cat question (warning - kind of icky)

[LAJennifer]

So, we just got home after a weekend away. One of our cats, Seth - our Egyptian Mau, has a wound just under and to the left side of his rectum. It is red and a little bloody but it is not bleeding, and he isn''t behaving any differently. He seems perfectly fine and isn''t even licking it much. It is a perfect hole - looks like he sat on a nail or something. My first thought was perhaps he got into a squabble with our other cat, Electra, and she bit him - but the hole is perfectly round (and the skin around the hole is missing). We weren''t able to find any blood anywhere on the floor or on the furniture, so it doesn''t seem that it has bled. The litter box is normal. I will be dropping him off to his vet in the morning - but I was wondering if anyone has any ideas of what this could be. I was thinking maybe he had an anal sac rupture - but if that is the case it looks as if he may have removed his anal sac by himself. Is that even possible? Maybe it was impacted and he removed what was impacting the sac? I''m baffled.

 

[Snooper]

I am probably of no help, but my Jack Russell has anal sac problems. When we first got her she was a resque, and she had problems down there... The vet had to extract the fluids, blah blah. I''m also a cat owner, but I wasn''t aware that cats had this problem too... Keep us posted as I''m curious!

 

[Cind11]

I worked for a Vet at one time. I don''t think I recall a cat ever being brought in for an anal gland problem. It was always dogs. Wish I could be of more help, but I''ll be really curious as to what you find out.

 

[Lorelei]

It is possible it is an anal sac abscess, or abscess around his rectum in which case he could need antibiotics and the wound cleaning etc. I am not saying that is what it is but it could be. It could be that it has already burst as it looks like a hole now, but get him to the vet ASAP to check it. It sounds like the right location for anal sacs. If he is having problems ( sorry!) evacuating

...then you can add more fibre to his diet on your vet's advice which will help keep them clear. This works by putting more pressure on the glands when they go potty to help them empty.

ETA - here is an interesting link about these abscesses, I am NOT SAYING IT IS an abscess, your vet needs to see him and diagnose, but thought in case it was this link might be helpful and of interest to some.

http://www.hillsvet.com/media/USARG/generalContent/Vet/Clinical/ClientMaterials/ClientInfoSeries/Integumentary/en/analSacAbscess_en.pdf?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025214&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673413164&bmUID=1107056420531');

 

[ecf8503]

Hi LAJennifer!

I am a veterinarian, worked in cats-only practices for years. What you are describing sounds like a typical anal gland abscess. I assume it is a hole at about 8 o''clock to his rectum, and that he feels fine, right?

Anal glands are like balloons - they are sacs with a small opening (which you can see as small black dots at 4 and 8 on the rectal sphincter itself). They produce smelly liquid, and since the gland is sandwiched in between 2 layers of muscle, when they pass a BM the gland gets compressed and the smelly liquid coats the feces - it''s thought to be an ancient territory-marking mechanism.

Anyway - glands are stupid - they keep producing liquid even when the small exit from the gland gets plugged up. It fills up, and that feels funny to them (like they have something "stuck" back there, hence dogs and cats will often scoot, lick, etc). The stagnant liquid gets contaminated, forming an abscess. The animals uaually feel worse before the rupture, as all the infection is trapped, they are uncomfortable, they can run fevers, etc. But abscesses find the path of least resistance, and find their way to the outside world - hence the hole you see now. The infection is no longer trapped inside, and as disgusting as it looks to us, it is actually well on it''s way to healing now - ruptures are a good thing from a medical perspective!

He will be fine. But he does need to go to the vet to have it cleaned up a bit, as well as to have them check the gland on the other side, as often times if one is affected so is the other. Expect to have to give some antibiotics for a while, but he will recover, tissue will heal, and hair grows back. Don''t worry - it''s pretty common, easily treatable, and he''ll recover in no time!

Good luck, and keep us posted please!

Christine (D.V.M.)

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Cats get gland problems as they get older. I know someone whose cat has to get the sacs squeezed every few months because they get impacted. Older neutered males can develop problems. It's a good idea to take him to the vet.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 5/30/2006 7:33:30 AM
Author: ecf8503
Hi LAJennifer!

I am a veterinarian, worked in cats-only practices for years. What you are describing sounds like a typical anal gland abscess. I assume it is a hole at about 8 o''clock to his rectum, and that he feels fine, right?

Anal glands are like balloons - they are sacs with a small opening (which you can see as small black dots at 4 and 8 on the rectal sphincter itself). They produce smelly liquid, and since the gland is sandwiched in between 2 layers of muscle, when they pass a BM the gland gets compressed and the smelly liquid coats the feces - it''s thought to be an ancient territory-marking mechanism.

