Dental beauty and health 

Inflammation of the glands of the anus in cats. Functions of the paraanal glands in cats, symptoms of inflammation, treatment

The paranal glands are located under the tail near the cat's anus. They secrete a thick liquid (secret) with a pungent unpleasant odor, which serves as a lubricant during the act of defecation, a kind of mark when dividing territory and helps the cat or cat to attract a mate when the time is right for mating. Usually the glands are cleared during licking, but sometimes the cat is not able to clear the glands on its own, in which case they become clogged and become inflamed.

Causes of inflammation of the paraanal glands

If a cat starts to ride on the floor, meow and constantly licks the anus, her gait changes and her appetite disappears, an unpleasant odor emanates from her, which is not eliminated after taking a bath, this means that the animal's paraanal glands (anal sacs) are inflamed. Cats are most susceptible to these inflammations, but sometimes cats also suffer from them. It is worth noting that long-haired cats are at risk.

The causes of inflammation can be different. The most common ones are:

During inflammation, secretion accumulates and pathogenic bacteria multiply in the anal sacs, which leads to local and then extensive inflammation, which can lead to an abscess if treatment is not started on time.

Disease development

First, there is a violation of the natural outflow of secretion from the glands. The discharge becomes thicker, bacteria begin to actively multiply in them, which leads to severe pain and itching in the anus. The cat begins to rub against furniture and carpets, bowel movements become more painful, the general condition worsens, the cat stops eating, drinking, constantly screaming or behaving extremely sluggishly, nausea with vomiting appears. Other symptoms: the animal begins to lose hair, sores or rashes may appear on the skin, the body temperature rises, the pet has a fever.

At the initial stage of inflammation, there are watery discharge of a light, almost transparent, or yellowish color in small quantities. The more the disease starts, the darker the color of the discharge becomes, the consistency becomes creamy. Itching in the anus increases. When the disease is severely advanced, the secret acquires a viscous consistency, becomes dark brown or black. Anal sacs are greatly increased in size.

How to recognize a disease?

First you need to gently squeeze the inflamed area of ​​the anus with your thumb and forefinger. If a thick liquid with an unpleasant, pungent, dark odor is released, the pet has inflammation of the anal sacs. Action is urgently needed. In cases where the disease is not completely neglected, treatment can be carried out at home.

If the inflammation has developed into an abscess, only the first part of the treatment can be carried out at home. The doctor prescribes antibiotics and decides on the operation.

Treatment

Pet treatment should be started as soon as the first alarming symptoms of the disease appear. Veterinarians recommend procedures such as:

  • Mechanical cleaning. It happens outside and inside. The owner will cope with external cleaning on his own, internal cleaning requires special care, so if the owners of the cat are not very confident in their abilities, it is worth contacting the clinic. With external cleaning, the contents of the paraanal glands are evacuated. To do this, put on clean latex gloves on your hands and press the gland near the anus with your index and thumb. This method will only help at the initial stage of the disease, when the secret in the glands has not yet had time to thicken. If the liquid does not come out, you will have to do a deep cleaning. To do this, the index finger in the glove is lubricated with petroleum jelly and led into the anus, clamping the gland with the thumb. Cleaning must be carried out until all the liquid has come out completely. It is better to ask friends to help fix the cat, because this procedure is quite painful for the animal. Sometimes cleaning alone is not enough, in which case you will have to resort to this event several times.
  • Disinfection . After mechanical cleaning, the anus is treated with antiseptics. It is best to choose Miramistin and Chlorgesidine. Sometimes a bath with a light solution of potassium permanganate is used, but in this case it is imperative to ensure that the crystals dissolve completely.
  • Applying the ointment. Veterinarians recommend using Levomekol, as cats usually do not try to lick it. Instead of Levomekol, you can use anal suppositories with Levomycetin. If the disease is severely neglected and an abscess and fistulas begin to form, this area is washed with antiseptics using a syringe without a needle and Levomekol or Streptocid ointment is applied with gauze napkins. This therapy should be carried out for about one month.
  • Antibiotic therapy. After cleaning, some doctors prescribe antibiotics. As a rule, these are the drugs Gentamicin and Penicillin. They are injected either subcutaneously or intramuscularly, the course is no more than five days
  • Vitamin therapy. This type of therapy is necessary to help the body recover faster after treatment and illness.
  • Scheduled cleaning. You cannot carry out routine cleaning to a healthy animal, as this will adversely affect the work of the paraanal glands. This procedure should be done only if the cat or cat has had a relapse of this disease. Most often, neutered cats suffer from relapses.

