Anal gland problems affect millions of pets and are a very common and frustrating problem. Anal gland issues arise when the anal glands of dogs and cats becoming over-filled, blocked, or irritated. All dogs and cats have these two small glands sometimes referred to as anal sacs near the anal opening. These glands which are typically the size of a small grape normally release a few drops of scent marking fluid whenever your pet defecates observed near the end of defecation. The illustration in figure 1 shows the relative size and position of the anal glands in dogs often referred to as anal sacs.

You know your dog marks his or her — girls do it too! Each sac contains oil and sweat glands. Just like us, dogs need fiber in their diet. Fiber helps the anal glands work properly. So, a lot of dogs need their anal glands expressed manually. That means the vet or groomer squeezes them by hand to get the fluid out.

You caught your dog doing the booty scoot on your favorite rug and now you're wondering why they do it and how you can get it to stop. Whether that or excessive licking of your pet's hind region is what brought you here, it's likely that your dog's anal glands need attention. While that's probably the last part of your dog's anatomy you'd like to pay attention to, the fact is that anal gland problems in dogs are fairly common and often the cause of dog scooting problems. Your dog's hind end includes two small sacs located on the inside of their rectum, one on each side within the muscular wall, says The Spruce. These sacs gradually fill with secretions from sebaceous glands — the same glands found at the end of hair follicles that are responsible for unwashed hair becoming greasy — located inside each sac.

Current clients: Schedule bklynbark. At the opposite end of the spectrum is caring for anal glands. Brooklyn Bark caught up with Dr. Chris of North Slope Veterinary who had just finished expressing a pup's anal glands.