ANAL SAC DISEASE
(by Dr Jason Smith 2005)
Anal sacs (often incorrectly called "glands") are located on either side of the anus at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions. They are positioned just under the skin connected to the anus by means of small canals or ducts. Anal glands produce and store a dark, foul-smelling fluid. Because the sacs are rarely emptied, the fluid builds up, solidifies, and becomes an ideal environment in which bacteria can grow.
There are 3 diseases that occur in the anal sacs:
- Fluid becomes thick and solidified, the condition is called impaction.
- Bacteria grow in this material producing a yellow or bloody pus, the condition is called infection.
- Infection builds to create a hot, tender swelling in the sac, the condition is called an abscess. When the abscessed material overflows the sac, the skin over the sac breaks open, and the pus drains onto the skin.
Symptoms of anal sac disease include:
- Scooting or dragging the anal area.
- Excessive licking around the tail.
- Pain, sometimes severe, near the tail or anus.
- A swollen area on either side of the anus.
- Bloody or sticky drainage on either side of the anus.
How are the various anal gland diseases treated? The treatment for impaction is to express (squeeze out) the sacs and clean out the solidified material. For infection, the sacs must be expressed and antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories administered to kill the bacteria and provide pain relief respectively. Surgical drainage is required for abscesses.
Many dogs have recurrent anal sac disease. Most cases can be treated medically and with regular sac expression. The only permanent cure is to surgically remove the anal sacs. A potential complication from the surgery is a lack of good bowel control because the nerves that control the anus are very near the anal sacs and may be damaged during surgery. However, this is almost always a temporary problem that will usually resolve in a few weeks.
