# Advice needed: Molly's anal gland has ulcerated....



## Anna68 (Aug 29, 2004)

Last week Molly seemed uncomfortable at bedtime, I thought she had to pee so I put her outside and she did go #2. In the morning my daughter brought her in (she sleeps with my daughter) and said that she'd been restless all night. We then realized there was blood coming from her anal area. I thought it was from her bum but once I washed off the area I noticed a gaping fleshy hole to the side of her "bum". I called the vet and they said an anal sac has probably ruptured. There was alot of pus coming from it. 
The vet confirmed and gave her a shot of pain medicine and put her on three weeks of antibiotics. I have to give her a sitz bath (warm salt water) three times a day. Question...
Has anyone else expericenced this? How long did it take to heal?
The hole seems bigger but it's clean looking. The only time it gets "air" is if she's up walking around. Otherwise she pastes her tail down when sitting or lying. (which isn't good for it) 
Suggestions?


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

I don't have any suggestions, but I feel awfully sorry for the two of you! I did wonder...did your vet say what could cause such a thing? I know we would all like to avoid it with our dogs if possible.

I hope that she heals quickly. Poor little thing!


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## Kari (May 13, 2004)

That happened to Buster. Before I noticed there was a problem it had ruptured.  He was antibiotics and it did heal up pretty quickly. 

What have you been up to Anna? I've really missed you.


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## tinalicious (Aug 7, 2004)

Aw, poor thing. Wishing her a speedy recovery!


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## trixiesmom (Jan 31, 2006)

We just wwent thru the same thing with Teeny. He was on the antibodics and healed up really fast. It sounds as if Molly's may have been infected worse. It seems to happen to some chis and this was the second time for Teeny.


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## sourjayne (Jul 11, 2006)

Wow this sounds awful! I have read that you need to make sure the anal glands are being expressed and if not you should have the vet or a groomer do it periodically... is this what happens if you don't? Or is this just something that happens sometimes? Yikes!


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## Alisha (Mar 11, 2005)

Yes it happened to Poco he was laying by his food bowl I'd carry him to the couch he'd go right back that's a sure sign there's something wrong with him. We looked and looked and hubby finally felt it swollen this was late at night so I said I'll get right up & take him well it ruptured overnight  The vet actually kept him half a day did surgery to clean it all out & he took antibiotics for awhile they also told me to put neosporin in the hole but I could do that to him so I used a qtip and put it on the sopt 2 times a day for awhile. 

Poor Molly ((hugs)) she'll be all better soon.


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

I've never experienced it and would be upended, I know. Poor baby, get well soon. Huggies from Bu and Ern.


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## Anna68 (Aug 29, 2004)

*molly*

Thanks for the well wishes everyone. 
Hi Kari! I've been busy and it's hard to find time to chat these
days.
I'm glad to hear some related stories. I didn't even know this was possible.
The vet didn't say why but I'd assume that her anal glands should have been
expressed and weren't. 
I've been giving her sitz's baths and compresses religiously. It seems to drain quite a bit of pus and goo. It's still quite a size. Hasn't seemed to gotten any smaller, it may be a bit bigger! It looks good after a bath, in that it doesn't look infected. I have been dabbing polysporin on it. It's so hard to get air to the area because she's always lying down with her tail clamped down.
I have to take her back next Monday for a check up. I'm hoping that this won't be an ongoing problem now that she's had it once. I mean how do you keep an anal gland clean????
Molly seems fine, however she's not very happy because she's banned from the beds. (she scoots her bum across the clean sheets!!)
The scooting is a sign that you should have the anal glands expressed by the way!!
I just wish the gaping hole would scab over or get smaller!


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## Alisha (Mar 11, 2005)

Anna something doesn't sound right to me I would call the vet & tell them that it's not gone down & that it may be bigger. Pocos healed up really quick & didn't really ooze , it deff wasn't still swollen.But the vet actually went in there & put him under & cleaned it out. Oh some dogs just have to have their glands expressed  I usually take mine in every 6 months sooner if I notice the dragging butt thing.