Mechanical manipulations and disinfection of the anus must be carried out in the bathroom so as not to stain the furniture. The pathogenic secret has a strong unpleasant odor, and it is quite difficult to remove it.

The paranal glands are sometimes called anal sacs, the substance they release is very viscous and thick; when marking territory or self-defense, street cats are independently freed from this secret, it can go outside during bowel movements. If the animal is a pet, the owners should do the cleaning of the glands in cats, since the pets have lost the ability to clean themselves.

If the cat's paraanal glands are not cleaned at home, an inflammatory reaction will occur, the anal sacs will increase in size and cause discomfort to the animal. Cats will not have the opportunity to normally go to the toilet and move around, strange behavior will arise: the pets will fidget their backs on the floor, and then lick the anus area.

The secret secreted by the glands makes the tail slightly oily and disgustingly smelling, the owners of non-castrated cats are aware of the laborious washing of the fat tail. Cleaning of anal sacs for the prevention of inflammation is carried out not only for cats, but also for cats; before the cleaning process, you must wear glasses, a dressing gown, prepare petroleum jelly, gauze napkins, rubber gloves. It is also necessary to find a person who will help the owner to complete the procedure, if finding an assistant is a problem, the animal needs to be swaddled tightly, while the tail must be left free.

With the help of the left hand, the tail is wrapped on its back or pulled to the side, a gauze napkin is taken in the right hand, with the index finger it is necessary to squeeze the area located slightly below the anus, while it is necessary to capture both glands. All of the above actions should ensure that an unpleasant-smelling liquid is released, traces of which will appear on the napkin, when there is too much secretion, it can splash on the one who is engaged in cleaning the glands, therefore a dressing gown and glasses are used.

When the secret has a pasty consistency, another principle is applied for cleaning the bags, it consists in putting on a rubber glove on the right hand, applying petroleum jelly on the index finger, and inserting the finger into the pet's anus.

Due to the characteristics of the body or the influence of various factors of inflammation, they are very frequent, even when the secret does not have time to take a solid state, and the owners empty the glands on their own, the pet still needs to be shown to the veterinarian.

After that, the paraanal gland must be squeezed from the inside with the index finger, and from the outside with a large, viscous secret, squeezed out until the organs are completely free. The inflamed organs can also be lubricated with synthomycin liniment, but the animal should not be allowed to lick this ointment for an hour, a good result can be achieved with the help of suppositories containing ichthyol. Suppositories are divided into 4 parts and put them one piece at a time in the animal's anus at night for a week, after the candle is put on, the pet should not be allowed to go to the toilet for 5 minutes, the cat must be held, such treatment is carried out as needed.

If the owners could not squeeze out the secret, then it is not worth repeating the complex and painful procedure, it is possible that the animal's glands are empty, when, without the use of candles, self-cleaning did not give results, the procedure is repeated after a few days. Some pets have to clean the anal sacs several times, achieving a clean state; it should be borne in mind that the frequency of manipulations for each pet is individual.

Owners should monitor their pet, but when the cat begins to pay attention to the paraanal glands, it is required to take actions aimed at freeing the anal sacs from the accumulated secretion.

When the underlying problem is resolved, the cat should be given manganese baths, but if the inflammation of the paranasal glands is complicated by an abscess, the animal should be shown to the veterinarian, who should prescribe antibiotic therapy.

If the cat has already experienced similar problems, its condition needs to be monitored, it is possible that the disease will return and the help of the owners will be needed again.

The procedure for cleansing the glands for the cat is unpleasant and painful, and inflammation of the paraanal glands worsen the quality of life, showing the cat to the veterinarian, the owners will receive valuable advice on what should be done in this situation.

