home Audience 1 How to treat an inflamed anus in cats. Inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats: symptoms and treatment

How to treat an inflamed anus in cats. Inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats: symptoms and treatment

The anal glands in a cat are a pair of small glands that are located at the end of the rectum on both sides. These glands secrete a secretion that provides lubrication during bowel movements. This secretion has an unpleasant and pungent odor.

Normally, animals cleanse their glands on their own. But, unfortunately, it occurs more often pathological condition when the cat is unable to cleanse the glands. Therefore, it is very important to help animals cleanse their glands. If the glands are not cleansed in a timely manner, then excessive accumulation of secretion occurs in the glands, which leads to adverse consequences. The glands then increase in volume, and the inflammatory process begins. The animal experiences terrible discomfort, pain and itching.

Inflammation of the paraanal glands

Inflammation of the paraanal glands is a very common occurrence.

Many owners know how and when to clean the anal sinuses. But, at the same time, many owners are not even aware that such glands exist in cats and that they need to be cleaned mechanically at the vet. clinic. With this problem, contact us at the Bio-vet clinic a large number of clients.

In the absence of timely cleaning of the paraanal sinuses and inflammation begins, the following signs may be observed:

Change in gait

Painful bowel movements, cats scream and meow

Increased body temperature

Loss of appetite

The cat often licks under its tail

The cat has an unpleasant odor

The cat walks backwards on the floor

If the paraanal glands become inflamed, treatment measures must be taken immediately. Because this condition can lead to an abscess. An abscess can only be treated. A complication of this may be rupture of the abscess and blood poisoning. That’s why it’s so important to seek help from a veterinarian at the first sign of discomfort.

Treatment of inflammation of the paraanal glands

If the disease is detected on early stages, then treatment will not be particularly difficult.

It will be necessary to cleanse the glands mechanically from stagnant secretions. Typically, several cleanings will need to be done at short intervals to completely clear the sinuses.

After cleaning, the doctor will prescribe necessary treatment. These can be anti-inflammatory injections, blockades, suppositories or ointments.

Name of veterinary services	Unit	Cost of service, rub.
Initial appointment Repeated appointment	One animal One animal
Veterinarian consultation
Consultation with a doctor based on test results
Doctor's consultation, without pet

Prevention of inflammation of the paraanal glands is their timely cleaning. Individually for each animal. For some animals, it is enough to do it once a year, but more often preventative cleaning is carried out once every 3-6 months.

Inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats is one of the most serious conditions that can cause the death of a pet. Most often the disease is diagnosed in males, but among patients veterinary clinic There are also cats. Mostly representatives of long-haired breeds are affected.

What is inflammation of the paraanal glands?

Paraanal glands are paired organs located on both sides of the anus. Their main purpose is to secrete a secretion that is thick in consistency and has specific smell. With the help of this substance, the cat marks its own territories.

Emptying of the glands occurs by tensing the muscles located in the immediate vicinity, in particular during bowel movements. If they are overfilled with thickened secretion, the substance can enter the general bloodstream and spread to all tissues and organs.

If the anal glands are not cleaned at this point, the cat will develop inflammation. At the same time, it can spread to neighboring tissues. The result is the formation of an abscess, causing pain when going to the toilet. Later – in the absence of therapy – the pain persists even during rest. If no measures are taken, there is a high risk of blood poisoning and subsequent death of the cat.

The following groups of cats are at risk:

pregnant females;
animals leading sedentary lifestyle living or suffering from obesity;
pets with injuries in the anal area.

Causes of pathology

A fight between cats can cause injury and inflammation.

Inflammation of the paraanal glands can be caused by many factors. But most often the reasons are:

Frequent constipation. At the moment of strain, typical for bowel movements with dry feces, clogging of the glandular ducts may occur.
Incorrectly organized nutrition. It is strictly forbidden to give fish or chicken bones to the animal.
Cat fights.
Decreased muscle tone anus.

