Pebbles And Her Anal Gland Issues
Anal Sac Issues can be difficult to deal with. I’m going to tell you something that if my Pebbles knew I was telling you she would be so embarrassed! So, let’s just not tell her, okay? It’s been several years ago now, but Pebbles used to have frequent infections of the anal sac. But, before I get into that, let’s talk about anal glands.
What Are Anal Glands?
Your Chihuahua has two anal sacs, also called anal glands, located on the lower sides of his anus. They are located between layers of muscles that make up the rectum. When all is working as it should, they are naturally expressed through the duct that connects the gland to the “world outside”, each time your Chi poops.
Anal glands are scent glands — some people refer to them as “anal sacs.” They are located between the layers of muscles that make up the rectum and when all is working right, they are naturally expressed, through the duct that connects the gland to the “outside world,” each time your Chihuahua poops
Why Are They Even There?
There are a few theories about why dogs have anal glands and what their purpose is. Some insist they are to mark with a scent, their territory. There are others though that say they excrete lubricant that helps a dog pass a hard stool.
Because dogs are predators — yes, like it or not, your tiny Chi is a predator —the purpose of the anal glands is to mark or scent their territory. This scent left behind tells other dogs their sex, health, approximate age, and if a female it tells other dogs whether they are in heat or pregnant. This fluid or scent is excreted whenever the dog poops, or when pressure is applied to the area.
If your Chihuahua’s diet does not meet his or her nutritional needs or has an inherited biological problem the sac can malfunction. It can be very painful for your Chihuahua as the fluid builds up and then becomes infected.
Have you noticed your Chihuahua scooting across the carpet? He or she is trying to relieve the discomfort of a fluid buildup in the anal sac.
When Does It Become Problem?
The most common problem is, as mentioned above, they become impacted and they are not being extricated and the fluid builds up in the glands. This then often leads to infection.
If this is allowed to continue they will become abscessed. When this happens it may require surgical repair and even may require a drain to be placed. Then they will require antibiotics and pain medication as it can be extremely painful at that point.
Often once this happens the problem can become chronic and they may suffer recurrent problems with their anal glands. Some of the possible causes are:
- Not getting sufficient nutrients in their diet.
- Chronic (deep) skin infections with bacteria and/or yeast
- Skin mite infestations
- Food allergies
- Environmental allergies
- Being overweight or obese
- Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels or function)
What You Can Do
- Work with your veterinarian to figure out and manage the cause of the problem mentioned above.
- If your Chihuahua is overweight, help them to lose weight and maintain their ideal weight.
- Add fiber to their diet. Canned pumpkin (NOT PIE MIX!) is a great way to naturally add fiber to their diet.
- Add fish oil to their diet. Krill oil, is the best with the most Omega 3 fatty acids. They also serve as an anti-inflammatory.
- If you suspect a food allergy, change their current diet. Most food allergies are caused by processed grains, corn, or meats such as chicken, fish, or beef. Eliminate any of these one at a time to see if there is an improvement. If not, go ahead and add it back and eliminate another until you find the one he or she is sensitive to.
- Do not automatically have your Chihuahua’s anal glands regularly expressed. Never allow a groomer to do it and don’t ask your veterinarian to do it regularly. This can cause damage to the delicate tissue and actually make the problem worse. (see video below by Dr. Karen Becker, DVM).
Back to Pebbles And Her Anal Sac Problem
When Pebbles was little she began to have frequent anal gland fluid build-up and once the infection became abscessed and she had to have surgery. That broke my heart because she was obviously in excruciating pain even when on pain medication until it completely healed.
That is when in my research for my book, “Sit, Stay, And Create Your Own” I realized that Pebbles’s problem all stemmed from her diet of processed dry dog food even though I was feeding her a premium brand.
Pebbles no longer has to wear her cone collar and no longer suffers from frequent anal gland infections! She is now eating nutrient-rich balanced fresh dog food.
At first, I began feeding her NomNom a veterinarian formulated fresh food delivery service (now get 50% off your first order-try it today!). Everything changed! She no longer had problems with her anal glands and her health improved in spite of her heart disease.
After I did all the research for my book (mentioned above) I began making my own nutritionally balanced fresh dog food customized for each of my Chihuahuas nutritional needs. I do not recommend this for everyone unless you are guided by a veterinarian nutritionist or someone that legitimately knows canine nutrition.