The best option would be therapy prescribed by a veterinarian, since with frequent relapses of inflammation, the removal of the paraanal glands is required, after surgery, the pet needs special care, more detailed information about which will be given by a specialist.

Unlike dogs, cats overwhelmingly live at home. Because of this, it is much easier for animal owners to understand that their pets are suffering from some kind of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Common pathologies of this type include inflammation of the anus in cats. It causes the animal a lot of suffering and makes its life unbearable.

The second name of the disease is proctitis. The end section of the rectum becomes inflamed, the tissues thicken, including due to the infiltration of lymphocytes.

Important! The problem is that proctitis is extremely rare on its own - almost always it is only a consequence of colitis, that is, inflammation of the entire large intestine.

When the colon is affected, it loses its ability to absorb moisture from the stool, and as a result, the disease is often accompanied by severe diarrhea. Because of this, the animal experiences, depletion develops, in severe cases, phenomena may occur, which can lead to the death of the animal. The disease affects all breeds of cats, regardless of their age and gender.

What are the symptoms of the disease? The most common signs of rectal inflammation are frequent bowel movements, during which the animal pushes strongly. Feces are excreted in very small portions; during bowel movements, the pet experiences severe pain. Feces often become slimy, acquire a dirty brown or greenish tint, and blood is constantly found in them.

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If the animal is not provided with medical assistance, the development of the pathological process leads to sloughing of the mucous membrane and damage to the deep layers of the rectum. In this case, pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora can enter directly into the bloodstream, as a result of which sepsis will develop. As a result, the general condition of the pet deteriorates sharply, the pet stops eating, and exhaustion develops.

Sometimes pathology develops as a result autoimmune diseases... These are the most difficult and most unobvious situations, since such pathologies are poorly diagnosed and even worse amenable to treatment. In addition, signs of these ailments develop over a long period of time, sometimes several years. Owners do not notice that something is wrong with the health of their pet, which is why they turn to the veterinarian when it's too late. In addition, proctitis is a frequent consequence of uremia, a phenomenon in which many nitrogenous bases appear in the blood. This is often due to diseases of the genitourinary system. Of course, inflammation of the rectum is a trifle in this case, since the other consequences of uremia are much more severe.

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An inflamed intestine can also be an indicator of damage to other internal organs. For example, with pancreatitis, that is, inflammation of the pancreas, a similar outcome is quite likely. Inflammatory diseases or immunological disorders, poor-quality nutrition and constant stress are all fairly common causes of rectal diseases, and not only proctitis.

Unfortunately, many owners forget that reactions can also be an important predisposing factor for any inflammatory disease. If your pet is predisposed to such pathologies, it is important to provide it with special food, which is completely free of substances that may be allergens. In general, it is the allergic causes of proctitis that are most difficult, since to eliminate them it is necessary to accurately identify the allergen, and in the conditions of veterinary clinics this is not always possible.

Therapeutic techniques

If your cat becomes dehydrated from chronic diarrhea, she will need to be hospitalized for IV rehydration. When inflammation is particularly severe the animal must be put on a starvation diet for 24-48 hours, since the rectum takes time to restore the epithelial layer. Meanwhile, if chronic inflammation and scar tissue have formed in the colon, such simple techniques will no longer help. A surgical operation will be required, during which the affected areas of the organ will be excised. It should be noted that with proctitis of fungal etiology, surgery is most often required, since pathogenic fungi very strongly destroy the tissue of the affected organ.

Unfortunately, cats often have problems with their excretory system. These pathologies harm the pet and are very dangerous for him. These include inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats. A caring owner by the behavior of a pet can understand that something is wrong with him. Knowing the causes and symptoms of the disease, you can exclude this ailment.

