Anal Sac Inflammation & Laser Therapy

Anal sacs are present at the 4:00 and 8:00 position when looking at the anus. These sacs contain glands that produce an oily, stinky material that leaves information for other dogs. As the stool passes through the anus, the sacs are compressed and the gland material is squeezed out. If the stool is too small to empty the sacs, the material can collect within the anal sacs and become thick and difficult to express. The anal sacs become inflamed and painful. With painful anal sacs, dogs lick their bottoms and may scoot their bottoms across the carpet or grass.

Among the ways to help dogs with chronic anal sac inflammation are

·         Expressing the sacs manually

·         Changing the diet to increase bulk in the stool and make it easier to compress the sacs naturally

·         Applying topicals to soothe the anus

·         Laser therapy

Case reports showing benefits of laser on anal sac inflammation are present in the Atlas of Class IV Laser Therapy—Small Animalfrom Southern Digital Publishing 2012.

When I treat a dog with a sore bottom, I use a laser to treat the bottom because it helps alleviate pain and has an antibacterial effect. In addition to laser therapy and acupuncture, I recommend, TCM herbal formula such as Si Miao San,  application of aloe from a plant, silver sulfadiazine or another topical that soothes the bottom. We discuss the best method of increasing bulk in the pet’s diet, such as fibrous veggies, ground bone, or Missing Link.  

 

Although the anus and perineum are proportionately small compared with the rest of a dog’s body, they play a big role in a dog’s comfort because there are so many nerve endings in that area. A little bit of help goes a long way in improving a dog’s quality of life. .