Rockwall Veterinarian Discusses Anal Sac Disease

When your pet scoots its rear end across the floor it most likely isn’t due to worms.  Pets scoot when their anal sacs are uncomfortable.  Anal sacs are scent glands located around your pet’s anus, which produce a strong-smelling, oily secretion.  The anal sacs empty through 2 openings located at the 4 and 8 o’clock position on either side of their anal opening.  Whenever your dog urinates or defecates, anal sphincter muscles squeeze the anal sacs and force the contents onto the surface of the stool.

What predisposes some pets to anal sac disease is unknown.  Pets that are very obese tend to have more problems than physically fit pets.  This may be due to fat skin folds blocking the pores and preventing them from draining or because it’s difficult for the obese pet to groom itself and encourage natural drainage.

If your pet’s anal glands fail to properly express, they may actually become impacted, making your pet very uncomfortable. Watch for signs of scooting their rear across the floor, chewing near the rectum, or soft mushy stools.  The impacted glands can cause discomfort or worse they can get infected resulting in an abscess.

To ensure that the anal sacs are emptying properly, check them on a regular basis.  If the glands are full they can be easily emptied while the contents are still fluid.  It becomes more difficult to empty the anal sacs when the contents begin to thicken.  If you feel as though you can express them yourself, here are some basic directions.

1. Prepare a warm moist washcloth.
2. Locate your pet’s anal glands by raising their tail and using your other hand to feel for two lumps at approximately four and eight o’clock on either side of their anal opening.
3. Holding the cloth over their anal opening to prevent an unpleasant squirt, begin applying firm but gentle pressure to the sacs. This should cause some of the fluid to be expelled through the rectal opening, thereby emptying the glands.
4. Wipe your pet’s behind clean, and the job should be finished.

If you notice blood or pus in your pet’s anal gland secretions, it is likely a sign of infection.  Please call your veterinarian.

Rockwall Veterinarian says a cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is a single of one of the most abundant and widespread fleas during the community.

The cat flea’s main host is the domestic cat, but that is also the primary flea infesting dogs in most in the planet. The cat flea can also preserve its existence cycle on other carnivores and about the Virginia opossum. Rabbits, rodents, ruminants and human beings may be infested or bitten, but a population of cat fleas can’t be sustained by these aberrant hosts.

The existence cycle from the flea is as follows: The female cat flea lays her eggs around the host, but the eggs, once dry, have evolved to filter out from the haircoat of the sponsor into the resting and sheltering region of the sponsor. The eggs hatch into larvae, which are negatively phototaxic, meaning that they hide from light in the substrate. Flea larvae feed on a wide range of organic substances, but most importantly subsist on dried blood that may be filtered out on the haircoat with the sponsor right after it can be deposited there as adult flea fecal substance. Thus the adult populace around the sponsor feeds the larval population within the host’s surroundings.

Flea fecal materials, here combed from a cat, can be called flea dirtFlea larvae metamorphose by way of 3 stages previous to spinning a cocoon and entering the pupal stage. The pupal stage varies significantly in length; the pre-emergent flea does not typically emerge as a young adult flea until the presence of the possible host is perceived by warmth, vibration or carbon dioxide production. Newly emerged fleas are stimulated to jump to a new coordinator inside seconds of emerging from the cocoon. The new flea commences feeding on sponsor blood inside of minutes.

A number of fleas on adult dogs or cats lead to small harm unless the sponsor becomes allergic to substances in saliva. The condition that outcomes is termed flea allergy dermatitis. Little animals with big infestations can lose adequate blood to fleas feeding that anemia may perhaps result. Fleas are also responsible for illness transmission.

Cat fleas may well transmit other parasites and infections to dogs and cats and also to humans. One of the most prominent of these are Bartonella, the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum, and murine typhus.

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“I had just moved to Texas from California in February of 2007 and had taken Ginger to several different Vets before I left. After blood, stool and urine test the doctors still could not narrow down what was really wrong with her. When she had another episode, I took her to Dr. Webb at Pet Doctor and he immediately knew the problem. He and his staff are the BEST. They know what they are doing and their love for the animals are quite obvious. I would take my dog (or any animal) to Dr. Webb & staff under any circumstance and they accommodate the times that are needed or convenient for me. Thank you Dr. Webb for your continuing health care of Ginger, she sends you her love.” —Gale Larran, Rowlett

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“Dr. Webb and his staff are wonderful! I totally feel like we have a relationship and that I’m not just another customer. They are compassionate about my pets, friendly – even when the office is booming with ‘patients’ and they always take to time to discuss my concerns without me feeling rushed. It is a pleasure to do business with Dr. Webb and his staff!” —Ingrid Parnell, Rockwall

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“Something strange is going on! Every time I walk out of my laundry room into the garage to retrieve something from my car, my dog, B.J., always tries to jump in the car. It is strange because the only time she gets to ride in my car is when we come see you, and dogs don’t usually like going to see the Vet. Right? Perhaps it is because she enjoys the massage you give her (and the sweet talk) before you lift her upon the table. Or maybe she remembers how kind and gentle you were with her when you treated her foot after a confrontation with another dog who was invading her space. You bandaged her foot so she could get around like nothing had happened, and the bandage did not come off until you took it off. Whatever the reason, it is great that she enjoys coming to see you for her checkups, and I enjoy the pleasant atmosphere and clean surroundings. Many thanks to you and your staff.” —Juanitya V. Seitzler, Garland

“Over the past few years, I have needed the use of veterinary services more than ever due to pet illnesses and adoptions. After shopping around, I firmly chose Pet Doctor and Dr. Webb. I highly recommend them to everyone I know. Pet Doctor offers everything I look for in a veterinarian: a clean, professional office that is easily accessible; knowledgeable and caring staff; a pet doctor that truly cares about the animals; and reasonable rates. Furthermore, Dr. Webb takes the time to make sure I am fully informed about any situation involving my pet and the options that I have regarding their care. I recently called a new vet office nearer to my home to check their rates for check-ups and vaccinations and was pleased to find out that Pet Doctor offers lower rates for the services I regularly need. My only concern is that they will get so popular that I will have to wait a week for an appointment! All of God’s Blessings.” —The Vitanza Family and pets, Bandit, CeCe & Shadow, Rowlett