You can find out the inflammation of the paraanal glands by the following symptoms:

  • The cat fidgets with its back on the floor.
  • Nervously gnaws at the tip of the tail.
  • Vigorously licks the area of ​​the anus.
  • The animal may experience itching all over the body.
  • In more severe cases, the cat develops an extremely painful abscess under the tail, which prevents him from going to the toilet normally.
  • In the future, the abscess causes severe pain and in a calm state.
  • An extremely unpleasant smell comes from the pet.
  • When pressing on the anus, unpleasantly smelling, viscous drops of a dark color appear.

Causes of the onset of the disease

The inflammatory process can occur due to:

  • Frequent constipation of the animal, because at the moment of stress, with which the intestines are emptied, the ducts of the glands are clogged.
  • Feeding chicken or fish bones.
  • Due to the fighting nature of the pet.
  • Decreased muscle tone.

What is inflammation of the paraanal glands?

The paranal glands are located near the anus of the animal. Their task is to empty the foul-smelling secretion, which has a viscous consistency. The cat must empty this fluid by tensing the muscles around it. If the glands overflow with a thickened secretion, then it is absorbed into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. If at this stage the cat is not treated, then inflammation will begin, which will go to the nearby tissues. As a result, an abscess will occur, which causes pain, first while using the toilet, and then in a calm state. In the future, the abscess can lead to blood poisoning. If the necessary treatment is not carried out, then the death of the animal is possible.

Treatment of an inflammatory condition

The inflammation of this extremely unpleasant disease occurs in several ways. The sooner the owner turns to the veterinarian for help, the more successful and easier the treatment will be. The most commonly used methods are:

  • Mechanical cleaning of cats involves gentle pressure on the inflamed area with the index and thumb to release the glands from the accumulated consistency. Cleaning is carried out with gauze napkins.
  • If during cleaning it was not possible to achieve the desired result, then a thumb is inserted into the anus of the animal and pressed on the overflowing glands. Outside, the same procedure is carried out with the index finger. Cleaning must be done until all the accumulated secret comes out.
  • In a lighter condition, you need to lubricate the inflamed area with Levomekol ointment or use suppositories introduced into the anus of the animal. To do this, use 1/4 of a candle with Levomycetin or Ichthyol. If the treatment takes place with the help of an ointment, then it is necessary to ensure that the animal does not lick the anus area, and if with the help of suppositories, then it is important to adjust the time of visiting the pet's toilet. After some time, you need to treat it with a manganese solution under the tail of the cat. Such therapy should be carried out for about 2 weeks.
  • When the abscess begins, the anus is treated with antiseptics: Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, Hydrogen peroxide.
  • If the abscess has passed into the formation of fistulas, then their cavity must be washed with a syringe, with a previously removed needle. In the syringe, you need to collect the above antiseptics and inject them into the cavity of the fistula. Then apply tampons soaked in Streptocid, Syntomycin ointments or Levomekol. Levomekol is usually not licked by cats, so it is most often prescribed by veterinarians. If the therapy is carried out for at least 1 month, then the fistulas will heal and the inflammation will pass.

It is not necessary to cleanse healthy glands as a preventive measure, as this can lead to a malfunction of the body.

Prophylaxis

If the animal is susceptible to this ailment, then you need to carry out routine cleaning in the vet clinic once a month. This is especially true for, because if the pet often suffers from inflammation, then he may develop a tumor, which will lead to oncology. Cleansing once a month will help get rid of the pet's problems.

A timely noticed disease will relieve him of suffering and, if a pet has a similar problem, then you need to seek help from a veterinarian who will help keep the cat healthy and alive.

The paraanal glands in cats are a special organ of external secretion located near the anus. Unfavorable conditions can cause inflammation. With the development of the pathological process, the animal feels discomfort in the anus. The owner of a cat should know how the disease develops and what to do when it occurs.

The secret is produced in a kind of pouches and is used to isolate a fetid secret with which cats mark territory to attract a mate during the mating season.

The causes of inflammation

Under normal conditions, cats clear their secretion pathways on their own. Inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats occurs due to blockage of the anus of the animal, accumulation of secretions. It becomes difficult for the cat to move around and go to the toilet. There are several reasons for inflammation of the paraanal glands.

The owners often feed representatives of the feline family with fish with bones. For cats, this can result in a number of diseases.

