Canine Anal Sac Infection: The Always-At-Hand Diagnostic Tool—Whoa, Girl Dogs Have Anal Glands Too!

Anal sacs in dogs can easily become impacted.

An infection is fast to follow and can result in an abscess. The typical sign of anal gland problems is scooting–dragging the rear along the ground. Your dog might also lick or bite at the area at the base of the tail.

Would it be possible to discover an anal sac infection before it becomes swollen and painful? Perhaps?

Scent diagnosis

An excellent diagnostic tool is right in front of your nose!

While we cannot measure up to our dogs in the olfactory department, it doesn’t mean that our noses are useless. On the contrary, our main disadvantage isn’t how much information our noses can collect but how little of it we can interpret.

Smells fishy

Bad or suspicious odor can be a (subtle) first sign of a problem.

Since Jasmine’s back-to-back skin issues, I learned to pay close attention to how her skin smelled—particularly around her tail, where she got the worst infection last time. The fur is very thick there and can hold unwanted moisture.

I do regular sniff-checks to determine whether or not she is due for her next medicated bath.

Last week’s check resulted in immediate action.

Usually, when something is brewing in Jasmine’s skin, it smells like a “moldy rag.” You know, if you have a towel or rag that was damp for too long. (I say moldy, but it is actually bacteria that is causing the smell)

Last week I thought it smelled somewhat different, but I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Finally, Jasmine got her bath, and everything smelled right that night.

The next day though, the smell was back with a vengeance.

Smell that doesn’t wash away

I was sure we dried her well, but not to take any chances, we bathed her rump again.

All was well that night, but the smell returned the next day.

What I found strange was that while the smell seemed quite strong, it seemed as if it wasn’t coming from her skin. Also, the nature of the smell was different; it smelled more poopy than anything. That didn’t make sense because I checked, and she was perfectly clean.

The thought of anal glands crossed my mind, but I didn’t say it out loud. There were no other signs of an issue in that department.

Fortunately, Jasmine had an appointment for a catrophen (Canadian version of Adequan) injection on Saturday morning. To be on the safe side, I included instructions for the vet to check the skin around her tail and her rectum.

At the veterinarian

Expecting to give a couple of quick injections, the vet walked in cheerfully, carrying coffee and a bag with breakfast.

Little he realized we had a different plan for him.

He put the breakfast down, checked the skin, and looked at the rectum. “Seems to look fine,” he said, but because he never takes described symptoms lightly, he went on checking the glands. “There is a little discharge … oh, there it is. There is a bit of infection.”

“Nothing like doing this just before breakfast.”

He expressed the anal sacs.

Jasmine didn’t know what to make of all that, “hey, didn’t know that we were THAT friendly!”

Because the infection was still minor, no medication seemed necessary. Having them expressed that one time did the trick, and Jasmine never had another issue with them.

“You’re never gonna underestimate my wife’s nose again, are you?” hubby asked.

But the vet didn’t underestimate it the first time, either. That is one thing that makes him the great vet he is.

And I am glad that I paid attention to my scent findings too. Unhappy anal sacks can get pretty nasty.

So the next time your nose tells you something is off, listen to it. You might save your dog a lot of grief.

Did your nose ever alert you to a health problem in your dog?

Related articles:
Scooting in Dogs: Why Is My Dog Dragging Their Bum On The Ground?
Symptoms To Watch For In Your Dog: Bad Odor

Further reading:
Anal Sac Disease in Dogs