Ms. D, my six-year-old hyperactive half-wiener dog, went into the hospital a couple months ago for lavage of a ruptured anal gland (or anal sac). This post is for dog owners, therefore WARNING: There is a picture of this after the fold.
My vet explained that the gland's secretions are made of liquid and chunks. In Ms. D's case, the chunks blocked the opening while new secretions built up behind the blockage. While it grew and grew, my dog showed no discomfort, not scooting, no licking, no biting.
The day it broke through she started licking big time. Since it was my first indication that anything was amiss in that area, I gathered some kleenex, grabbed her tail and squeezed around her butt. She jerked around and bit the hell out of my hand. I tried a few more times to get a look but she kept biting. I gave up assuming it would express itself the next time she pooed.
The obsessive licking continued for 2 more days before I took her into the vet. They took her to the procedure room to express the glands but they only cleaned her up before they brought her back. She had a hole 1/4 the size of a pencil at 8 o'clock where the anal sac ruptured, leaking the secretions a drop at a time.
She needed surgery that day to flush out the abscessed sac and open up the tube that connected the anal sac to the rectum. They irrigated both of the sacs. In his words, the Vet said they used a "roto rooter" in there. She got injections of antibiotics and painkillers.
After her overnight stay, they sent her home with an ointment and pain medication. Only the combination of her Elizabethan colllar and a muzzle kept her from biting me when I applied the ointment. It's funny because with both of those on she stood there frozen, looking so pitiful. My hands were grateful, though.
In most cases, this impaction and rupture is a one time occurrence. If it happens again, the vet advises removal of the sacs, in technical terms an anal sacculectomy. On her follow-up, the glands were fine, so knock on wood this is a one time thing.
I guess the only lesson to be learned from this is to keep an eye on the glands. However, I've got s dog who shows no discomforts until things reach emergency. Even then she was still active and eating normally.
Dog bless the vet for operating on Drew's butt!