During the period of inflammation, secretion accumulates and bacteria multiply, if you start the disease, this can lead to the development of complications: paraanal sinusitis or paraproctitis in cats. When the first signs of inflammation of the paraanal glands appear in cats, immediate treatment should be started.

Who is sick

The disease usually affects young cats. However, inflammation of the paraanal glands can also occur in a pregnant cat. In particular, long-haired breeds, leading a passive lifestyle, suffer.

Symptoms in a cat

Inflammation cannot pass unnoticed by the owner, since it is a severe pain. Signs of the disease carry the following symptoms:

  1. The pet often licks under the tail.
  2. The time taken to go to the toilet is greatly increased. It is hard for a cat to go to the toilet in large measure.
  3. During movement, the tail of the animal is tightly pressed against the anus.
  4. The cat tries to move as little as possible, spends time in a lying state.
  5. If you try to stroke the animal in the tail area, the pet shows obvious aggression. In this state, even the most peaceful pet can bite or scratch.
  6. The pet may begin to fidget on the carpet, trying to get rid of excess secretions.
  7. The tail area takes on a dirty look.
  8. An increase in body temperature is possible.

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If you inspect the anal area, the following symptoms are observed: swelling and redness of the tissues, increased temperature in a specific area, when you press on the swollen area, a strong smell and dark red discharge appear.

Treatment of glandular inflammation

Sanitation is an unpleasant and painful procedure. The animal is treated by squeezing out excess secretions. After the procedure, the animal is washed with a catheter.

Often, the doctor prescribes special suppositories for the cat for inflammation. The use of antibiotics is possible. As a rule, the therapy time is 2–3 days, after which a very noticeable healing effect appears.

If the disease is severely neglected and an abscess has formed, the treatment will last longer and under the long-term supervision of a doctor.

Also, many veterinarians advise, after recovery, to remove the paraanal glands, since they do not perform a vital function. Removing the glands can protect against kidney disease.

How to cleanse the glands yourself

At home, you need to clean the paraanal glands in the bathroom. It is best to wear protective clothing, because during the procedure, the animal secretes an unpleasant-smelling secret. You should ask someone to help, as the cat will need to be securely restrained. There are 3 cleaning methods.

The first method is external cleansing. Initially, hands are disinfected. Then, on the paraanal glands of the cat, you need to press with your thumb and forefinger, squeezing out the accumulated fluid.

The second method to cleanse secretions is internal cleansing. Carried out with gloves. The index finger is inserted into the anus of the animal. Outside, the thumb massages the paraanal glands to release the secret. With this method, a thick and viscous liquid comes out.

The easiest way that you can do it at home is to use special products. The anus of the animal is smeared with anti-inflammatory ointment.

How often to cleanse the glands

The question of how often to clean cannot be answered with certainty, since it depends on the animal. Sometimes, it only takes one cleansing to no longer return to this issue, and sometimes the procedure has to be carried out several times. The main thing is to closely monitor the animal and to prevent the disease.

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How much does it cost to clean the paraanal glands in cats - the price of one session is about 300–500 rubles.

Bag washing

This procedure cannot be performed on a cat without veterinary specialists. It is prescribed for complications or severe inflammation. The procedure is carried out as follows:

  • a syringe without a needle is filled with an aseptic solution;
  • the solution is injected into the anus of the cat;
  • the manipulations are repeated until the liquid in the bags becomes light;
  • after cleaning, an antiseptic ointment is injected into the anus.

After the operation, the animal is put on a blanket and a collar.

Prophylaxis

To avoid the development of a fistula of the paraanal gland in a cat, the following rules must be observed:

  • monitor the proper nutrition of pets;
  • do not lead to obesity;
  • veterinarians recommend that your cat be examined regularly by a doctor;
  • examination of the anus at home,
  • rinse the area with soapy water;
  • pay attention to changes in cat behavior.

Any animal requires constant attention and care. If you want your cat not to get sick and to please you with her health, she needs to be regularly taken to the veterinarian for preventive examinations. This will help prevent the development of many diseases, including inflammation of the paraanal gland.

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