticed a large purple bulge on his anus. Its very painful for him. He is extremely uncomfortable. What could be the problem? This has never happened before. I plan on taking him to the vet tommorrow.
I am in a panic over my pekingese. I appreciate you taking the time to chat with me. I just couldn’t bare losing my dog. I have no clue as to why this happened….Thank you
Hello, Amanda,
I can’t really make a “long-distance” diagnosis, but..
Your description sounds like your dog is developing an abscess in his anal sac. It may burst on its own before you get to the veterinarian. If not, he/she will probably lance it so that it can drain.
In the meantime, it usually helps to use a hot compress on the area. It might make it break and drain sooner. It is certainly helpful after the drainage process starts. Heat opens up the blood vessels in the area, bringing more circulation for faster healing – more oxygen, more nutrition, more antibiotics (which your veterinarian will likely be prescribing).
I usually take a pan of water as warm as I can stand to put my own hand in. I soak a dish-towel and use that to apply moist heat to the affected area.
Seeing your veterinarian is absolutely the right thing to do here.
Hi,
I have two chihuahuas and they are both about 6 lbs, they are both 2 years old, one of them has the recently started scooting her butt around the floor every so often and so I was freaking out thinking it was worms. I went to the Vet and they tested her for worms and it came back negative. Now, that I read your post, I am almost sure that she has this problem because for the past week at least once a day she releases a disgusting “metal” like smell that is very strong and can stink up the whole entire room. She is very small so my question is should I take her to get that drained?? and how much does that cost?? and also is this due to the type of food they eat??
Hello, Marly,
It surely does sound like you have anal sac problems. If they are drained completely, this should relieve the dog’s discomfort for weeks, plus no odor.
I would take her in for the procedure. I would not expect it to be expensive. Usually one of the technicians can do it, rather than the doctor. The doctor may prefer to examine the area the first time the problem is presented, and do it himself/herself.
It should give you relief, and be inexpensive.
Good luck.
My French bulldog definately has a ruptured anal sack. (bloody, pus discharge) I noticed the enlarged sac this morning and then this afternoon it looks like it has popped. do you recommend stitches? or just warm compress and antibiotics?
Hello, Doug,
These usually do not require surgery. Antibiotics and warm compresses usually take care of them. Even if you were going to do surgery, you would wish to wait until the infection is under control. By that time they are usually healed.
I usually prepare a pan of water about as hot as I can stand to put my hand in. I wring out a small towel and use that to apply the heat for 10 to 15 minutes, three times daily. This also cleans the area as you are removing the towel and re-wetting it.
It would be a good idea to have your veterinarian take a look at this.
Good luck.
my dog had been staying with my parents. i just got him back.he has an ear infection which is beening treated.he seems to have a fever cause his ears are really warm. he always sleeps in his cage but on his second night i didnt put him there and was awoken to him nudging my hand as if he wanted out or attention he jumped on the bed and layed down i then got up to take him out i get to the door and notice he was carring his tail weird and as he went out he yelped and nipped at his tail and sat down.i looked for anything odd in the area and didnt see anything, i tried to lift his tail but he wont let me . he is walking around fine and went pee fine but yelps when he tries to rais his tail. he is panting alot and has me concerned. what is the poblem and what should i do.
Hello, Derrick,
I wish I could make a long-distance diagnosis for you, but this one doesn’t jump out at me. I think your best bet this time is to take your dog to see his veterinarian.
Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Hi. Our dog had a red, puffy spot next to her anus which then started to bleed. We took her to the vet and they told us she had a ruptured anal gland. They flushed it out and gave us medication to give her. About 6 or so months later it happened again, and this time it was worse than before. We took her to the vet, a different one as I moved states, and they sedated her and went in to clean it out. I was giving her oral medicine as well as injecting some into the actual wound. This has been a couple of weeks ago now. It was starting to look a lot better, but last night we noticed it was really puffy and red. This morning I noticed blood in her bed and when I looked it appears as though the puffy part had popped and there is blood all around the area. We are taking her into the vet this afternoon, but what do you think would be the cause of this? Thanks!
Hello, Kelly,
You do not say how old your dog is. An older dog might possibly have a tumor in this area, which would not heal very well.
Regardless of the dog’s age, you may simply need to take a different antibiotic. The vast majority of these respond to antibiotics and hot compresses three times daily.
When your veterinarian re-examines her, he may find a need to culture the area to help with antibiotic selection (though sometimes we just pick another drug that usually works in the area).
He/she also might feel the need to perform a biopsy if there is any indication that a tumor might be present.
Be sure and let your veterinarian know about your questions.
Good luck.
Greetings: My dog is an 8 yr old Beagle. He had numerous small Rice-like pellets and long strings of creamy lines shoot out of his anal glands as I was cleaning him today? Any idea what this could possibly be & can it be contagious.
Thank you for your assistance. James
Hello, James,
When the secretion doesn’t get emptied for a long time, it can get dry and hard. Sometimes it comes out like caulking compound, or peanut butter.
I have seen what you describe a number of times, and it doesn’t seem to be an active infection. Rather, the sacs have not been emptying regularly, and the opening is a little small.
I believe that I would try keeping them emptied more often, at least every 4 weeks to start with.
Good luck.
We have an airedale terrier who has had infected anal sac/gland issues with strong odor and discharge. We have inquired about anal gland removal and have also found that there is a procedure for an anal sac/gland infusion. Which would you recommend as the best option for success with the least amount of discomfort to our “baby”. Thanks
Hello, Joani,
We usually don’t recommend removal unless there are chronic recurring problems. The surgery doesn’t often have complications, but it sure can have.
The infusion process may require some sedation, but is not very traumatic otherwise. A small, blunt-tipped tube is inserted into the openings of the sac, and those holes are small and hard to see. The patient needs to be pretty relaxed, which is unlikely with a wide-awake dog who has a finger in his anus.
The sac is flushed to remove debris, and then a soothing ointment (antibiotics and cortisone, usually) is squirted into the sac. This may have to be repeated, and it may be accompanied with systemic (oral) antibiotics. Hot compresses on the area may help, also.
