You caught your dog doing the booty scoot on your favorite rug and now you're wondering why they do it and how you can get it to stop. Whether that or excessive licking of your pet's hind region is what brought you here, it's likely that your dog's anal glands need attention. While that's probably the last part of your dog's anatomy you'd like to pay attention to, the fact is that anal gland problems in dogs are fairly common and often the cause of dog scooting problems. Your dog's hind end includes two small sacs located on the inside of their rectum, one on each side within the muscular wall, says The Spruce. These sacs gradually fill with secretions from sebaceous glands — the same glands found at the end of hair follicles that are responsible for unwashed hair becoming greasy — located inside each sac. The only real function these anal glands are known to serve is in doggy communication: they're what dogs sniff when they say hello to each other.

Your Dog's Anal Glands
What are anal glands?
To sustain this free service, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. Our review process. If not taken care of immediately, blocked anal glands can lead to a severe infection. There are also some medical issues that cause loose stool or diarrhea learn how to diagnose diarrhea , including misplaced anal glands or anal gland cancer in dogs. Large-breed dogs seldom suffer from anal gland problems. These symptoms could indicate a serious infection or ruptured anal glands. Below are proper at-home dog anal gland expression practices.
The Function of Dog Anal Glands – Both Fascinating and Gross!
By: Dana Scott -. You know your dog marks his or her — girls do it too! Each sac contains oil and sweat glands.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read more here. Updated: December 8, Unfortunately lots of dogs have problems with their anal glands. Some anal gland impactions get so bad that they become abscessed and rupture, causing pain for the dog, and quite a nasty mess for their people as well as the costs associated with having the infection and abscess treated. So if anal glands are such a pain in the butt — both literally and figuratively — why do dogs have them and what can you do to help your dog if they suffer from regular anal gland problems? See some of my recommended products and solutions at the end of the article. Anal glands and their secretions are part of dog-to-dog communication, and as such, they do serve a role. Impaction is uncomfortable and increases the chances of infection. Impacted and infected anal glands will become abscessed if not treated.