Anal Sac Disease in Dogs

What is an Anal Sac?

Your dog has two anal sacs, which are glands on either side of the anus. These sacs act as your dog’s territorial markers and explains why dogs are so interested in sniffing each other.

Anal sac disease occurs when your dog’s anal sac(s) become impacted and inflamed. When this happens your dog will experience pain each time he passes feces. Anal sac disease is very common in all dog breeds.

Symptoms

As mentioned above, your dog will experience pain or discomfort while defecating, so symptoms will be most evident while your dog is going to be bathroom.

The hallmark symptom of anal sac disease is a dog scooting his bottom along the ground. Other symptoms include biting or licking the anal area. Essentially any obvious sign of discomfort or pain in or around your dog’s anus could be a symptom.

Treatment

A vet can manually express full anal sacs to relieve the pressure for about $100. It’s a relatively simple procedure that any vet can perform in their office. It does not require a hospital visit or stay. However, in severe or recurring cases your dog’s anal sacs may need to be surgically removed.

Cost of Treatment: $100 to $2,500 if your dog needs surgery for removal. Removal of the anal sacs is a delicate and specialized surgery.

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