Good luck with this yucky problem.
Hi there
My 11 year old calico cat has been acting weird lately. She has a swollen bottom and we found some nasty, smelly, bloody,sticky poop like substance around the house. What should I do? What could be wrong?
Hello, Kim,
You could have anal sac problems, colon problems, parasite problems, bleeding disorders, or a combination, or something else.
Your cat really needs to see her veterinarian. Sorry that I cannot do the long-distance diagnosis.
Best wishes.
Hi I have a male 3 year old English Bulldog. He has had to have his anal glands released before. He does not rub his behind on the ground but he has alot of gas. Alot of gas. anyway. Ive noticed on our bed cover were he sleeps theres always spots of poo with a little bit of blood stained on the sheets. I think this is where he is letting the gas but not sure. should I be worried that this is a gland thing? Thanks Sarah
Hello, Sarah,
Gas is a frequent problem, and there is a great discussion on Veterinary Partner. Here’s the link:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2856&EVetID=3001962
The blood is more of a concern. I would highly recommend that you take your Bulldog to see his veterinarian to get that checked out.
Thanks for reading and writing.
Hi, I have an 11 month old Great Dane who on and off was having ‘the oily bum smell’ (as we refer to it), but also never really having hard poo, so wetook him to the vet to have his anal glands done, vet said it was the fullest she has ever seen them on a dog, even for a great dane. Anyway, he was given antibiotics for a spotty/itchy chin, probiotics for his bad tummy and we have also stopped topping up his dry food with water. Hes definately got harder poo, now to the point, he’s only doing half the job at a time. But I expected the smell to go, but now its as bad as ever within a day of having the glands emptied. Are we going to have to take him to the vet every week to get this done?
ello, Murphysmum,
It sounds like you have been addressing a lot of the dog’s problems. If you still have the odor, I would recommend a recheck with your veterinarian.
It is possible that the odor is something else. It is also possible that the anal sacs need to be infused with some antibiotic/steroid ointment.
This really needs a little more hands-on recheck.
Good luck.
Hi
My 7 year old GSD bitch has had her anal sacs washed out twice in the last 12 months, The last time was two months ago. On Tuesday we took her back for a check and the vet expressed them but just 2 days later she started to smell again we took her back and a diffrent vet expressed them again and found both sides full again. The vet was sure they were not infected but again just 2 days later she is leaking this light brown golden fluid and the smell is terrible . She does not seem to be in any discomfort but if she lies on her back with her tail out we see the liquid seping out. not sure what to do. can expressing them to often cause problems. can they fill up in a day. The risks of removal seem very high. Thanks for any advice you can offer
It certainly sounds like you have an excessive problem there. It would be unusual for them to fill in a day if they were not infected or abnormal in some other way.
They may need to have a sample taken for culture.
It is possible for them to grow tumors, but that usually makes a lump, rather than lots of fluid.
Removal takes a skilled surgeon. I’ve taken out a few and done well, but had one that was a nightmare. It is certainly possible to have complications.
Consult with your veterinarians. If they don’t have a good game plan, then ask them if there is a specialist they could refer you to.
This is an unusual situation, and I am not comfortable trying to advise you “long distance”.
Good luck.
Hi
many thanks for your guidance. Roxy had her sacs washed out and packed with antibiotic cream. She seems a lot happier and has not reacted to the sedation like she did last time. They said that one was empty and the other was full of pus and discharge. We are going to ask how often they should be expressed but we are still worried that the expressing might be causing the infections. I have found reading your pages very intresting. Peter
Expressing the sacs might cause inflammation only if excessive pressure is used. This is most likely to occur when the secretions are really hard and dry. Sometimes we try to just squeeze it out, when we should be sedating the dog to flush them and loosen it up first. That can be problem.
Just emptying the sacs without too much pressure should actually be helpful.
Well after reading all of the responses I feel at home. I have four dogs all rescue. One lg part Coon-St. Bernard, wgt 110lbs a lg baby, has been releasing anal secretions lately in his sleep. I have been looking for the “Butt Fresh” Pfizer’s Canine Eliminodor everywhere can’t seem to find it. I need something to spray on him before the soap & water. Seems like the odor is worse when I just try soap and water..Suggestions?
Hello, Margaret,
The Pfizer company quit selling most of their products through distributors, requiring veterinarians to order them directly from Pfizer. Thus, fewer doctors are carrying the product.
I have it in my clinic, but not in our on-line store.
This is a similar product that we have on-line.
https://kennettvet.vetsfirstchoice.com/Detail.aspx?view=26323661&w=191778
If you use it and are unhappy with it, please let me know.
Tonight I found blood on my carpet and when I inspected my Lab I found icky slimy stuff on her rectum and it was bleeding and very swollen looking. Now I don’t normaly look at dog butts but I’m pretty sure this didn’t look normal. But it wasn’t smelly at all.
Hello, Dustyne,
Despite the lack of odor, it still could be a ruptured anal sac. Your dog needs to go to the veterinarian.
Wish I could help you long distance, but this takes “boots on the ground”.
Good luck.
Thank you very much for the prompt response and will be getting the neutrolizer. I have read all the comments and in your message where you talk about the dogs that have to have their anal sacs squeezed, my daughters beagle has to have this done. The vet told her to give the dog powder fiber to make the stool form better, this would help the dog. He has to be squeezed on a monthly basis, I think it is foolish. So what can you give a dog to make its stool firmer to helps the sacs secrete normally? Thanks Again Margaret
Oddly enough adding fiber to the diet helps both with constipation and with diarrhea. Giving the intestine more fiber to work with tends to “normalize” its function.
My usual guideline is one teaspoon of Metamucil (generic psyllium mucilloid, unflavored, actually) per 20 pounds of body weight per feeding.
Unfortunately, I am not sure that will help so much with the anal sac thing. Worth a try, though.
I have patients that just need help periodically. When the owners see them scooting, we empty them out.