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## Kari (May 13, 2004)

Since Busters problem he has only needed his expressed one time and that was a month after his first problem. So it looks like his isn't really a frequent problem. Some doggies need them expressed every few weeks :shock:

I agree though, maybe you should call the vet and let them know that it's not healing right.


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## sullysmum (Mar 6, 2004)

Fynn has had this 2-3 times, the pus and blood is the rubbish thats inside the abcess,apart from having antibiotics from your vet i would advise you to bathe the area as often as possible ( i used to do it every couple of hours) with salt and warm/hot as possible (but not to burn) water it will soon dry up, your chi might be a bit fidgety while you are doing it but once used to it will accept you are helping him/her.


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## Anna68 (Aug 29, 2004)

*molly*

an update:
It was going okay until this morning. Yesterday I was gone all day and didn't get home til late. I was exhausted and Molly's butt never crossed my mind so
she didn't get her sitz bath at all. This morning my daughter came in and said 
"have you seen Molly's butt?". I looked and there was a big black mass.
I phoned the vet who said it's probably scabbed over as I didn't bath it yesterday and is holding stuff inside. I put her in the sitz bath and it didn't break right away. It was like blood blister. Then it broke and blood, pus and mucous poured out. It was gross! Poor Molly! I think it felt better after it broke though. I told the vet what came out and they explained it has to heal from the inside out. I can't let it scab or it will keep the "poison" in.
I gave her another bath after lunch and it was back to looking like it did last week. She's been so good about her baths. 
Maybe it's taking longer to heal because it was a nasty abcess. Sounds like sullymom knows all about it. She is happy and eating so I'm not worried about her health. She is still on the antibiotics too. She goes on Monday for a check up.
I think this is going to be a process!!


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

It's true, it is a process. I had a dog in a bad dogfight and he had a terrible bite...we had to open it every day for the same reason (healing from the inside out). It took days (maybe weeks), but it finally did heal up. Maybe that's why dogs lick and lick their wounds. His was on his neck so he couldn't do that, and obviously we wanted to doctor it for him anyway. He was also on antibiotics. I really feel for you and for her! Poor little thing!


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## gavinjenn123 (Sep 13, 2006)

I wish molly the best of luck...Hope she heals quickly.....


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## toby'smom (Jun 11, 2006)

What does having the anal glands expressed mean? I have never had that done to toby. Is it something that needs to be done?


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## ChiLeeLee (Oct 14, 2005)

toby'smom said:


> What does having the anal glands expressed mean? I have never had that done to toby. Is it something that needs to be done?


The vet will express the bottom area because the anal sacs get full, some dogs can do it one their own. But if you notice your chi scooting (rubbing bum on floor) licking the area or a really bad smell coming from there that means its full and needs to be expressed. Some people can do it to there chis, I take Leya to the vet to get it done.


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## princess_ella (Jun 4, 2005)

found this article hope it helps.
ANAL SACULITIS
The Anal Sacs of Dogs and cats are 2 structures located near the anus. They are normally 1/2 inch long and are connected to the anus through narrow ducts. The walls of the anal sacs contain glands that secrete foul smelling yellow fluids. Bowel movements normally empty the anal sacs as the stool moves out the anus. 

Anal sac disorders are more common in dogs, but can occur in cats. Signs include a red raised hairless area either side of the anus. Some anal sac abscesses rupture spontaneously producing an ugly open wound with a watery yellow green discharge. The problem can be excruciatingly painful causing pets to cry out when stool is passed. 

Causes include bacterial infection of the anal sac. Diagnosis is accomplished by examination. Antibiotics are needed to treat the infection. Treatment may require anesthesia and surgical lancing and draining of the abscess followed by irrigation and possible surgical debridement. 

If chronic and repeated anal infections occur, surgical anal saculectomy may be recommended once the tissues have healed. Warm compresses twice daily may be required to alleviate inflammation and pain. Pets benefit from high fiber low calorie diets such as Hills R/D to prevent recurrence of anal sac abscess.


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

All I have to say is, "OUCH". Poor doggies.


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