Icky question about anal sacs

jen · Aug 15, 2006

Then I look at my cat's behind area (eww) I can see the anal gland area on the sides of the anus. Well all my cats are clean but on Willoughby I can see little brown pieces stuck in the opening. Does this mean they are blocked or in the process of becoming blocked? Would a warm wet wash cloth to clean the area help? I don't see any problems otherwise. I have another cat who occationally her anal sacs are blocked and needs them expressed. But she squirts the nasty fluid out of them. Willoughby's are not like that. Just little brown balls stuck in the anal gland opening. I assume they clear when he goes to the bathroom and then some remains behind stuck there. But if they are blocked and building up then I should probably concerned right? From far it just looks like he needs to clean a little better so I don't know.

sharky · Aug 15, 2006

Talk with your vet /// Zoey had a clot in one of her sacs and it was causing allergy type troubles

satai · Aug 15, 2006

This sounds like a vet trip is needed.

Good luck.

coaster · Aug 15, 2006

Rocket has always been like that and it's just because he's too lazy to clean himself there.

cearbhaill · Aug 15, 2006

Originally Posted by Jen

Then I look at my cat's behind area (eww) I can see the anal gland area on the sides of the anus. Well all my cats are clean but on Willoughby I can see little brown pieces stuck in the opening. Does this mean they are blocked or in the process of becoming blocked?

Anal sacs and anal sac problems are not visible from outside the animal, except in cases of very extreme impaction or an abcess, which presents as a small hole draining on one side or another of the anus.

I tried to find a not too graphic photo

Anal sacs are at 5 and 7 o'clock. The drainage duct into the rectum is a couple of centimeters or so inside the cat- you would not be able to see it.

If what you are seeing is on the external area of the anus, it is probably just poo balls.

Here's a good way to check- stand the cat up, make sure his tail is pointing up a full 90 degrees, i.e. straight up and very lightly feel either side of the anus at 5 and 7 o'clock. If you feel small pea sized round "lumps" these are the anal sacs. If they are hard they are impacted and need attention, if they are larger than a pea (ish) then they are full and need expressed. If there is a small hole off to the side of the anus a sac has ruptured and needs attention.

Don't use too much pressure as that can cause them to express. And God forbid don't stick your face too close trying to see

(ask any groomer why) , try and do it all by feel.

From what I can gather in your description it just sounds like little poo balls stuck to his butt.

vik61 · Aug 15, 2006

I had no idea they even had anal sacs.

I can tell you that when Pixel was young she was not so good at cleaning herself. To help her, I squirted water, gently on her anus and that got her to licking herself. Then I would tell her how good she was.

I really do think it helped her learn. Afterwards if I would show any attention to her butt at all she would lay down and start cleaning herself.

jen · Aug 18, 2006

Originally Posted by Cearbhaill

Anal sacs and anal sac problems are not visible from outside the animal, except in cases of very extreme impaction or an abcess, which presents as a small hole draining on one side or another of the anus.

I tried to find a not too graphic photo

Anal sacs are at 5 and 7 o'clock. The drainage duct into the rectum is a couple of centimeters or so inside the cat- you would not be able to see it.

If what you are seeing is on the external area of the anus, it is probably just poo balls.

Here's a good way to check- stand the cat up, make sure his tail is pointing up a full 90 degrees, i.e. straight up and very lightly feel either side of the anus at 5 and 7 o'clock. If you feel small pea sized round "lumps" these are the anal sacs. If they are hard they are impacted and need attention, if they are larger than a pea (ish) then they are full and need expressed. If there is a small hole off to the side of the anus a sac has ruptured and needs attention.

Don't use too much pressure as that can cause them to express. And God forbid don't stick your face too close trying to see

(ask any groomer why) , try and do it all by feel.

From what I can gather in your description it just sounds like little poo balls stuck to his butt.

You mentioned that if there are openings on the side of the anus that means they have ruptured, that was my first thought when I originally looked at him back there, a little hole on either side of the anus (at 3 and 9 o'clock). At first I thought they were just little poo balls since they are dark brown, but they are in exactly the same spot on either side of the anus and one poo ball definately looks like it is coming out of a tiny opening. They are stuck on (in?) really well because I tried to wipe one off and it won't budge. I felt around where you mentioned and I don't feel any hard or pea shaped things inside anywhere near that area.

He shows no pain or discomfort, uses the litterboxes like a pro. I wouldn't even have noticed anything at all normally but he has no tail and his rear end is really obvious sometimes when he is laying there.

Can you picture what I am talking about?

I will take him to the vet if it seems I should, but just to ask a question I cannot afford it at the moment for me to walk in and hear "nope all is well that will be $30". He is a stray and I wonder if I should be concerned before rehoming him.

cearbhaill · Aug 18, 2006

Originally Posted by Jen

You mentioned that if there are openings on the side of the anus that means they have ruptured, that was my first thought when I originally looked at him back there, a little hole on either side of the anus (at 3 and 9 o'clock). At first I thought they were just little poo balls since they are dark brown, but they are in exactly the same spot on either side of the anus and one poo ball definately looks like it is coming out of a tiny opening. They are stuck on (in?) really well because I tried to wipe one off and it won't budge. I felt around where you mentioned and I don't feel any hard or pea shaped things inside anywhere near that area.

He shows no pain or discomfort, uses the litterboxes like a pro. I wouldn't even have noticed anything at all normally but he has no tail and his rear end is really obvious sometimes when he is laying there.

Can you picture what I am talking about?

I will take him to the vet if it seems I should, but just to ask a question I cannot afford it at the moment for me to walk in and hear "nope all is well that will be $30". He is a stray and I wonder if I should be concerned before rehoming him.

This is a situation I often face with grooming clients- if I recommend a vet visit and it turns out nothing is wrong then I get blamed for their wasting money

Symmetrical openings on either side of the anus point to an anal sac rupture in my book. Could be they ruptured a long time ago, drained, and have semi healed over, or healed poorly leaving a "pocket"- if he is a stray you don't have a history to fall back on.

Maybe this:
If there is no drainage and no swelling, no scooting, licking, etc. perhaps go ahead and rehome him with the caveat that they need a veterinary check up when they take him. Maybe just say "he appears to have had some anal sac problems at some point in his past, and with a tailless cat anything involving the rear end has to be watched closely". You don't want to scare them off, but you want to impress upon them that it needs looked at when they go for their normal "just got a new pet" checkup to get established with a veterinarian.

If it were one of my cats I would have it looked at. But in this situation it's your call.

jen · Aug 18, 2006

Ok great. I would definately not blame you for telling me to take him to the vet and it turns out all is well. I know it is always best to have the cat seen by a vet, I was just looking for some convincing info to make me be worried about getting him in right away or not. But no there is no licking, scooting or anything. He had a little diarrhea when I got him and then when I dewormed him but I think it was a result of the change in food (or food period) and then the deworming. Other then sleeping a lot he is a perfect cat basically.

gizmocat · Aug 19, 2006

If the anal sacs are blocked the vet will express them manually. Trust me you don't want to do this yourself.
If you don't have the $30.00 for the vet bill I'd take the cat to a no kill shelter and explain that he was a stray who has a slight medical problem.

Icky question about anal sacs

jen

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sharky

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coaster

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cearbhaill

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vik61

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jen

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cearbhaill

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