Symptoms of inflammation of the paraanal glands

With the development of inflammation of the glands in a cat, the usual behavior changes. The onset of the disease can be recognized by the following signs:

the animal begins to “roll” on the floor as if wiping the area under its tail;
often chews the tip of the tail;
constantly licks the anal area;
the animal emits an extremely unpleasant odor;
when pressing on the anus area, a viscous, dark-colored secretion is released unpleasant smell.

Important! In severe cases of inflammation, a painful abscess forms in the anus. For this reason, it is very painful for a cat to go to the toilet. If left untreated, the animal’s condition worsens, and pain occurs even at rest.

When examining the anal area, the following symptoms are observed:

puffiness, swelling, redness;
increase in local temperature;
when pressing on the affected area, a brown secretion of an oily consistency with an unpleasant odor is released.

If such symptoms are detected, the cat should be shown to a veterinarian. Only a specialist can determine the severity of inflammation and prescribe treatment adequate to the condition.

Treatment of the disease

A visit to the veterinarian is a guarantee of quick healing for your pet.

The basis of the treatment of pathology is the mechanical release of overcrowded and inflamed para-anal glands from accumulated secretions.

The manipulation is performed in several ways:

If the secretion remains soft, then the glands are cleaned externally. The doctor puts on rubber gloves. Then he picks up sterile gauze pads and gently presses on the area where the paraanal glands are located. The technique will be effective only with liquid secretions.
Internal sanitation. The doctor puts on sterile gloves and inserts his index finger into the animal's anus. At the same time, it is carried out external massage glands thumb. This stimulates the release of accumulated substances. The technique is practiced when the secretion thickens.

After the glands are released, they are sanitized using antiseptic solutions by catheterization. Then the cat is given a suppository with an anti-inflammatory effect. If necessary, the animal is prescribed medications from the antibiotic category.

The effect of the therapeutic measures taken becomes noticeable two to three days after the release of the paraanal glands. In some cases, sanitation will need to be carried out several more times.

Washing the anal glands is another technique. The procedure is carried out only in a hospital setting. Recommended for the formation of a fistula and accompanying suppuration.

The procedure looks like this:

doctor prepares water solution antiseptic;
draws the drug into a syringe tube (without a needle) and inserts it into the resulting hole (fistula);
manipulations are repeated several times until the flowing liquid acquires a light shade;
then a gauze swab with ointments that have antimicrobial properties is placed inside the fistula.

To prevent licking of the treated fistula, a postoperative collar is placed on the cat's neck.

Important! If releasing the glands fails due to severe pain caused by an inflammatory process, the animal is given a novocaine blockade. After which the accumulated secretion is removed manually.

With frequent relapses of the disease, veterinarians recommend that owners remove the problematic glands.

Cleaning the anal glands at home

Cleaning the glands can be done at home.

If an animal develops symptoms of inflammation of the paraanal glands, then the accumulated secretion can be removed at home. If desired, the glands are cleaned manually. But if this is not possible, then the use of medication is allowed. It gives an effect with minor inflammation and looks like this:

The anal area and surrounding tissues are treated with synthomycin ointment or another agent with an anti-inflammatory effect.
A medical collar is placed around the animal’s neck, which will eliminate the possibility of licking the anus.
In the evening, an ichthyol suppository is inserted into the cat and the anus is clamped. The animal is held for several minutes so that the drug has time to dissolve and be absorbed into the mucous membranes.

Course duration is 10 days.

Prevention of the development of inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats

If the animal often suffers from thickening of the paraanal secretion, then Scheduled cleaning of the glands should be carried out once a month. You can do this yourself or take the cat to a veterinary clinic.

The recommendation will also be relevant for neutered cats. In such animals, stagnation of odorous secretion occurs due to physiology: the absence of sexual heat makes the “marks” familiar to cats irrelevant. The reserves of the produced secretion remain practically unclaimed.

