Questions About Cats Anal Glands
…I remarked white fluid from my cats anal glands and I take the cat to the vet, who said this is normal and expressed them. But later the cat start to produce alot of this white fluid. I thought that anal glands stuff (a) have to be brown, and only white due to infection and (b) the cat’s anal glands were recently (1 month ago) expressed by the vet, and yet last night when I picked him up some squirted out. How much volume of anal sac fluid is normal to produce?
Also I have more questions like: How much and how dangerous for the cat is getting these glands removed? And Im curious as to how they lubricate the bowel movement? The gland excretes outside of the anus and coats the bowel movement after it has left the body. My understanding is the purpose is to create a unique scent marker for other animals to mark their territory and the glands are vestigial. Interesting that cat diet affects the colour, but I’ve heard brown alot – this is creamy white and is apparently not infected. Its the volume that I’m so curious about. Apparently the surgery is not uncommon but can have serious consequences if done incorrectly… Thanks!
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The anal sacs are located on either side of the anus at the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions; they are positioned just under the skin. They connect to the anus by means of small canal or ducts. Anal sacs produce and store a dark, foul-smelling fluid. These are the same type of organs that a skunk has to scare away its enemies. Although cats can use these for the same purpose, most cats live in an environment where it has no enemies. Because the sacs are rarely emptied, the fluid builds up, solidifies, and becomes an ideal environment in which bacteria can grow.
What diseases occur in the anal sacs?
There are three diseases that occur in the anal sacs.
When the fluid becomes thick and solidified, the condition is called impaction.
When bacteria grows in this material producing a yellow or bloody pus, the condition is called infection.
When the infection builds to create a hot, tender swelling in the gland, the condition is called an abscess. When the abscessed material overflows the sac or the duct leading to the sac becomes obstructed, the skin over the sac breaks open, and the pus drains onto the skin.
What are the clinical signs?
Symptoms of anal sac disease are:
Scooting or dragging the anal area.
Excessive licking under the tail.
Pain, sometimes severe, near the tail or anus.
A swollen area on either side of the anus.
Bloody or sticky drainage on either side of the anus.
How are these diseases treated?
The treatment for impaction is to express the sacs and clean out the solidified material. For infection, the sacs must be expressed and antibiotics administered to kill the bacteria. If the sacs abscess, the abscess must be surgically drained and antibiotics administered.
How likely is it for anal sac disease to occur again?
It is really not very common for cats to have recurrent anal sac disease. However, some cats do, especially overweight cats. The anal sacs of obese cats do not drain well, thus these cats are predisposed to recurrent problems. If a cat has several episodes of anal sac disease, the anal sacs can be removed surgically. Because these sacs are virtually unused, there is no loss to the cat. It is the only way to permanently cure the problem.
Are there any common surgical complications?
Surgery requires general anesthesia which always carries some degree of risk, whether the patient is a cat or a person. However, modern anesthetics make this risk very minimal for cats that are otherwise healthy.
Some cats will experience lack of good bowel control. They may drop fecal balls as they walk. This occurs because the nerves that control the anus are very near the anal sacs and may be damaged during surgery. However, this is almost always a temporary problem that will resolve itself in a few days to a couple of weeks.
Can anything else happen to anal sacs?
Some cats are born with anal canals that do not close well. These cats are constantly draining anal sac fluid and leaving a foul-smelling drop wherever they have been. This is another indication for anal sac removal. There does not appear to be any other way to stop this, and these cats do not outgrow this problem.
I have never heard of removing them unless they are severly infected or abscessed. They need these glands which lubricate the bowel movements. What type of diet is your cat eating? Sometimes wet foods, or table scraps will contribute to excessive discharge from these glands, and what they eat also can influence the color of the discharge.