Introduction

Anal sac “disease” in dogs is a generic term which includes anal sac impaction, anal sacculitis, anal sac abscesses and anal sac neoplasia (cancer, which usual involves anal sac adenocarcinoma of the apocrine glands, or squamous cell carcinoma). A dog living with anal sac disease usually will experience pain and discomfort in its rear end or anal area. Owners may be able to assess the level of their pet’s’ discomfort by listening to their dog and acknowledging its body language.

Signs of Discomfort Caused by Anal Sac Disease

One significant sign of anal sac discomfort is scooting, or rubbing, of the backside against the ground, or licking or biting at the rear area. Although these signs of discomfort are not a pleasant experience for either you or your dog, they can be avoided or hopefully prevented with some managed care techniques. This scooting behavior is usually caused by some impaction of the anal sac ducts.

Bloody and/or pus discharge from the area, and/or a foul odor, may also be present.

Managing Anal Sac Disease in Dogs

Once impaction of the anal sacs is confirmed by digital rectal examination (as opposed to possible neoplasia/cancer), the first form of managed care is to manually drain the anal sacs. This can be done by squeezing the sacs together and pushing out the liquid. This will result in a foul order following the draining of the fluid or pus; however, it also will provide relief to your dog. Your veterinarian is the best one to perform this procedure. Often your veterinarian will flush the anal sacs with sterile saline, an antibiotic or an antibiotic and corticosteroid combination. Sedation may be necessary for this procedure. In addition, another form of managed care is to supplement your dog’s diet with more fiber, to increase stool bulk. A proven diet to help your dog’s anal sac disease is one high in fiber and low in saturated fats. Good sources of fiber include: whole oats, brown rice, and wheat bran.

In extreme cases, surgically removing the inflamed anal sacs may be necessary, which is called an anal sacculectomy. Since this is risky at times, it is only performed if your veterinarian determines that it is necessary.

The prognosis for dogs with non-neoplastic anal sac disease is good. Most animals will respond well to medical management as described above. The prognosis is also fairly good if the anal glands are surgically removed. However, if the anal sacs are cancerous, the prognosis is fair to guarded.