Many
pets are presented to us with the complaint of “scooting”
their bottoms on the floor. There are
many possible reasons for this, but the most common one is
caused by inflammation of the anal sacs.
The anal sacs or anal glands are paired glands located
around the rectum at the 4:00 and 8:00 positions of a clock
face. The glands are sandwiched inside
the muscles of the anal sphincter and cannot be seen from
the exterior of the pet. Each gland has a small opening into
the anal area. The glands create a very
noxious smelling substance that is used by pets to mark
their territory.
The pet may empty the anal glands voluntarily or, in times
of excitement, they may empty spontaneously.
In general, the anal gland secretions have a very
long lasting “fishy” odor. These
secretions take on different consistencies from pet to pet.
In some animals, they are very liquid in substance, while in
others; they can become thick and pasty.
Why is my pet scooting?
If
the opening to the gland gets clogged, or the secretions get
too thick to pass readily through the openings, pressure may
build up in the glands. This pressure
may be itchy, painful or both. The pet
will frequently scoot their bottom in an attempt to empty
the gland.
Is an impacted gland
dangerous?
Anal sacs live right near the rectum and so are exposed to
the bacteria in the feces on a
constant basis. If the opening to the
gland clogs up, bacteria can become trapped in the gland and
cause an abscess to form. These
abscesses are generally quite painful and the pet will not
only scoot the rectum on the floor, but will usually try to
lick the area on a constant basis.
Frequently, the abscessed gland will rupture at a spot near
the rectum. When it does so, a mixture
of blood, pus and anal sac material will start to drain out.
What should I do if my pet is
scooting?
A
trained veterinarian or veterinary technician can clean out
the anal sacs. In order to do this
properly, a gloved, lubricated finger must be inserted in
the rectum in order to grasp the anal gland from both sides.
Pressure is applied until
the anal gland secretions are forced through the opening.
Care must be taken not to rupture the gland during
this procedure. Frequently, the pet must be sedated or
anesthetized to accomplish this task. If the gland opening
cannot be cleared in this fashion, the pet must be
anesthetized and an attempt to flush open the gland is made.
Some pets will have this problem on a recurring basis.
Sometimes, we can help prevent recurrence by infusing
the gland with an antibiotic/steroid ointment.
In addition, antibiotics and/or cortisone may be
given to help reduce the pain and inflammation in the
region.
If a pet
has this problem regularly, or the glands cannot be cleaned
out, they can be removed surgically to eliminate the problem
all together. Recently, we have been
utilizing a laser scalpel to facilitate this surgery with
great success. Removal of the glands has
a small incidence of complications (about 10%), which
include: Infection in the region or
partial or complete loss of sphincter control.
In most cases, any loss of sphincter control will be
temporary.
How do we treat anal gland
abscesses?
When the
anal gland abscesses, it is best treated by surgery.
The abscessed gland usually ruptures and spreads
infection into the surrounding tissue.
With surgical treatment, we can open up the abscess and
establish drainage for the infection to come to the outside
of the body. At the same time, we can
get a sample of the bacteria in the wound to send to the lab
for a culture and sensitivity test, which will help us,
determine the correct antibiotic therapy.
Usually, a plastic drain is placed to permit any pus
to continue to drain out for a number of days post
operatively. Antibiotics are
administered by injection before surgery and are continued
for 7 to 14 days post op. Most pets
require an Elizabethan collar after surgery to prevent them
from licking the wound or pulling out the drain or sutures.
Are there other problems with
the anal glands?
Anal
glands may develop tumors in them. When
they do, they can be either malignant (will spread into
other parts of the body) or benign (stay in one place).
When tumors arise in the anal sacs, they can be
difficult to distinguish from anal sac abscesses.
In fact, it is possible to get both at the same time.
If there is any suspicion at the time of surgery, a
biopsy should be sent to the laboratory.
