Those Glands in the Rear: Everything You Don’t Want to Know (but should)

It happens out of nowhere… you look over and see your dog doing the dreaded scoot. Why are they doing this? And, how do you stop it? Read on for details about the part of routine dog care that no one wants to talk about.

What are glands and what do they do?

Your dog's hind end includes two anal glands, or anal sacs, located on the inside of their rectum, one on each side. These sacs gradually fill with secretions from sebaceous glands (the same glands found at the end of hair follicles that cause greasy hair) located inside each sac.

The only real function of these anal glands is for dog communication: they're what dogs sniff when they say “hello” to each other. When working properly, they are naturally expressed each time your dog empties their bowels.

How do I know if my dog needs help with their glands?

Unfortunately, things don't always function properly. Soft or small stools don't provide enough pressure to empty the sacs. If the glands fill until they become uncomfortable, your pup may scoot across the floor to get relief. They can also usually be seen licking their rear end.

There are many underlying causes of anal gland problems, and in many cases, it is a combination of reasons. The most common cause of anal gland problems is poor gastrointestinal health. Gland issues may also be caused by allergies that create red, inflamed skin around the anal glands. Another major cause is due to your pet's anatomy – if your pet's anal glands are positioned abnormally, it can become difficult for the glands to empty on their own.

Not only are impacted anal sacs uncomfortable, if ignored they might become infected and abscessed, which could eventually rupture and may even require surgery. Impacted anal glands need to be manually expressed. Understandably, many dog owners don’t want to deal with glands themselves.

This is one thing we KNOW you’ll want to leave to the pros – gland expression is part of Scenthound’s service offering. We’ll do the (very) dirty work for you.