A good preventative measure is washing the animal's anal area with soap and water. This keeps the skin clean and stimulates the glands at the same time.

Inflammation of the paraanal glands - serious disease, causing a lot of trouble for the cat. That is why, if suspicious symptoms appear, your pet must be immediately taken to the veterinarian.

The video explains how and why to clean a cat's anal glands:

The cat family is the most different breeds and size have long been considered man's friends. These useful creatures help us catch rodents in everyday life, gently reassure us with their presence, and some even make money from exclusive breeds by exhibiting their pets at exhibitions or breeding offspring for the sale of pedigree kittens. But unfortunately, things don’t always go as we would like. Diseases often appear excretory system, . Why this happens and how to treat it, now we will find out.

Anal glands in cats- these are glands external secretion located near the anus. These glands are responsible for secreting a thick secretion with which the cat marks its territory. This is done for individuals of the opposite sex. In this foul-smelling way they mark their possessions. Under certain circumstances these glands can become inflamed, bringing not the most pleasant sensations to the animal.

The work of the glands and the reasons why inflammation occurs

Have you ever noticed a thickening of your cat's tail near the anus? So this is where these very glands are located, which are so important for the animal. Their job is not only to attract other cats, but also to protect their habitat. During evolution, most cats have lost the ability to cleanse special bags in which this secretion accumulates. Owners should pay attention to their pets in this regard and, if necessary, help get rid of this problem.

During the period, when the cat's bags are full, stagnation occurs. If he fails to get rid of this on his own, problems with bowel movements appear. This further leads to enlargement of the glands, this complication brings painful sensations and subsequent deterioration of the body's condition. There is a loss of appetite, problems with movement appear, the temperature rises and ultimately the excess turns into an abscess requiring surgical intervention.

The following groups of cats are susceptible to the problem of inflammation of the paraanal glands:

leading a sofa lifestyle.
Susceptible frequent constipation due to poor nutrition.
obese.
eating fish and chicken bones.
received mechanical injuries in the anal area.
Having decreased muscle tone.
pregnant women.

What causes inflammation?

Let's consider the mechanism of development of inflammation of the paraanal glands:

Violation of the natural function of secretion outflow leads to overflow of the glands.
The thickening of the fluid inside the sacs leads to severe itching, which contributes to active growth microflora.
Ignoring the development of an abscess develops into rupture of the walls of the paraanal glands.
All these mechanisms are accompanied by painful symptoms.

Subsequent deterioration is a purulent exacerbation, leading to death.

Treatment and symptoms

Note to all owners - if you press on the formed swellings in the anal area and then brown ones begin to protrude from them, thick discharge, which means you need to urgently seek help from veterinary center. If the swelling is soft, it is initial stage diseases, if compacted, then the disease develops for the worse for the cat.

Wearing rubber gloves, the veterinarian carries out internal cleaning - having wrapped up the resisting cat and lubricated the index finger, the doctor inserts it into the pet’s anus, after which he pinches the gland with his thumb, stimulating it to get rid of the secretion.
The second method is external cleaning. Valid this process treatment only in the early stages, when the glands are still soft to the touch. The specialist squeezes the bags with his fingers, provoking the secretion to come out.
The third way is to isolate the cat's head with a special collar, this will prevent him from licking the anus, then the tissues of the anus and around it are lubricated with ointment with synthomycin, and a suppository with ichthyol is inserted at night. When placing a candle, it is important to fix it inside with your fingers for a couple of minutes, this will eliminate the likelihood that the cat will immediately start going to the toilet.

Symptoms

Remember that around the anus there are many plexuses of blood vessels and nerve endings, there is no need to rush into the operation, as inattention will lead to injury, which will worsen the pet’s health . If you still dare to self-medicate your pet at home under the strict consultation of a veterinarian, he will give you instructions on the right approach to treatment.

