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Treatment

Your veterinarian will express the contents of the anal sacs if they are not already ruptured. Abscessed anal sacs will be opened in order to allow drainage. The anal sacs will then be cleaned and flushed, and antibiotics will be infused into them. If your dog is suffering from chronic anal sac infection, the anal sacs may need to be surgically removed. However, if your dog is suffering from severe fistulation (abnormal openings in the anal sacs), it may benefit from oral cyclosporine therapy.

Living and Management

Your veterinarian will schedule a follow-up appointment 3 to 7 days after diagnosing and beginning treatment for you dog. Your veterinarian will schedule subsequent follow-up appointments as necessary to treat your dog's condition. If your dog is constantly licking at its anus after treatment, you will need to ask your veterinarian for an Elizabethan collar to prevent the dog from reaching its anus. Also, contact your veterinarian for further treatment if the anal glands continue to drain after a few days of treatment, or if they appear to be red and swollen.