The glands in dogs

In the sphincter of the anus there are two small odor glands called glands. They produce an oily brownish liquid with a foul smell, which usually enters the stool through two drains. By nature, dogs do this to mark a territory and to recognize the pack. Furthermore, glands are emptied if the dog is startled or afraid of something. A healthy gland is about the same size as a large pea and cannot be seen or felt under the skin. The glands are diagonally under the anus on the left and right. When the glands become overcrowded and-or inflamed, they become palpable and look like two sturdy spheres. If you can feel an gland, it means it's overcrowded.   

Symptoms of full or inflamed  anal glands in dogs

Dogs with full or inflamed glands suffer from irritation, itching and sometimes pain. Therefore, they bite or lick a lot near the glands, or rub the ground with his buttocks. In severe cases, the irritation can spread throughout the body. Also, the dog can start to smell. In a short-haired dog, there is already some swelling under the tail. Dogs that suffer from fleas or tapeworms can have the same kind of complaints. So at least make sure you have a good defrosting  and  deworming  agent.

Problems with the anal glands

It can vary per dog to what extent they suffer from gland problems. One dog never suffers from it, while in another dog the problem comes back continuously. One of the causes of overfilled  anal glands is too weak stools. If the stool is too thin, the sacs cannot be completely emptied during defecation. If the sacs tear, the contents end up in the surrounding tissue. This causes a bump under the anus, also called an gland inflammation. It can happen that this bump pops open and blood and pus comes out.

Treatment of full or inflamed anal glands

A grooming salon or veterinarian can rinse the bags, making it easier for the contents to come out. In addition, an antibiotic ointment is often left in the sac.

You can also try this yourself if your dog suffers from this more often. First, ask an experienced person how this works. It is recommended to put this on outside and disposable gloves. Keep the tail straight up, this will make the glands clearly visible. Next, you need to hold a piece of kitchen paper against the anus to be able to absorb the contents. Place your thumb and index finger on the left and right sides of the two glands and squeeze them together. If the problem keeps returning, you can have the glands surgically removed. However, this operation carries the risk that the sphincter of the anus can be damaged. This can cause the dog to have difficulty stopping its stool.