Simply inside a cat’s anus are two small glands: the anal glands (generally known as anal sacs). When you think about your cat’s anus because the face of a clock (that could be the strangest starting to any sentence I’ve ever written), the anal glands are situated on the 4 and the 8 place, and produce a foul-smelling secretion.
Initially, these glands allowed cats to mark their territory and keep at bay predators, however they not serve a lot function now that cats have develop into domesticated. Small quantities of anal gland secretion are launched when a cat defecates; nonetheless, cats could specific all the contents of those glands once they get excited or scared.
As a cat veterinarian, I can’t start to depend what number of instances I’ve been “glanded” within the examination room by a frightened or nervous cat. The room instantly fills up with a distinctly disagreeable musky, fishy odor. If it will get on my shirt or my lab coat, I’ve to vary clothes instantly or the scent will cling to me all day.
Ailments of the anal glands are extra widespread in canine, however they do happen in cats as nicely. Frequent anal gland issues embrace impaction, abscesses and tumors.
When it’s impacted
Impaction happens when the duct main from the gland to the anus turns into clogged, and the gland turns into distended because it fills with the secretion. Because the gland distends, the strain inside will increase, which causes discomfort.
Cats generally display this discomfort by “scooting” — dragging their anus on the ground or carpet, though this habits is extra generally seen in canine. The extra widespread habits in cats with anal gland irritation is extreme licking, cleansing and customarily fussing with the anal space. Often, cats will present reluctance to sit down or to poop, and will maintain their tail in an uncommon place.
Anal gland impaction might be handled by having your veterinarian specific the anal glands manually. This relieves the strain inside the gland and reopens the clogged duct, which often resolves the issue. Having expressed hundreds of anal glands over my profession, I’ve discovered find out how to do it rapidly and comparatively painlessly, however all cats nonetheless hate having it performed.
When it’s an abscess
Generally, the entrapped anal gland secretion will develop into contaminated. This isn’t stunning, given the shut proximity of the glands to the anus. Pus will start to build up inside the gland, forming an abscess. If the pus contained in the gland can’t escape through the traditional route (the duct main from the gland to simply contained in the anus), the pus will attempt to burrow by means of the pores and skin across the anus. In some cases, the pus ruptures by means of the pores and skin and drains out by itself, which could be the first signal an proprietor notices.
Anal gland rupture typically leads to pores and skin harm in that space, requiring anesthesia, a radical cleaning and surgical trimming and/or elimination of the broken pores and skin. A couple of stitches could also be required to cut back the scale of the wound and promote faster therapeutic. If the abscess is identified earlier than the gland ruptures, it is going to should be lanced by your veterinarian whereas the cat is sedated or below anesthesia. After the abscess is lanced, antibiotics are prescribed for just a few days. Heat compresses to the realm assist pace up the therapeutic, however this may be difficult, as most cats aren’t too eager about having a heat material utilized to their backside.
Easy options
Cats with recurrent anal gland issues would possibly profit from a high-fiber food regimen, because the fiber leads to a bulkier stool, which places extra strain on
the anal glands throughout defecation, permitting the glands to be expressed extra effectively.
Chubby cats are at elevated danger for anal gland issues, so sustaining a wholesome physique weight may also help cut back the incidence of a majority of these issues. Cats who are suffering repeated impactions or abscesses could require surgical elimination of the anal glands. In my expertise, that is not often vital.
Kitty acquired anal gland issues?
If one thing is occurring, you’ll in all probability discover this type of motion within the anal sac space:
✔ scooting
✔ extreme licking
✔ cleansing
✔ reluctance to sit down or poop
✔ tail held in uncommon place
✔ an abscess varieties
In case you are seeing this, it’s time to take kitty to the veterinarian to specific the anal glads and deal with the impaction.
Might or not it’s most cancers?
Most cancers of the anal glands (known as anal gland adenocarcinoma) is, fortunately, an unusual situation in cats. The signs typically mimic these of an anal gland abscess, together with:
✔ swelling
✔ irritation
✔ ache
✔ bleeding
✔ ulceration of the pores and skin surrounding the anus
The popular remedy possibility for anal gland adenocarcinoma in cats is surgical elimination of the cancerous anal gland; nonetheless, these are usually aggressive tumors, and the most cancers has typically unfold to different components of the physique by the point a prognosis has been made, necessitating a poor prognosis. I really feel lucky to have by no means identified a case in my observe.
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