Hello there, your Q&A session has so far been the most useful internet source on anal sac infections. My dog has a ruptured anal sac abscess. I’m a broke and stubborn medical student, and wanted to try to take care of the problem myself. My question is, generally speaking, does cephelexin provide good coverage for anal sac infections? I know it’s impossible to state either way for sure without a culture, but I’m wondering if this is something that vets typically end up giving dogs for this condition or whether this drug is just not strong enough for this type of infection? I only ask this because it’s the only non-prescription medicine I can get my hands on, and it’s sold as fish flex in different doses.
My other question is, I was planning on cleaning the site of rupture thoroughly with normal saline, and applying triple ointment into the wound and then applying a dressing. Would it be overdoing it if I were to do this 3 times a day? Sometimes with humans, we do it every 8 hours, especially with large wounds that are kept open. I figured since this is an open wound maybe it’s appropriate to do it that frequently as well. Oh and after expressing the fluid from the anal sac, is it appropriate to pack the wound with iodoform packing strips, would that aid in the healing process, or would I be going overboard again?
I would greatly appreciate it if you could give me advice in a general way. I know you can’t answer questions specific to my situation without seeing my dog, but any information about the general concepts involved in the standard algorithm for treatment would be greatly appreciated.
Gentle flushing would be okay, but be careful not to force stuff into the tissue planes. Packing it with iodoform is certainly overkill.
Using warm water (as hot as you can stand to put your own hands in it) to apply a warm compress for 10 to 15 minutes three times daily is really all the local/topical treatment you need. This stimulates the circulation and simultaneously removes drainage as you take the towel off and re-soak it to re-warm it.
I usually use trimethoprim/sulfa systemically (i.e. Bactrim). Cephalexin is commonly used for skin infections in dogs, so it may work here, as well. 15mg/pound twice daily is an average dose.
Good luck.
Thank you for the response. I did the warm compresses, and gave him cephalexin. After administering the antibiotic, there was visible improvement in just two days. The area is healing very nicely. Again, this was the most useful source on the subject, thanks!
I’m glad to hear that your dog is doing well.
Best wishes.
Jackie,
My dog has had to anal sac ruptures, why hasnt the vet ever given me the option of removing the sacs, it just seems odd. and what is the recovery like with getting them removed? I have a 6lb, 2 year old yorkie poo.
The surgery is pretty delicate, especially on such a small patient. It would be easy to damage the anal sphincter and become incontinent (leak poop). I wouldn’t be crazy about doing it myself.
If you have continual problems, you might ask for referral to a surgical specialist. They will charge more, but it might be worth it.
Good luck.
I have a 1 year old male dacschund. He’s never scooted or had any anal gland symptoms before. Tonight though he was on my lap and started to lick his rear end and when he got up and jumped off my lap, I noticed a large wet spot on the couch that I thought was from him licking but it’s got a very strong metallic odor!! Any ideas on what this could be???
Hello, Nicole,
It sounds as though he spontaneously emptied his anal sacs on the couch.
You’ll need some kind of odor eliminator. That stuff is nasty.
The sacs should empty automatically at the end of each bowel movement. Sometimes a dog that is stressed has a sudden contraction of his anal sphincter (“butt-pucker moment”), and the stuff squirts out.
If this happens a lot, you should have your veterinarian examine the dog.
Good luck.
My dog keeps licking his bum hole and i smell a slightly metallic smell coming from there. But he is acting normal eating normal otherwise. Do I need to take him to a vet?
Hello, Fifi,
It sounds like there is irritation in the anal sac area. I would definitely let your veterinarian take a look at it. It could be as simple as needing to be emptied, but sometimes there are more serious problems.
Sorry about the late reply. I was out of the country for two weeks visiting my daughter who is a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia. We had not seen her for 17 months.
Yet another anal sac question, Ye Lords, this world didn’t exist for me until yesterday. My elderly Golden Retriever (14 years) had a ruptured anal sac three days ago. Understandably, she was pretty distressed. The vet diagnosed this and gave her anti-biotics ( or equivalent of) and sent us on our way. Tonight, however, she is in mortal distress: yowling periodically, pacing about, can’t settle, really upset, panting constantly and in obvious pain. I am taking her back to the vets first thing tomorrow (it is 3.00 a.m now and i am up nursing her) but for an impartial diagnosis – should the sacs have been flushed, bathed or dressed? All the vet did was look (smell) and diagnose. Why would the pain become more severe three days on, after anti-biotics, and the pus has stopped leaking out? Many, many thanks, Ema
Hello, Ema,
It is possible that the abscess sealed prematurely on the outside, trapping pus on the inside. As it builds up again, it creates pressure, and pressure is painful.
It is also possible for these things to rupture internally, spreading infection into deeper tissues.
Hot compresses (like a small towel soaked in water as warm as you can stand to keep your hand in) applied for 10 to 15 minutes three times daily help to improve the circulation and stimulate drainage. It can also help the discomfort.
There may be a need to change the antibiotic. It certainly sounds like some pain medicine is needed.
Please do NOT give over-the-counter pain medicines to your dog, as many have serious side-effects.
DO contact your veterinarian with your concerns as soon as possible (as you planned).
Good luck.
Hello,
My dog has been having anal glad problems for 4 weeks now. She is a 4 yr old wired hair dachshund. Four weeks ago we were out of town on vacation and she started to smell bad so I expressed her anal glands. Afterwards, she still smelled bad and was scooting and licking her butt. I took her to the vet once we got back into town and the vet tech. expressed them again and said that they were very clogged up. (she does not seem to be in any pain) A week passes and she is still scooting and licking her butt. I was concerned because she has never had any problems before, the leakiness was a lime green color and I thought she may have an infection. I took her back to the vet, they confirmed that she did have an infection in her anal gland. Also, now one of our male dogs in the house is after her as if she is in heat (but she’s fixed). She has been on antibiotics for almost 2 weeks now. I thought she was doing better but she is still leaking a little. We go back to the vet Wednesday. I’m concerned this has been going on for too long, also the male dog is driving us all nuts. What could be wrong?
