Dog Anal Glands

Most people never even think about dog anal glands until their pet develops a problem. Learn more about what they are and how they function.

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Dog anal glands are two small glands located on either side of your dog's rectal opening. Each gland holds a small amount of a noxious smelling liquid brown substance that your pet uses as something of a doggie calling card.

Whenever your dog urinates or defecates, the anal glands receive a small amount of pressure, and a tiny bit of the fluid is released, along with your dog's custom blended scent. Your dog can also express a little of his personal essence when he meets a fellow canine. Have you ever noticed that when two dogs meet, they often raise their tails on high alert? This action applies the pressure to the dog anal glands, and this leads to the traditional butt sniffing we humans cannot seem to fathom. However, to our dogs this behavior is as normal as shaking hands when you meet someone new. By sniffing, the dogs learn to identify each other by their scents. Equate it with exchanging business cards, and you have the idea.

If you're alarmed at this point about all this expressing going on, don't be. Remember that a dog's sense of smell is light years beyond our own, so the amount of the actual expressions are minute, and you'll likely never smell anything yourself unless your dog develops an anal gland infection.

Many dogs never seem to have a problem with their anal glands, but the opportunity for infection to take hold is always there. When the anal glands are not sufficiently expressed, bacteria is given the chance to build up, and this can lead to numerous problems. Your dog can develop an infection, which if left untreated can progress into an abscess. The abscess can then rupture through the skin, leading to further complications.

It's believed that dog anal gland problems can be linked to the quality of pet food a dog receives. Inexpensive brands of dog food use a lot of cereal fillers, which tend to make soft stools. The soft stool isn't able to press firmly enough against the dog's anal glands to provide the necessary pressure to express them, and there the trouble begins. Higher quality dog foods that produce a firmer, more compact stool actually aid the expressing of dog anal glands and, therefore, may be a better food choice for your pet.

If your dog's anal glands fail to properly express, they may actually become impacted, making your dog very uncomfortable. Watch for these signs:

• Your dog begins scooting or dragging his rear across the floor.
• Your dog keeps licking or chewing near his rectum.
• Your dog's stools have become soft and mushy.
• You'll likely notice a foul or "fishy" odor coming from your dog's rear.

If you are noticing one or more of these signs, it may be a good idea to take your dog in for a check up with his vet. The dog anal glands may actually need to be manually expressed, a job best left to the professionals. Some professional dog groomers will also perform this procedure for you at your request.

Many breeders and owners feel capable of expressing their dog's anal glands themselves. However, one should be prepared for the anal gland secretions to appear and smell quite disgusting. If you feel this is a task you are willing to perform, here are some basic directions. Please be advised, that you should only perform this procedure on your own dogs and never someone else's.

1. Prepare a warm moist washcloth.
2. Locate your dog's anal glands by raising his tail and using your other hand to feel for two lumps at approximately five and seven o'clock on either side of his anal opening.
3. Holding the cloth over his anal opening to prevent an unpleasant squirt, begin applying firm but gentle pressure to the sacs. This should cause some of the fluid to be expelled through the rectal opening, thereby emptying the glands. Wipe your dog's behind clean, and the job should be finished.

If you notice blood or pus in your dog's anal gland secretions, it is likely a sign of infection, and you should contact your vet for an appointment and treatment.

To talk about this health issue and more, visit LTK's Dog Forum.

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