Be sure to wear rubber gloves - this will protect your hands from harmful bacteria.
Prepare napkins or any other fabric in advance; you will use it to wipe the secretion from the glands.
Also, for cleanliness, you should lay down oilcloth or fabric that does not allow moisture to pass through. It will serve as protection for your furniture, sofa or any other furniture on which the treatment procedure will be carried out.
Stand to the side of the animal, raise the tail with one hand, and hold a towel or napkin with the other.
Place your fingers opposite each other, so that one finger points to the left, the other to the right. If you look at the dial, the first finger will be at the 4 o'clock position, the other at 8 o'clock.

Stimulating the glands the secret must come out. After removing the blockage, the cat's pain will go away within a couple of days. Be careful, the bags may not be completely released from the first procedure; an additional two or three similar operations may be required. If the disease progresses to chronic form, it is easier to remove these glands. They do not carry a serious load on the body.

Prevention

Let's move on to further prevention . You should take baths with manganese, and you can also put chloramphenicol rectal suppositories. In cases where it was carried out surgery To remove the abscess, a course of antibiotics is prescribed. The course of therapy should not be less than seven days. If the treatment is successful, do not forget that the disease can manifest itself again; to fully understand the cause of such an unpleasant illness, you should seek examination from a specialist. There may be several reasons, ranging from allergies to the risk of cancer. The disease is so diverse that in some cases removal of the glands is prescribed.

Taking care of our pets

Every cat owner should have a clear idea of what diseases he may encounter in his animal. Often veterinarians advise Wash the anal openings of cats with soapy water. This procedure has a stimulating effect on the anal glands, helping them to cleanse themselves. We also appeal to attentive owners who take their pet for examination at an animal care center - remind the veterinarian about scheduled inspection sacs containing secretions.

Since the animal experiences pain and shows aggression when performing manual manipulations to remove secretions, it is recommended to contact a specialist. At the Ya-Vet help center experienced doctors will show you a professional one, quick help By low prices to your pet. We show love to animals by keeping them healthy!

If you notice that your cat shows increased attention to the area around the anus, licks fur there and sometimes begins to “ride” on the carpet, you may suspect that your animal has worms. In fact, in many cases, the cause of this behavior is blockage.

Signs of inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats

The paraanal glands are located near the anus of the animal and are normally emptied of their contents - a foul-smelling secretion of a viscous consistency - during defecation due to tension of nearby muscles. However, sometimes the animal cannot empty these glands on its own, and then it instinctively tries to do it mechanically. To do this, the cat fidgets with its butt on the floor, gnaws at the base of its tail and frantically licks the anus area.

When the paraanal glands become overfilled, their contents thicken and at the same time begin to be actively absorbed into the animal’s blood, which provokes the appearance of severe itching all over his body. If on at this stage the cat's owner will not take him to the veterinarian to clean the glands, their inflammation will begin, which will inevitably affect nearby soft fabrics. This is fraught with the formation of an extremely painful abscess under the tail of the unfortunate animal, which causes him a lot of suffering, initially only when dealing with natural needs, and later - even at rest. Without treatment severe inflammation may ultimately lead to the death of the cat.

Treatment of inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats

If you are attentive to your animal, you will probably pay attention to changes in its behavior, which should make you suspect inflammation of its paraanal glands. You can try to clean them yourself: to do this, press a clean napkin tightly to the animal’s anus and squeeze its right and left side. If this does not lead to anything, contact your veterinarian - he is guaranteed to be able to clean the anal anal area using a method in which one finger presses on the gland inside the cat's anus, and the second on the outside.

If development is avoided inflammatory process the formation of an abscess still failed, the doctor will open the abscess surgically, will disinfect the wound and prescribe medications for quick and trouble-free healing. He will also tell you how to prevent your cat from getting blocked anal glands in the future.

Inflammation of the paraanal glands is a disease characteristic not only of cats, as many believe, but also for cats. Owners cats know that they can wash the “fat tail” of an uncastrated cat- it’s a labor-intensive and difficult task. So what are the paraanal glands that can cause so many problems in cats? Anal sacs, also called paraanal glands, are two small glands located immediately at the exit of the animal's anus. The substance secreted by the anal glands is thick and has a very unpleasant odor. It is for this reason that some veterinarians during a preventive examination cats They don't offer to clean them.