Hello, Scarlett,
The male dog may simply be confused, mistaking the unusual odor for a female in heat, or he may just love a nasty odor. He is a dog, after all.
While many anal sac infections respond to oral antibiotics, some do not.
When the veterinarian re-examines your dog, he/she may find it necessary to infuse the anal sacs. This usually requires some sedation of the patient. A small, blunt-tipped needle called a cannula is inserted into the opening of the anal sacs. They are flushed, and then medication is put directly into the sacs.
Without actually examining the dog, it is difficult for me to advise you. Share your concerns with your veterinarian.
Worst-case scenario would be needing to remove the anal sacs surgically. This is seldom necessary, though.
Good luck.
Our 7 year old German Shorthaired Pointer was recently diagnosed with Toxoplasmosis. Our vet had never before seen an adult dog with toxo, but Mandy was the second he had seen in 7 day. She is taking clindamycin. It has been almost a week. She is much better, seems more like herself. But she has an occasional foul odor. We bathed her today, but she still stinks. My brother asked if she was ok, he says he thinks she is expressing this odor, that it is not in her skin/hair. It smells like she rolled in a dead critter. But when we put our nose to her coat, she smells fine. Could it be her sacs?
It certainly could be the sacs, as the odor is quite strong with even just a little of the stuff leaking out.
If the problem persists, be sure to tell your veterinarian when he/she rechecks her for the Toxoplasmosis.
Good luck.
Hello,
We have a 1 year old chow. She has never been welcoming to company. She doesn’t bark at people walking by outside or people we pass on a walk, but gets really upset and barks if people approach us/visit.
During her barking fit (when company first arrives) or if we give her a bath, she squirts this smelly brown fluid from her butt. I have seen this can be a result of being scared, nervous, territorial,etc. Is this something to be concerned about? Is there any way to prevent it, especially when company comes over? I would appreciate any advice you may have. Thanks 🙂
Hello, Ms. Franks,
This is a stress response.
The anal sac liquid is discharged when the anal sphincter tightens down. This usually happens at the end of each bowel movement, causing a few drops to fall on the stool as a scent territorial marker. That’s what is supposed to happen.
Your dog is getting upset enough to have a “butt-pucker moment”, causing the sacs to empty at that time.
Solution #1: Have his sacs emptied manually on a frequent basis — not a great solution.
Solution #2: Have his anal sacs surgically removed. Expensive, and there is a potential for complications with the operation. Not a great solution.
Solution #3: The most difficult solution: work with a behavior specialist to lower the dog’s stress level. This is no small difficulty, as there are a lot of things that may be stressing your dog. On the other hand, a good behavior specialist may make your dog’s life (and yours) a lot easier in the long run.
It is true that there are a higher percentage of Chows that are aggressive and territorial than in other breeds. This does not mean that they should be excuse and no effort made to salvage their behavior.
It will take someone who is expert in the field, though, I suspect.
Good luck.
On Wednesday night our dog was scooting around, running around, licking herself too much and rolling around like a crazed dog. We took her to an emergency vet at the local University who did an exam and found her to be healthy. They did empty her anal glands and said they were easy to empty and the liquid looked normal but they were very full. She seemed improved but not totally improved. She seemed a little uncomfortable over the last few days. Tonight is Saturday night and she ran around and scooted a lot again. We are wondering if we should take her back to a vet, or is it possible that her glands could just still be recovering from getting them emptied on Wednesday? Would you recommend we try the hot compress thing or should we take her in to the vet again? Several notes, she has been under a lot of stress lately from starting an obedience class and being terrified of the furnace! She is an olde English bulldogge. Also, we’ve been messing around with her food which maybe was a bad idea, going from Blue Buffalo lamb and rice to Blue Buffalo grain free chicken, and now Blue Buffalo grain free duck. Maybe she needs the grain to have enough fiber so maybe we should get off the grain free diet.
Hello,
Just wanted to update you- we found out she is having a skin allergy and it just happened to coincide with having her anal sacks emptied a few days ago, and she is acting the same way that prompted us to bring her to have them emptied. Now we are wondering if that was why she was upset a few days ago too, and her anal sacks were full but the main problem was the allergy. That explains all the running around,and rolling around and her lower tummy area and legs have pink spots as well as other areas of her body. Our first guess is it is because we switched her food, so we are going to try lamb and rice which she used to eat and work on getting her to feel better. Thanks!
Hello, Katie,
Sorry to be slow in replying, but I was at a Boy Scout campout all weekend.
Sounds like you are on the right track now.
Thanks for reading and writing.
My 2 1/2 year old English Bulldog was acting very strange yesterday morning.. she was doing like an army crawl and plopping down every few steps.. eating normally and drinking, using bathroom normally- but I took her to the vet & anal glands were expressed. She was acting normal the rest of the day and very playful– back to her old self! but this morning, she is doing the same thing as yesterday & acting like something from behind is irritating her. I bathed her with medicinal soap for her tail and vaginal area (the vet had given it to me for that); and it did not seem to help.
is it normal after anal gland expression for the dog to act this way? She used potty this morning as well,but I had to bring water and food to her- she’s very uncomfortable 🙁 Please help Maisy.
Hello, Julie,
Sorry to be late replying, but have been covered up.
The expression of the anal sacs shouldn’t make things worse. Sometimes there is residual inflammation that responds to infusing the sacs with a soothing ointment.
There may be another problem. Skin-fold dermatitis is common in this area.
Sometimes a trial therapy for allergy may help determine if that is part of the problem.
Let your veterinarian know what is happening. When he/she doesn’t hear from you, they just assume that the dog must be doing great now.
Good luck.
Hi my 4 year old pug dog had a horrible problem with leaking anal gland fluid on a daily basis. It was small quarter sized brownish clear liquid. Over a year ago I decided to pay to get his anal glands removed. He healed perfectly & never had a problem with going to the bathroom. I thought the problem was fixed but I’ve noticed that I still find these same spots on my bed sheets of a brownish clear liquid. Its not as often as before when he still had anal glands but it still happens weekly. Why is this? Do dogs still have anal fluid after their glands are removed? I thought getting his anal glands surgically removed would completely solve the problem..it only reduced it. Can you please help me.Thanks
Hello, Arlene,
Generally I would say that removal of the anal sacs relieves the dog’s discomfort and stops discharge.
