Why is my dog's anal gland full, not draining, and has bloody fluid?

These are two little glands inside the dog's rectum. They naturally fill with a material that ranges from thin, light colored liquid to a thick paste. When a dog defecated, this material is released -- most of the time not all of the liquid is release but over the course of each defecation, enough is released that the glands do not overfill. With some dogs though, this process does not occur as easily. This can be due to the material being too thick to be expressed, the stool being too soft or diarrhea which does not apply enough force to the gland to express the fluids or due to an underlying disease process. The most common cause of recurrently full anal glands is an underlying allergy problem. Dogs with skin sensitivity or allergies often have anal glands that need to be emptied on a routine basis. If the glands become too full, the material can become infected or the gland can rupture. In this case, the area will heal but antibiotics are typically needed. After the anal glands are expressed, the area can continue to feel irritating for a few days. In some cases though, the glands may not have been completely emptied. This is often the case if the glands are emptied at a groomers as they empty them from the outside and are not trained to empty them rectally as a vet would. Most dogs do not need their glands emptied for any medical purpose but if the glands were randomly checked, they could be moderately full. This does not indicate a need to express the material though. The reason I bring this up is because I have found that if we begin emptying the glands for the dog, it creates a cyclic effect where we continue to have to empty them. If the dog is scooting, this is an indication to have them checked.

His anal glands may be full again. Normally, they are expressed during the act of defecation. You are quite brave to do it on your own! Not many pet parents would do that. If you feel comfortable doing it again, do so but gently. If the problem persists, you will have no choice but to seek veterinary attention. Clinics and veterinary ERs will see patients. If left untreated, Scooby could form an abscess which is very painful and may require sedation to lance and drain. You can consider a product, such as Glandex, to help with anal gland issues. https://www.glandex.com/

It could be these "butt pimples" you've heard people refer to are the anal sacs. These are two, small sacs located just inside the anus that release a smelly fluid when feces pass to help lubricate it on the way out. They can become impacted and then infected, and given your description, it is possible that Boy's have become infected. I would have him seen today by a vet. If they become too infected, they can rupture. The vet can examine his anal sacs, flush them out if needed, and prescribe antibiotics if there is an infection.

If the blood and mucous is coming from his anal gland, he may have an infected anal gland. If that is the case, he may need an infusion or oral antibiotics to resolve it. I have attached a link with more information about anal glands below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=625 If the blood and mucous is coming from his stool, then he may have colitis. I have attached information about colitis below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=677 Either way, both are abnormal, so I would recommend having your vet examine him and help you decide on a treatment plan. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using PetCoach.

I'm sorry to hear that Miggy expressed his anal glands on your bed. How unpleasant! Some dogs will express their anal glands during times of stress or even during extreme relaxation. This occurs more commonly if the material in the glands is more liquid rather than being more paste-like. Infected anal glands do not typically express easily. Try to look at Miggy's hind end and determine if you see a red or open lesion just outside of his anus, as this would indicate an anal sac rupture from an abscess or impaction. If this is the case, Miggy needs veterinary attention. Otherwise, continue closely monitoring Miggy for hind end licking or scooting to determine if his anal glands are full. If he continues not to show any signs that they are full, try taking him to his vet every month or so to have them expressed to prevent future problems.

You may speak with your veterinarian about a diet trial with a hydrolyzed protein diet for 12 weeks. This will tell you if an allergy is present. If you can;t control it with food, you may look into surgery to remove the glands. I hope this helps.

If you are sure the bloody mucous is coming from Daisy's anal glands then it is likely she has an anal gland infection. Usually these require veterinary care to treat so if you continue to see blood you should have Daisy examined by a veterinarian. Antibiotics and an anal gland flushing may be necessary to treat. You can try offering Daisy some canned pumpkin to soften her stool a bit and make passing stool less uncomfortable and use an ecollar to prevent licking. However, again, if the problem persists Daisy should see a veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Daisy's issue resolves quickly!