Dogs and cats have two, pea sized anal sacs located in the 4 and 8 o’clock positions just inside the anal sphincter. The sacs are lined with glands that produce secretions. The sacs empty these secretions via a duct to the ‘outside’ during defecation. Their function is scent marking.

The exact cause of anal sac disease is unknown but is thought to be related to diet, breed, skin conditions, obesity, stool consistency etc. Ultimately the anal glands can become impacted, inflammed and abscessation can occur.

Several management options are available;

• Manual expression of secretions from the anal sacs +/- topical medicaitons (antibiotics, corticosteroids)

• Lancing and cleaning of abscesses +/- topical or systemic antibiotics

• Recurrent impaction, inflammation, abscessation and excess smell/volume are indications for surgical removal of the anal sacs.

Anal sac tumours can also occur, most of these benefit from surgical removal.

First the diagnosis must be confirmed. Your vet will do a physical examination, including a rectal exam, and express the anal sacs (if possible). If the condition is too painful, your pet may need to be sedated or anaesthetised to allow expression of the sacs, cannulation of blocked ducts or lancing of an abscess. In cases of anal sac tumours, a biopsy will be taken and submitted to a pathologist to confirm the diagnosis. Other diagnostic tests may also be performed in these cases.

Once a dog/cat is confirmed as a surgical candidate, a date for surgery will be arranged. Any infection needs to be controlled prior to surgery. Please note it may take a few weeks to get infection under control and up to four weeks to resolve a ruptured abscess.

Surgical removal of the anal sacs and ducts is achieved via an incision on either side of the anus. Stitches are usually buried under the skin and will dissolve.

Surgical excision of the anal sacs and ducts provides permanent resolution of the problem and has a very high success rate.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

Whilst the vast majority of procedures result in success, there are a number of potential complications that can occur. Every step possible is taken along the way to minimise the risk of complications and therefore maximise the chances of a good outcome.

Potential complications include: straining, wound breakdown, chronic infection (due to incomplete removal of the duct/sac) and temporary faecal incontinence. Permanent faecal incontinence due to nerve damage is a serious but very rare complication.

Once a dog is confirmed as a surgical candidate, the surgery will be scheduled. Most dogs are well enough to go home on the day of surgery. We supply antibiotics and pain relieving drugs. The wounds take approximately two weeks to heal. Your pet will need to wear an Elizabethan collar for this time and will need to be kept indoors to keep the wounds clean. He/she can be taken outside for toileting as needed on a lead (so you can monitor defecation). Cats should be kept indoors and use a litter tray. After two weeks your pet should be fully recovered and can return to normal activity.

What you need to do BEFORE the day of surgery:

• Read the Post Surgery Care Instructions for Anal Sacculectomy (link below).

• Have at least one easy to clean area to confine your dog to at home (eg a laundry, bathroom). You may need to purchase a gate and get your dog used to this new arrangement.

• Arrange an appointment for a rectal exam (to express the sacs and start antibiotics), and if necessary a blood test, 7-10 days before surgery. If your dog has any skin lesions, a medicated body wash may be prescribed. If an anal sac abscess is found on the day of surgery, this may result in the procedure being rescheduled to a later date due to the risk of infection.

• Wash your dog the weekend or day before surgery. This will reduce the time spent under anaesthesia clipping and cleaning your dog on the day of surgery.

• Consider “enrichment” for your dog in the postoperative recovery period (eg stuffed toys, sniffing games, food dispensing toys, chewing and licking time etc).

View, download or print these post surgery care instructions for anal sacculectomy