The glandular tissue that produces the secretion is not removed. It is microscopic and diffuse in the area. There isn’t something you can see to remove. It is the collecting sacs which are removed.
I would be wondering if what you are seeing is actually anal sac discharge or some type of problem with a little bit of runny stool.
If the only place that you see the discharge is a spot on the sheets once a week, this is going to be difficult to pin down.
I will post a query to the surgeons on Veterinary Information Network. If I can find out more I will relay it to you.
Hello again, Arlene,
Without examination, again it is hard to tell you a lot.
The surgeon says:
“If the anal sacculectomy was done correctly and the problem persists, it could be something else. It is possible that following the sacculectomy there is some fecal incontinence.”
So, not a lot of help from “long distance doctors”. You really need to discuss this with your veterinarian and have the dog re-examined.
Good luck.
I have a little poodle mix who has been scooting his butt across the floor here and there. I didn’t think much of it until I started seeing him do it several times a week. I attempted to empty his anal glands myself with some gloves, paper towels and ky jelly. I felt these things in there..almost like a pea and when I squeezed them a kinda gritty lookin peanut butter stuff came out. The two things that felt like peas went away…so I’m pretty confident that I emptied them entirely. My question is I thought this was supposed to be like a clear color and actually squirt out. And if this is something I can do on my own is there anything I should look for that would signal a bigger problem and require me to take him to the vet?
Hello, Angie,
Emptying the anal sacs is not rocket science, and it sounds like you did get them empty.
On the other hand, the secretion was not normal. It should have been a watery, clear to tan fluid. (just aside from the fact that the dog ought to be emptying them spontaneously with every bowel movement)
Because you don’t have experience emptying a lot of them and looking at the secretion, you don’t have anything to compare it to.
If you have to squeeze too hard, you can actually damage the sacs.
The next time they fill up (i.e. your dog is scooting), I would recommend a trip to the veterinarian for evaluation. This is one time that it would be worth having an experienced observer give his/her opinion.
Sometimes the sacs need to be infused with medication.
Your veterinarian can help you work out a plan to manage this.
Thanks for reading and writing.
Hi, I have a 12 pnd Shih tzu that has been on chicken,rice and carrots for stomach problems and allergies…. sometimes a brand of dry food that’s organic.I’m dealing with more constipation now and now her stomach seems tight and her rectum is sore.She wont let me near it.Also looks kind of swollen. I have tried a warm bath,heating pad and everything I can think of. She is drinking water,actually more than normal and eating some. Plan to take her to the vet if it isn’t better by tomorrow. Just wanted to know if there’s anything I can do to help her. She used the bathroom yesterday but it wasnt what I’d consider normal for her.She means the world to me and I’m usually told that I’m overreacting….better safe than sorry!
I forgot to mention my shih tzu is 4 yrs old
Hello, Steph,
Many dogs will accept the addition of psyllium mucilloid (Metamucil, or generic, unflavored equivalent thereof) mixed with the food. This is a very safe laxative for dogs with constipation problems. I usually add 1 teaspoon per 20 pounds of dog per feeding. This can be done regularly, or as needed for constipation.
I would be surprised if the signs you are seeing are simple constipation, though. I would be concerned about her anal sacs, a perineal hernia, or maybe severe constipation, where the colon is dilated.
I think a trip to your veterinarian is highly indicated. He/she may be able to make the diagnosis from a physical examination, but the swollen belly may indicate a need for X-rays or ultrasound exam.
Good luck.
This has been a wonderfully informative thread. I took my 2 dogs, a Pomeranian and a Keeshond, to the groomer at a chain store on Saturday at 9am. I picked them up at 1pm and the moment we returned home, my 3 year old 10lb Pomeranian started scooting, acting uncomfortable, whining, etc. I called the groomer who told me it was normal behavior after having their anal sacs emptied because hers was really full and it must just feel weird now after being emptied and that the weird feeling would go away in a couple hours. 3 hours go by and it’s the same behavior. I took my Pomeranian to the vet where a vet tech said everything looked normal (which it did, no inflammation or discharge) and that she felt the anal sacs and they felt empty so to wait 24 hours and come back if nothing has changed. 24 hours later, still the same behavior. I go back to the vet where the Veterinarian performs a rectal exam and says everything still looks normal, feels normal (empty), and gave me no explanation, medication or recommendations for my dog’s obvious pain / behavior. I decided to trust the vet and try and stop overreacting.
This morning, 48 hours later, my Pomeranian was still scooting (although not as much – before it was almost constant now it’s a couple times every hour or so) and acting a little lethargic. She eats and potties normally, but she doesn’t seem as energetic or happy as she did before the appointment at the groomers. Also today, the fur around her back end has been hard like it was wet then sticky, but there’s no foul smell. The skin of her anus seems to be a darker color now when it looked better yesterday and even the day before. I’m about to get a second opinion at a different vet, but you have been so knowledgeable about this issue in general so I thought I would check here first. I have metrodinazole on hand and can do the warm compress if you think that may help. I just don’t know what is wrong or why she would be acting weird all of a sudden AFTER the grooming appointment where they expressed her anal glands. She has NEVER had an issue before this. Maybe it’s sore because she has never had it done before? Maybe the did it incorrectly? My other dog is fine. I’m so worried about her lethargic behavior now in addition to the scooting. Ideas?
Hello, Crystal,
Once upon a time, I had a patient whose anal sacs were really full of really thick,dry secretion. In emptying them, I squeezed the dog hard enough to bruise the tissues.
When they are that difficult to empty, it is really better to sedate the patient and infuse some oily medication to loosen up the junk.
It is possible that this is what happened in your dog’s case. Initially, there wouldn’t be much to see or feel on examination. Later, one may or not be able to see the bruising from the outside.
