What are anal sacs?

Anal sacs are internal scent glands located adjacent to the anus in dogs. The glands secrete a strong-smelling substance that empties onto skin and anal tissue through ducts. These watery secretions are usually tea-colored, yellow, or grey-brown. Some people describe the odor as fishy or musky; most agree that it is distinctive and not particularly pleasant.

Anal glands assist in scent identification and marking behaviors. Glands are compressed by stools during defecation and expel glandular material (anal sac fluid) along with the bowel movement. The glands can also empty with exercise, fear, agitation, or self-defense.

What is anal sac impaction?

Sometimes the sacs do not normally empty with these routine activities, and become impacted. Anal sac impaction is an extremely common condition in clinical veterinary practice. Sometimes the anal fluid will harden, and normal sac emptying becomes a painful process. This can cause great discomfort, and is the foremost reason for rear-end scooting in dogs; if left untreated, impacted anal sacs can become infected or abscessed. Some dogs require regular anal sac expression, while others will never have an issue. High-fiber diets result in bulky stools that may help in compression of the sacs, and may be useful in chronic case management. Hypoallergenic diets may be useful as well.

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