What are anal glands? The function of anal glands

Nowadays, many families have started to keep dogs. After all, dogs are humans’ most loyal friends, even more loyal than their own relatives. No matter whether humans are rich or poor, dogs are inseparable from humans. Since we have pets, we must pay attention to their care to avoid threats to our health. For dogs, there is a part called the anal gland, which needs to be cleaned regularly, otherwise it will smell bad. What exactly are anal glands?

The anal gland is a gland. When we talk about anal glands, we are mostly referring to the anal glands of dogs, also known as anal sacs. They are a pair of pear-shaped glands located at about four o'clock and eight o'clock on both sides of the dog's anus, one on each side, and each with an opening.

Physiological characteristics

The anal gland sac is filled with anal gland fluid, which will turn into black or dark brown liquid or mud over time. The smell is terrible. When a dog is defecating, the opening of the anal gland opens along with the anus, and anal gland fluid is discharged to lubricate the anus, allowing the dog to defecate smoothly. When a dog is frightened or nervous, the anal sphincter will contract and anal gland fluid will be discharged. Another function of anal glands is mutual recognition between dogs. When dogs meet, they will smell each other's butts to distinguish each other. If anal gland fluid accumulates for a long time, it is necessary to carry out necessary cleaning to prevent it from becoming inflamed. Sometimes we see puppies rubbing their buttocks on the ground, which may mean that the anal gland outlet of the dog is blocked and inflamed. When the blockage is mild, the dog will rub its butt on the ground or lift its legs to lick its butt. In severe cases, the swollen and painful anal glands will make it difficult for the dog to defecate, and may even cause greater pain. Therefore, you must pay attention to the cleaning of the anal glands. It is best to squeeze and clean them before each regular bathing of the dog, because the anal gland fluid is very smelly. Bathing after cleaning can remove the odor.

Clean up.

To squeeze and clean the anal glands, first hold the base of the dog's tail with your left hand to expose the anus; take toilet paper in your right hand and stick it directly to the anus, press the anal glands at the four and eight o'clock positions with your right thumb and index finger, squeeze inwards and then rub and pull outwards, and the anal gland fluid will be discharged. After repeated squeezing several times, the anal gland fluid can be emptied. Be careful not to use excessive force when squeezing to avoid damage to the anal glands and inflammation. It is particularly important to note that long-term soft stools in dogs can easily cause accumulation and blockage of anal gland fluid, so the cleaning cycle of the anal glands should be relatively shorter.