I’m just guessing, since I haven’t had the opportunity to see the dog. I think that getting a second opinion is a good idea. Please remember that the situation may look a lot different when the second veterinarian sees it (compared to when the first doctor saw it). We can only go by what we see at the time (and what you tell us). The second doctor will have the advantage of knowing what has occurred over several days time.
I’m guessing that you may need some anti-inflammatory pain medicine, and perhaps the anal sacs will need to be infused with medication.
Good luck.
My poor dog is starting to feel left out of everything because of her stink. She’s an 11 y/o labrador who in the last year has gotten really stinky. This stuff literally drips down her butt while she’s just lying down with no excitement or stimulation, so you can imagine when something gets her going (like mommy coming home). I’ve brought her to the vet, the groomer, they can’t get anything out of her glands and say they aren’t impacted, so are they just overactive? I’m tired of wiping her butt every 2 hours. Please help. I feel so bad that no one wants her in the same room anymore.
Hello, Caitlin,
The sacs are supposed to empty spontaneously at the end of each bowel movement when the sphincter contracts to finish it off.
When a dog gets frightened enough to have a “butt-pucker moment” they often blow out spontaneously.
Steady dripping and drainage is quite unusual. I will put it up to a dermatology specialist and see if we can get more info.
The only thing I can think of to do would be a cytology exam on the secretion (looking at cells under the microscope) and possibly infusing the sacs with an anti-inflamatory medication to slow the production of the stuff.
Surgical removal of the sacs is another option. You’ll want a good surgeon who is experienced in the procedure so that they can minimize the anesthetic time for your older pet.
I have a Chihuahua around 8 years old. About two weeks ago I noticed she was acting more sluggish and laying around more than normal. She also had a very bad smell, kind of like old feces and iron, with some brownish red discharge coming from her bottom. That same day I realized she had worms. I went to the vet to get wormer and they informed me that she should not be smelling like that with just worms and if it did not go away in a couple of days to bring her in. I came home gave her the wormer and a bath. I haven’t really noticed anything else until the last couple of days. The smell came back, gradually stronger. Today I noticed the discharge was back. It is getting on things where she sits. Both smell and discharge are worse than before. She is not scooting around but is licking a lot. She seems to be going to the restroom regularly. I also noticed that she has two small bumps beside her anus. I have recently moved and know she has been more stressed than normal. She is usually very timid and doesn’t socialize well with people, just a chosen few. She also seems to be eating and drinking normally.
Hello, Shanda,
It certainly sounds like your dog is having anal sac problems.
You really should let your veterinarian examine her. She may need antibiotic treatment, she may need to have the sacs infused with medication.
Good luck.
Hi Doc,
Do you have any idea how great it is of you to take the time to do such Q&A with us worried, anxious, nervous wreck Humans with Pets? I just hope you really do realize what a wonderful thing it is you have done!! This is one of the BEST resources I have come across and am in awe of a very busy doctor taking so much EXTRA TIME. And I’m sure many animals, if they could, would thank you as well. And you have a daughter in the Peace Corps. Sounds like being helpful healers runs in the family 🙂
I did wonder as I read through, though, if it wouldn’t make things easier on you to collect your most frequently repeated advice efforts and put them under a category with a title like “Dog Got Bad Butt?” or something ( j/k about the category title ). I know my pets vet is one busy lady, even with two other veternarian partners, so your extra mile efforts are really very impressive – but…do you ever sleep?
I do my dogs anal sacs after watching my vet and my dogs near angelic willingness to tolerate my anxious prodings ( I tend towards extreme gentleness so don’t always get it on the first go ). ‘Normal’ discharge for him seems to be dark tan and with an odor, well, it probably wouldn’t do well as a designer perfume.
ONE pets specific detail did jump out at me though and that was regarding her dog seeming to sit in such a way that it appeared as if his rear legs were giving out, and you suspected possible spinal cord something…a bad back possibly that should be checked out.
OK, well, my dog does something similar but passes neuro exams ( physical ). My vet doesn’t feel that any test NEEDS to be done past that and she’s a good country doc.
Butt, I think sometimes when his glands are pestering him he just does not want to stand. He does sort of ‘plop’ his butt instead and looks at me. It’s obvious he WANTS to play, and tries, but will pain in the rear get worse with such efforts, and so the dog opts to just sit? Why would they want to sit on an area – apply pressure – that is swollen or painful?
I am going to try warm compresses tonite. He did expel some fluid, strike that, he SHOT FLUID OUT lol ( that’s a first btw ), last night with external expression. With his little fat butt, it’s not always easy to tell if both sacs are empty, or at least emptiER.
Which is better? Assume they didn’t completely empty and prod at a painful area to achieve that, or give it a couple more days or get him into the vet ASAP? If the dog is plopping or folding his butt in and acting more sedate, it’s kind of hard to determine wether to get brave and noodle around at the other sac or let the dog suffer till the vets can squeeze him in ( as they won’t see it as an ER, it could be a week! We’re in a rural area and this practice, even with three vets, serves MANY pets ).
Oh…if the dog is sleeping, but you think it’s a sac problem, do you wake them up to get the problem ‘solved’ or just let them sleep? That may seem like a weird question but it’s hard as a neurotic, worried, but loving pet friend to determine how fast sacs ‘go bad’ once full or not totally emptied 🙁 Does ever hour ‘count’ or are they cool to leave alone for a few hours or more?
THANK YOU x 100 if you answer this worried owners post. I’m sure you’re probably tired of or feel you like you do say the same things over and over, or have worked a normal 12 hour day and then take even more time to reach out to an online presence of humans stressing out over their furry friends!
P.S. The Metamucil tip! OMG, I never even heard of that and am going to try to sneak it into my dogs green beans 🙂
Bless you and your family!!
Skye
Hello, Skye,
Good thing this is email instead of paper, or you’d have killed a few trees with that one. Just kidding.
While there may be other problems, I think that sometimes a swollen sac is more uncomfortable versus painful. The scooting is simply an attempt to relieve the pressure caused by being over-full.