Most animals can release/cleanse these glands on their own through scent marking or self-defense. These glands are usually cleared during normal bowel movements. But most of the home cats have lost the ability to free these anal sacs on their own. Therefore, their owners have to periodically help them with this.

If an animal loses the ability to control the emptying of the paraanal glands, they become overfilled, increase in size, become inflamed and interfere with normal bowel movements and even walking. Cats Those who have these glands clogged often begin to lick the anal area and heavily lick the fur under the tail. They also begin to “ride” backwards along the floor or on the ground, trying to squeeze out the accumulated secretions, and some try to press down the glands with their tail. Overflow of the paraanal glands is always accompanied by an unpleasant odor.

So how do you clean the anal glands?
Before this procedure, it is best to put on glasses and an easily washable robe or things that you don’t mind throwing away later. Prepare gauze pads, rubber gloves and Vaseline just in case.

It is best if someone helps you. It is necessary that your assistant firmly fixes cat, and if you do it yourself, then it’s better to swaddle it tightly cat, leaving only the tail free. Then with your left hand, curl the tail over your back or move it to the side, no matter what it gets in the way. Take a gauze pad to right hand and with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, squeeze just below the anus, grabbing both glands at once. By your actions you should achieve the release of a foul-smelling liquid; you will see traces of it on the napkin. If there is a lot of secretion, then splashes of disgusting-smelling liquid fly straight at you. For this occasion, a robe and glasses were needed.

If the secretion is very viscous (doughy), then the method described above will not help achieve complete release of the bags. Then you can use the "internal" method. We put a pre-prepared rubber glove on the right hand, lubricate the index finger with Vaseline and insert it into anus animal. And we squeeze the gland from the inside index finger and thumb outside. Squeeze out the viscous secretion until the bags are completely free.

There are also more humane methods, for example: you can lubricate the inflamed surface with synthomycin liniment and not give cat lick the ointment for an hour.

Suppositories with ichthyol also give good results - they are placed for 7-10 days, 1/4 of the candle is inserted into the anus at night. After inserting the candle, you need to hold it for about five minutes. cat, preventing him from going to the toilet. Treatment is carried out as needed.

But, naturally, it will be better if a veterinarian prescribes treatment for your cat.

If you couldn’t, no matter how hard you tried, squeeze the secretion out of your cat’s glands, then don’t torture her any more, most likely her glands are empty!

If you cleaned the glands yourself with your hands, without using suppositories, and a one-time cleansing of the glands did not help, then after a few days you need to repeat the procedure. Some animals have to cleanse their glands several times in a row in order to achieve their stable clean state.

The frequency of the gland cleaning procedure is individual for each animal. Watch your cat, and if she begins to pay attention to them, then carry out the procedure to free the gland from secretion using any of the methods described above or show cat veterinarian

If you regularly carry out procedures to cleanse the glands, and your cat"rides" backwards along the floor, licks itself under its tail, then it should be examined for the presence of flatworms or allergic reaction, and perhaps she has low lumbar pain.

If the glands are not cleansed in time, an abscess may form. And when it breaks through the skin, cat it will hurt, and everything around where the cat is will be stained with the foul-smelling secretion of the inflamed paraanal gland. Often, when the paraanal gland is inflamed, droplets of blood can be seen in the stool during defecation. This may be why it is misdiagnosed as rectal bleeding. If your animal has an abscess of the paraanal glands, in this case only a good doctor can help.

Do not allow this to happen to your pets, regularly check the condition of their paraanal glands and thereby you will save both them and yourself from unpleasant consequences which can be caused by overcrowded glands. Health to you and your animals!

* Copying site materials is allowed only if there is an ACTIVE link to my site *