Where are the dog’s anal glands?

The dog rubs its butt on the ground, raises its feet to lick its butt, and has difficulty passing stool. These may be caused by the dog’s anal gland outlet being blocked. So what are anal glands?
The location of the anal glands is a pear-shaped sac-like gland on the left and right below the anus (i.e., the 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions on the clock), which store liquid containing pheromones. Typically, when dogs poop, they pass these liquids, which smell differently from dog to dog, to mark their territory. Therefore, when dogs come into contact with the same kind, sniffing is an important etiquette - by smelling the scent near each other's anal glands, they can improve their understanding of each other.

Normal anal glands are not very important in the eyes of owners, but once the glands become inflamed or diseased, dogs often make strange dragging movements, sometimes accompanied by With frequent butt licking and various discomforts during defecation, it is difficult to ignore. According to research, about one in 10 dogs suffer from anal gland disease to varying degrees; generally speaking, smaller dogs are more likely to suffer from anal gland disease than large dogs.

So rather than suspecting that your dog has suddenly learned a trick, the correct approach should be to take him to the veterinarian.

Causes of anal glands in dogs

Now that we understand that these strange movements may indicate anal gland problems, where do these problems come from? Directly speaking, whether the fluid inside the anal gland can be discharged normally is an important factor in determining health. Red and swollen anal glands in dogs are usually caused by blockage of the glands caused by excessive accumulation of fluid. If not treated in time, the inflammation may become more serious.

Causes of dog anal gland blockage

1) Soft feces: Since the anal glands are closely related to the defecation process, the state of the poop will naturally affect the function of the glands. healthy. Normal dog poop should be firm and solid so that the fluid in the glands is released by squeezing the anus during defecation. Conversely, poop that lacks sufficient firmness makes it difficult to help clear the glands during elimination. Over time, fluid accumulates and the glands become clogged.
Tracing back to the root cause, unreasonable diet is a common factor leading to soft stools. On the one hand, due to insufficient fiber content in food, it is difficult to form stool. On the other hand, food may contain ingredients that dogs are allergic to (common such as gluten). These ingredients are difficult to digest and absorb, causing soft stools or even diarrhea.
Of course, intestinal infection can cause soft stools and even diarrhea. Correspondingly, dogs can also have symptoms such as anorexia and mental depression.
2) Body size:

Research shows that obese dogs may be more susceptible to anal gland disease than slim dogs. The possible reason is that the fat accumulated in the buttocks, especially near the anus, will reduce the squeezing force on the anal glands during defecation, leading to fluid excretion.Endless.
3) Perianal problems: Perianal problems, whether natural or acquired, will also make dogs more susceptible to anal gland disease. Born with structural defects such as narrow anal gland ducts - making the process of draining fluid more difficult and making the glands more susceptible to obstruction. Acquired perianal wound infection and even tumors may also cause gland lesions.

Treatment and prognosis of dog anal gland problems

Under normal circumstances, dogs can express their anal glands once every one to two months. Once the dog appears to drag its lower body, If you experience frequent licking around the anus and discomfort during defecation, you must seek medical attention promptly. Depending on the severity of the problem, your veterinarian will take different measures. Relatively mild redness and swelling only require manual squeezing and cleaning of the anal glands, and medication if necessary; but if it is a serious infection or even a lesion, surgery may be required.
In addition, based on the understanding of the details of the dog’s daily feeding, the veterinarian may give further diagnosis in order to make adjustments: Dogs with soft stools or diarrhea may need to eat food after ruling out intestinal diseases. Content adjustment. Obese dogs need to lose weight while treating their anal glands. For problems caused by perianal defects or other infections, it is more important to find the lesions and solve them through surgery if necessary.
In short, the treatment plan should strictly follow the doctor's instructions. At the same time, in daily life, you also need to maintain good feeding methods to avoid recurrence: for example, try not to feed your dog human food - things that are not suitable for the dog's digestive system All may cause abnormal bowel movements; ensure frequency of exercise - after all, for fat dogs, in addition to anal gland disease, there are many other hidden dangers, etc.

How to clean the anal glands

If you have ever taken your dog outside to bathe, you may have seen the operation of cleaning the dog’s anal glands. Indeed, many veterinary hospitals or specialized pet grooming institutions provide this service, which is usually performed by a beautician before or after bathing the dog. At the same time, if you search for anal gland diseases, there will definitely be anal gland cleaning guides like this on the Internet↓

First, use your index finger and thumb to feel at the four and eight o'clock positions just below the anus (or Near the top of the hip bone), you can feel two bulging little bags, which are the anal glands.
Then start from the inside out, from light to heavy, repeat several times.
If the correct position of the anal gland is found before, then we will soon hear the sound of fluid coming out of the anal gland.
There are many discussions about manual cleaning of anal glands, but the mainstream view is that dogs with normal anal gland function can usually excrete the fluid in the glands with defecation, so they do not need the help of owners and groomers. If your dog does not have anal gland problems, no additional operations are required, and the groomer can skip this step at the hospital. But for onceFor dogs who have had or are experiencing anal gland problems, the most important thing is to listen to their doctor. After all, if it is red, swollen and inflamed, just manually squeezing the glands cannot solve the problem. Drugs and other treatments are also needed.