It is possible that the position in some way makes it feel better.
With overweight dogs, I often have to do a rectal exam in order to fully evaluate and empty the sacs. Sometimes I find a lot of tissue swelling that is internal and not visible from the outside.
I certainly would not wake my pet to work on some uncomfortable problem. Let them get what rest that they can.
If you are having persistent problems, then I would say that another trip to the veterinarian is in order.
Thanks for reading and writing.
My pug is about 3 years old and in the past year or so we have been experiencing an odor. It smells like dirty old pennies, metallic, a hand full of change… If he lays, sits or merely has his rear on a surface there is a small spot the size of a nickle that is absolutely putrid! However, this is the only time you smell it. Is this the smell of full sacs??? He is 25 lbs and is stocky build, will more exercise or a change in diet help???
Hello, Emily,
That certainly does sound like anal sac drainage.
I would recommend that you have your veterinarian examine your dog.
Dogs that are a bit overweight can have more problems with their anal sacs than they would otherwise.
Also, these dogs are more difficult to evaluate without a rectal examination.
There can be other problems in the area that are affecting the anal sacs, too. Again, a rectal examination by your veterinarian can be very helpful.
With chronic problems, sometimes the best solution is to remove the anal sacs surgically.
Good luck.
Very helpful, thank you! After reading all the comments I was sure draining the glands was the first thing we need to check after my 7-year-old asked why Molly, our 6-year-old Black Lab smelled like pennies. Whew! Talk about a metallic/fishy stink! We’ve taken her in a few times this last year because she was scooting, but this time there was none of that, just the smell. We just got home from the groomers and as expected they did need draining, so hopefully that will take care of the problem. (gladly pay $10 to have someone else do the dirty work) I will update with any pertinent developments.
Hello, Annkrestene,
Thanks for reading and writing.
i believe my dog chance a 9yr old Siberian Husky has Perianal Fistulas… he has 3 openings around his anus. And he stinks horribly, they look like tunnels and they bleed every now and again, is there anything i can do since i can’t afford surgery or to take him into the vet at the moment. He isn’t scootching, and acts like himself just a little more liking of his rear. If there is anything you could give advice to help me out i would love it thanks a bunch
Hello, Stephanie,
Some of these require antibiotic therapy, some require immunosuppressive drugs, some require surgery.
The only home remedy that may be of benefit would be to apply a hot compress to improve circulation and keep the area clean.
I usually run a pan of water as hot as I can stand to put my own hand into, and use a clean cloth to apply moist heat for 10 to 15 minutes, three times daily.
Your dog really needs to see the veterinarian.
Good luck.
Don’t want to write too much 😉 but visited back by and noticed the post about being unable to afford veternarian care by one poster.
There are options sometimes but you have to dig for them AND your vet, or one you inquire to, must be willing to accept the payment. I’m referring to organizations such as PetSamaritan ( I forget the url – Google it :)), who can sometimes help with costs for owners who are in a serious pinch. They do not pay the owner. They pay the vet directly. Org’s such as theirs are good ones to donate to when you have extra money again, or now.
The other is your local pawn shop. Seriously, if your dog needs to see a vet try to find something you can pawn to pay the bill. Don’t be embarassed about it, that’s almost universally what pawn shops see in terms of customers and our pets shouldn’t have to suffer because of something like ego.
Also check with your local SPCA about what you might do. They may be able to recommend a vet who can work with you on a sliding scale or be willing to work on a payment system.
You can also Google around and see if there are any ‘no kill’ adoption orgs in your area. If you call them too, they may have some ideas about how to get your pet needed health care.
IMHO, doing stuff like the above is better than waiting till the pet is REALLY in a bind because something got worse, and you’re going to wind up looking at a bigger bill anyway.
Thanks Doc for letting me share this info, especially during this awful recession that’s impacting people and then their pets. I’ve seen too many people ‘dumping’ their pets, literally, and this dooms the animal to potential abuse, starvation ( a painful thing ), and often death. It’s sad because it’s an avoidable decision but a lot of people just don’t know there are resources out there to help.
Thanks for reading and writing.
My 4 year old lab has seemed to always let “bombs” or secretions. They are an unmistakeable odor. Lately this seems to be happening at least once a day and he is ruining whatever he is sitting on at the time. These have been in the past but mostly not stress related. In fact hell be sitting there and randomly start smelling towards his butt sit up and start licking the fishy odor. Why is this happening every day? He is on high end dog food and has relatively hard stools. If we milk the glands I fear it will only be band aiding the problem. Anything we can try before popping meds and certainly not surgery to try and fix?
Hello, Rachel,
You really should have those anal sacs checked by you veterinarian. From you description, it sounds like they may be infected.
It is possible that infusing the sacs with an antibiotic/anti-inflammatory ointment (like Otomax) may be what is needed.
Surgical removal is usually not necessary, but sometimes is the only remedy.
I really can’t give you much long-distance advice on this one. It’s a hands-on situation.
Thanks for reading and writing.
I have a chinese crestepoo (dad was chinese creste and mom was poodle) she will be year old Jan. 8. I took her to vet today because she was gagging and throwing up white foam liquid and stopped eating today. She had eaten a halls cherry cough drop…paper and all. She also has a strong odor coming from her anus. The vet gave her fluids and amoxocillin. She has eatin some chicken/rice and has kept down fine. No bowel movement yet. She did pee and it look like it had a pink color. My vet is closed and the nearest one is an hour away. Could the pink come from cherry cough drop or is this definetly blood in urine now?
Hello, Teresa,
I would not expect the red food coloring in the cough drop to show up in the urine. You should let your veterinarian know about this.
Blood is the most likely explanation for the red color. This could be anything from a bladder infection to a stone, to hemolysis (where the blood cells rupture and the red stuff comes out in the urine).
This is new information that your veterinarian did not have when he/she saw your dog, and you should let them know about it.
Good luck.
