Impacted Anal Glands: What It Is, How to Spot It, and What to Do When it Happens in Your Fur Family

Impacted anal glands are painful and itchy for dogs who suffer from them, but they can get even worse if they’re not treated. Here’s what you need to know to help your pup.

Key takeaways:

• Most dogs are affected by impacted anal glands at some point in their lives.

• Without proper care, impacted anal glands can lead to more significant health issues.

• Dog parents can express anal glands at home, but doing so can be risky.

Talk about a pain in the butt! Impacted anal glands are a problem for most dogs at some point. These glands are painful and itchy when they swell, and dog parents are left to deal with the butt dragging, fishy-smelling results. Worse yet, impacted anal glands can lead to issues more severe than itchy rears.

Anal glands are what dogs use to mark their territory. They’re somewhere between the size of a pea and a kidney bean, depending on the breed, and are located on either side of the anus. A pup’s sphincter muscles contract and drain the glands when it poops, leaving behind a scent that is unique to that dog. Other dogs passing by pick up the smell and can tell if they've met before (and if they like each other).

Sometimes, the anal glands don't entirely vacate. Instead, the secretions linger inside, become thicker and impact the glands. Infection can set in without proper care, resulting in abscess, inflammation called “cellulitis” in the surrounding tissue, or even rupture. Here’s how to tell if your dog is suffering from impacted anal glands, what to do about it, and how to keep it from turning into something worse.

Signs of impacted anal glands

Attentive dog parents can tell when something seems off with their fur babies. Fortunately, it isn’t hard to tell when your dog is having problems with their anal glands. The most apparent sign is scooting their butts across a carpeted floor, which can soothe the itching. Sometimes impacted anal glands are too painful for scooting, though. Other symptoms include:

• Blood or pus left behind in their beds

• Bulging rectums

• Chewing at their hips or base of their tails

• Excessive anal licking

• Painful and bloody poop

• Reluctance to sit

Some dogs can even have trouble walking because of excessive swelling and pain.

How to keep impacted anal glands at bay

Impacted anal glands are going to happen sooner or later. It’s unfortunately a part of canine life, but much of it is avoidable with some simple health and wellness tips. Keep your pup healthy with:

Regular vet visits

Every fur family should schedule routine trips to the vet. Vets handle vaccinations, run bloodwork and other tests, and check all their patients’ major health points – including anal glands. This ensures the glands are not impacted and are fully expressed and clean. If impacted anal glands are a continual problem in your fur family, a vet can help determine why and what you can do to prevent a recurrence.

Diet and weight

Keeping your dog at its ideal weight is essential for preventing anal gland impaction and other doggy disorders, such as arthritis and degenerative joint disease. Consistent diet and treats are equally important. A dog’s digestive system is different from humans’ because it doesn’t require a large variety of foods. In fact, straying from a dog’s usual food can cause diarrhea, which is too thin to help excrete the anal glands and exacerbates impactions. Dog treats that are hard to digest – like rawhides and jerky sticks – can also cause diarrhea and start the painful process all over again. Adding fiber to your dog’s diet can be helpful, however, because it bulks up a dog’s poop so it can push out more of the secretions as it exits the body. Fish oil is another useful diet addition because it is a natural anti-inflammatory.

Routine dog care visits

Caring for your dog’s health and wellness goes beyond required vaccinations and vet checks, though. Dog care specialists maintain your precious pet’s teeth, nails, hygiene, and even externally express the anal glands to prevent impaction. The most valuable benefit of a dog care specialist is that they can spot trouble before it occurs in many instances, however. These experts are trained in the warning signs and can alert dog parents early – before their fur family is negatively affected.

Express anal glands at home

It’s possible to express your dog’s anal glands at home, although its one of the worst tasks a dog parent must endure. It’s messy, smelly and, if not done correctly, can cause the impaction to worsen. Here’s what to know about it:

• Expression is either external or internal.

• External expression requires mild pressure on either side of the anal glands until the secretions begin to drip.

• Inner expression entails inserting the tip of your finger in the anal opening and gently squeezing each anal gland.

• Internal expression empties the glands better than external.

• The potential for harm means it’s best to let the professionals handle expression.

What dog parents should know about abscess, cellulitis, and rupture

Impacted anal glands must be drained or the secretions build up until infection occurs. The glands then become inflamed and eventually rupture. If this happens, dog parents may notice small openings ripped into the flesh beside the anal opening. Most often, blood and pus are present. Either way, a trip to the vet is necessary. The anal glands are sometimes removed if impaction and infection happen regularly.

Vet and dog care specialist visits go a long way in maintaining overall good health and keeping anal glands from becoming impacted. A consistent, healthy diet is equally vital in the fight against impaction and another way to keep overall health in tiptop condition.

Dog care specialists with heart

Taking care of your dog’s anal glands is critical in their health and wellness, as are other routine preventive care and cleaning practices. Scenthound is a convenient, affordable solution for routine dog care that revolutionizes how pet parents keep their fur families clean and healthy. Our wellness-focused, membership-based dog care company centers services around routine and preventive care for dogs in five core areas: Skin, Coat, Ears, Nails, and Teeth (SCENT).

Contact Scenthound today for help giving your pet the best life possible.