The anal glands of dogs are an area that many owners tend to ignore and can become inflamed if not cleaned over time, and small dogs are more prone to this problem than large dogs. If you don’t know how to clean your dog’s anal glands, it’s best to take your dog to a grooming salon for a demonstration and then learn how to clean them regularly. The symptoms of an inflamed anal gland are as follows: a. The dog will walk forward or rub the ground back and forth with the anus dragging after a bowel movement and when it is quiet. The dog may turn around and lick and bite the area around the anus, or bite the fur on the upper outer part of the hind legs and the tail root. The anus does not touch the ground when the dog is in a normal sitting position, but often appears in a strange position with one hind limb standing upright and the other hind limb standing sideways with the anus on the ground. It is as if a person is riding a slide. After the initial symptoms have appeared for some time, if left untreated, the dog will develop an obstacle to walking on the hind limbs and will suddenly walk a few steps with the anus on the ground, fork both hind limbs and look back at the anus. Further development can lead to the anal glands breaking down and a cavity appearing on one or both sides of the anus with pus and blood flowing out, mainly due to diet-related causes.
