What is with dogs and emptying their anal sacs?

Sometimes it can be dietary, in that too soft a stool will not exert enough pressure to expel the sacs. You can do it yourself, but it requires training, and it is also quite noxious. I suggest you speak to your vet.

I do do (haha) it myself, and have no problem doing it for my little guy, I was just wondering what the whole dealio is with it.

Some dogs need it.

I was told by a vet that if you have your dog groomed and you continuously have it do. It will need to be continuously done.

In short don’t have it done unless it has to be.

Anal sacs function as territorial scent markers – when a dog poops, a little bit of the material is squeezed out, helping to announce the animal’s presence to any and all.

High fiber diets may help empty the anal sacs. A larger diameter poop squeezes the sacs as it passes by, with the theoretical effect of keeping the volume down. Emptying them as needed is also an option. In extreme cases, the sacs can be surgically removed, but you should know that an inexperienced surgeon could potentially result in a fecally incontinent animal.

But be aware that an obstructed or infected anal sac can become a significant issue. We see impacted or infected sacs that have ruptured, leaving a large, painful, infected would. An animal that licks excessively at the anus, excessive scooting, and swelling in the area of the anus can all be warning signs.

My dog’s glands aren’t quite right…I get the vet to squeeze his, it’s stinks to high heaven so there’s no way that smell is lingering round my house!
The vet told me as @syz said so I always have them checked whenever we go to the vets or if he starts to lick himself more than usual!

It’s not only dogs who have this problem. I had a cat who would need it done, altho much much less frequently.

One vet said that its usually common in overweight cats, but this was the (naturally) skinniest cat I’ve ever had. Altho mixed breed, she obviously had more oriental genes and never weighed more than 5pounds her whole life. She looked like an Abyssinian and was really hyper.

So, I think it must have something to do with genetics as no other cat I’ve ever had had that problem at all. None of my friends ever had this problem with their cats either.

I wonder whether animals in the wild ever have this problem, or is it due to the type of diets manufactured for pets ?

@syz, do dogs tend to scoot and lick the area when the sacs need to be emptied or if they are infected and need to be surgically removed?

@ava they usually scoot and lick when the glands are full. If they do so excessively, then you need to have them checked out. The surgical option is really the last thing you would consider, for chronic problems.

@syz he’s been to the vet and he doesn’t have an infection or anything he just seems to be one of those cases who needs them emptied frequently. I guess my question then is what is too frequently. My vet showed me how to do it myself and he seems to need it doen every 3 weeks or so, and I don’t mind doing it, I guess what is classified as ‘chronic.? And chronic infections or just chronic need in emptying the sacs?

If you’re able to empty them on your own and it’s only needed every few weeks, I’d just go with that.

great. thanks so much @syz!

Now that my toy poodle is getting older, her anal sacs get clogged and burst sometimes (it’s not pretty!) and we’ve had to put all kinds of ointments.

You do what??????