Anal glands in dogs and cats

The anal glands in dogs and cats, also known as anal sacs, are located between the internal and external sphincter of the anus and discharge through two ducts beside the anus. When swollen, these sacs can be seen externally to the side and slightly below the anus. Normally functioning anal glands secrete a strong-smelling, brown to loamy oily liquid. In addition to marking the territory between dogs, the function of the liquid is also to find the habitat from a long distance. In our pets, this function has largely been lost. The glands are still there and are normally emptied during defecation. In addition, they can also empty themselves in "panic" circumstances, for example in the consulting room of the veterinarian.

It can regularly happen that the anal glands of a dog or cat do not empty themselves properly. The contents of the sacs have then often changed into a dark brown/greyish brown paste. The irritation caused by this will cause the dog or cat to lick and bite under the base of the tail, belly, flank and/or rub the ground with its hindquarters ("sledding").

In most cases it is sufficient to empty the glands. For support we recommend a supplement such as Anal Gland Support, together with fibre-rich food if the dog or cat also suffers from thin stools. If you find it difficult to choose the right product, please contact us directly so we can advise you! 

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