Hello, just a quick question, my dog has had a ‘sour’ smell, no matter how often we bathe her it does not go away, i started research and thought this may be the cause of her smell however the smell is more concentrated to her fur, smell transfers to your hands when you pet or scratch her, its really a disgusting sour dairy-ish smell, i was sure that this was her problem however she is not rubbing her butt on the floor or showing discomfort of any kind, but the smell persists despite above normal frequent bathing, not to the point of drying her skin out, but definitely more then you should be washing your dog…. what could this be?
Hello, Natalia,
I would not think that anal sac odor would be “all over the dog”. I don’t recall dogs with a “sour” smell, but it would be easy to have a misunderstanding as to what that word signifies to each of us.
The overall body odors that I have seen in clean dogs have been more related to seborrhea, which I would call a “rancid” smell.
Seborrheic dogs feel kind of greasy or oily. Most of them are secondary to excessive scratching, though there are cases of primary seborrhea.
My recommendation would be to take her to your veterinarian when she is in full stinky mode. If you take her right after a bath, the doctor won’t be able to tell much about it.
Good luck.
Hi, I have a Yorkie with a smelly rear-end. I was wondering can some dog foods be to rich causing her to smell bad. She smells bad after going outside to potty-she smells when she has laid around in her bed most of the day-she only licks her self when I leave her at the house by herself to go to town. I have purchased a collar so she can’t get back there and lick and waud her hair up in a knot-I have recently shaved her tail and rear area. I had switched foods and she has been on this food for almost year and have been noticing the smelly rear coming back-there is no scooting or such going on-I will bathe her once to twice a week because of the smell-since the collar is on when I leave her I was hoping that would control some of the smell like from her licking and just her smelly bum mixture but have found that I still have the smell but no licking. And it is wierd that she will only lick when I leave her at home. Hope you can help, Angie
Hello, Angela,
I have not seen a problem with any particular foods causing an odor in the dog.
Anal sac odor is very potent. Even a small leakage, if on the dog rather than the ground, will give a persistent and unpleasant smell.
My best recommendation is for you to have your dog examined by you veterinarian to rule out medical sources of the odor, including the anal sacs.
Good luck.
Hi!
My 9lb. dog had an anal gland rupture and we visited a new vet who gave us amoxicillin for 7 days and an ointment. He didn’t clean out the abscess and I actually expressed a lot of pus out of the wound when I got home after leaving the clinic. I have been applying hot compresses 2x/day, as well as the ointment into the wound. Do you think this will work out okay? I haven’t seen any more pus since yesterday (first day of treatment). This morning redness was better around her wound, but sort of reddened again, once I applied the ointment into the wound. I was thinking of flushing the wound with some saline solution? What do you think? If so, what ratio of solution would be good? I have also wondered if applying honey (or adding into a saline solution) would help the healing hasten? I was not pleased that the vet didn’t clean out the wound so not sure if I want to return to this clinic again. What do you think about my dog’s situation? Thanks!
Hello, Skyler,
I can’t really prescribe for you without seeing your dog.
Generally speaking, you have to be careful about flushing, as too much pressure can force junk into other tissue planes, actually spreading the inflammation and infection.
Saline should be the same concentration as body fluids, so this is 0.9% sodium chloride in water.
I have used honey on broad open wounds under a bandage. It is helpful in some cases. I have no experience packing it into a cavity, so I cannot advise you on that. Totally different situation.
Continuing the hot compresses for 10 to 15 minutes 2 to 3 times daily will probably do as much to clean the wound as anything. I usually just run a pan of water as hot as I can stand to keep my own hand immersed in. Then I soak a towel and use that. As the towel is taken on and off to re-soak, it carries away most of the drainage.
If things do not appear to be steadily improving, be sure to let the veterinarian know. They may need to re-evaluate the situation, or change antibiotics.
Thanks a lot for the information. I will continue with the compresses and forget about the flushing. She’s gotten antsy about me even applying the ointment, so I was only able to apply it to the outside of the abscess tonight. The abscess still looks open and is still a bit red. I only started with the antibiotics Monday, so it’s just been 3 days. When should the redness be expected to go away or should I reconsult considering the timeline? I only have a 7 day course of antibiotics. Again, thanks!
Hi:) please don’t hate me!
My dog:
13 year old , staff mix ( an actual staff:)) and is in very good shape.
So the Bad dog mom that I am, I noticed my dogs anal gland infection, too fullness, abscess whatever it is. Sat night, so I wasn’t gonna take her to our emergency clinic and was gonna wait till Monday plus Murphy’s law happened to me last week and yea… So I doctored myself.. Under the condition i would see improvement by Monday.
I tried to express it internally and I got it all out with little trouble through the duct. It was soft but still gritty blackish stuff, after all that was out there was a pinkish fluid which I’m guessing was the infection?
After all was said and done, I guess she had an abcess , bec it ruptured the day later the same pinkish fluid came out .. But no dark gritty stuff.
So I put her on amoxicillin & metacam which I had at the house…I flushed the abcess and the gland with chlorhexidine ( that wasn’t the best to use?. After the swelling went down , I check to see if the duct was still open , it is, I kept the abcess open with warm compresses and cleaning it with that chlor stuff. It looks grand! Beautiful butt.. Basically back to normal , except for the abcess which I fought to keep open .so now I started filling it with neosporin… I’m so freaking out about the neosporin bec I wasn’t able to get my hands on panalog! I’m about to crawl back to my very handsome vet and confess what I did! what about the sac, what if it did rupture? Will it still heal up. See also I still feel the enlarged kinda hard sac in there although u can’t see it on the outside at all anymore, it went from lemon size on the outside to a raw almond size on the inside with the empty pocket above it… Wait… If the sac was ruptured , would the neosporin come out of the duct? Hmm
I’m a total mess…
I really appreciate your time spent on me! Thank you!
Oh I forgot , it’s been almost six days now… , I stopped giving her the metacam , she usually only gets it for bad day joint pain…
Hello, Skyler,
It’s really hard for me to estimate your dog’s progress, since I’ve never seen it. I’d say average recoveries are 7 to 14 days.
If it’s not looking pretty great at 5 days, as in much improved, I’d be going back to the veterinarian.