***Dog Glands – The Best Tips for Eliminating Problems

By Janie Knetzer, The Official Guide to Pets

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Oval-shaped glands can be found in the anus of every dog. These small glands are known as anal sacs or anal glands. They are used to secrete a foul liquid used by early dogs in marking their territories. Though modern dogs are usually domesticated animals and house pets, they still release pungent liquid when they get scared or alarmed. Some pets encounter problems in their dog glands causing them to be ill and irritated.

Listed below are symptoms of this common dog problem:

• Sensitivity to touch in the tail and back end area
• Excessive licking of the tail base or anus
• Rubbing the anus against the ground, also known as scooting
• Swelling in the anal area
• Hesitant to sit with their anal area on the ground to avoid pressure in the glands
• Difficulty in defecating, or having a ribbon-like bowel

All breeds and sizes can encounter dog anal gland problems.

Tips on how to eliminate such issues can be classified into two, those that can be done at home and those that should be done by a Veterinarian. Some dog glands procedures used in Veterinary clinics include:

1. Expression
This procedure involves manual squeezing of the sacs to release its fluid. The veterinarian will first assess its firmness, size, and the response of the dog every time the sacs are squeezed. Anesthesia or sedation will be required if the sacs are too firm or the dog is having too much pain for every squeeze.

2. Irrigation
Anal sacs that cannot be expressed should be irrigated. Dogs will be given anesthesia, and saline will be flushed to the sac opening to dissolve the firm secretion and empty the sacs. A series of anal irrigation should be done for severe cases of anal sacs problems.

3. Lancing
This is very similar with irrigation, except that the sacs are being manually opened instead of being dissolved with saline solution. Anal sacs are being opened, or “lanced”, and drained from all its secretions. Saline solution will then be flushed to the opening, and antibiotics will be used to treat any infection that occurred due to accumulation of fluid in the sacs.

4. Sacculectomy
It refers to surgical removal of either one or both of the anal sacs. Veterinarians recommend this procedure for recurring cases of anal glands problems and in more complicated health issue like anal sac tumor. The following are some risks related to sacculectomy:

• Short-term involuntary defecation
• Allergic reactions with general anesthesia
• Difficulty in defecating due to post-operative scars

5. Lymph Node Removal
Tumor that already spread from anal sacs to sublumbar lymph nodes will require this operation. It could result to permanent involuntary urination because nerves that control urination are near the lymph nodes.

6. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be done in conjunction with radiation therapy. It provided varying results to dogs with anal sac tumor that developed into cancer. These therapies can only guarantee to prolong the life of dogs and not complete recovery from cancer.

The best way to eliminate problem dog glands is to prevent the problem from occurring. This can be achieved through healthy diet and proper nutrition. Dogs can be gradually exposed to vegetables and fruits to increase their fiber intake.

• One tablespoon of canned pumpkin can be added in a meal
• Dog snacks can be in the form of baby carrots, or apple wedges with no seeds
Transition period should be within a week, and avoid too much fiber to prevent loose stools. Other high-fiber foods for dogs are:
• Tomatoes with no leaves and stem
• Celery
• Parsley
• Banana
• Orange
• Zucchini
• Asparagus

Not all fruits and vegetables are safe for dogs. Be sure to consult your Veterinarian to ensure their safety.

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