Anyway - glands are stupid - they keep producing liquid even when the small exit from the gland gets plugged up. It fills up, and that feels funny to them (like they have something ''stuck'' back there, hence dogs and cats will often scoot, lick, etc). The stagnant liquid gets contaminated, forming an abscess. The animals uaually feel worse before the rupture, as all the infection is trapped, they are uncomfortable, they can run fevers, etc. But abscesses find the path of least resistance, and find their way to the outside world - hence the hole you see now. The infection is no longer trapped inside, and as disgusting as it looks to us, it is actually well on it''s way to healing now - ruptures are a good thing from a medical perspective!

He will be fine. But he does need to go to the vet to have it cleaned up a bit, as well as to have them check the gland on the other side, as often times if one is affected so is the other. Expect to have to give some antibiotics for a while, but he will recover, tissue will heal, and hair grows back. Don''t worry - it''s pretty common, easily treatable, and he''ll recover in no time!

Good luck, and keep us posted please!

Christine (D.V.M.)

Wow, thanks Christine (and all the others that responded)! That certainly makes me feel better. I dropped him off at the vet this morning and will pick him up this evening. It is good to know that he is going to be ok. We went out of town on Thursday night and came back Monday night - so it must have ruptured sometime while we were away. I didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary (no swelling or anything) before we left. I''m kind of glad I was away when it happened (since its not life threatening) because I tend to freak out over the smallest thing when it comes to my cats. Anyway, thanks to all - and I will let you all know what the vet has to say and I will keep you posted about how he is doing. Gotta love my pricescope peeps!

 

[Mara]

aren''t anal glands the best? sooo charming.

the vet also told us that when the pets BMs are not solid enough or hard enough they will not press the gland which is how it can get full and possibly clogged.

our groomer cleans out portia''s when she goes..thank goodness because i would hate to be the one doing it...though the vet did show us how..yikes!

 

[pearcrazy]

I had a male cat that used to have anal gland problems. The vet showed me once how to help express them.

My kids used to alert me to it by saying that Elvis had "dirty butt smell".

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 5/30/2006 3:53:16 AM
Author: Lorelei
It is possible it is an anal sac abscess, or abscess around his rectum in which case he could need antibiotics and the wound cleaning etc. I am not saying that is what it is but it could be. It could be that it has already burst as it looks like a hole now, but get him to the vet ASAP to check it. It sounds like the right location for anal sacs. If he is having problems ( sorry!) evacuating

...then you can add more fibre to his diet on your vet''s advice which will help keep them clear. This works by putting more pressure on the glands when they go potty to help them empty.

ETA - here is an interesting link about these abscesses, I am NOT SAYING IT IS an abscess, your vet needs to see him and diagnose, but thought in case it was this link might be helpful and of interest to some.

http://www.hillsvet.com/media/USARG/generalContent/Vet/Clinical/ClientMaterials/ClientInfoSeries/Integumentary/en/analSacAbscess_en.pdf?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025214&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673413164&bmUID=1107056420531'');

Good reading! Thanks, Lorelei!

 

[Mara]

Date: 5/30/2006 3:54:34 PM
Author: pearcrazy
I had a male cat that used to have anal gland problems. The vet showed me once how to help express them.

My kids used to alert me to it by saying that Elvis had ''dirty butt smell''.

lol we actually call it ''iron butt'' because it smells like iron to us. that''s when i know it''s time to take P to the groomers. we were both so traumatized by having to express them ourselves (well greg was more traumatized) that it''s much better for someone else to do it, esp someone experienced! last time he tried it, he was squeezing the wrong thing.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 5/30/2006 4:02:15 PM
Author: Mara

Date: 5/30/2006 3:54:34 PM
Author: pearcrazy
I had a male cat that used to have anal gland problems. The vet showed me once how to help express them.

My kids used to alert me to it by saying that Elvis had ''dirty butt smell''.

lol we actually call it ''iron butt'' because it smells like iron to us. that''s when i know it''s time to take P to the groomers. we were both so traumatized by having to express them ourselves (well greg was more traumatized) that it''s much better for someone else to do it, esp someone experienced! last time he tried it, he was squeezing the wrong thing.

DOUBLE ICK!!!!

 

[LAJennifer]

Update*****Seth is home from the vet and he is fine. It was an anal sac rupture. They cleaned it out real good and gave him a big ol'' shot of penicillin. Boy is his butt red!!! He starts his antibiotics tomorrow morning; and every evening I will have to open the hole with a cotton ball saturated with hydrogen peroxide (to clear away the crusties) and apply a warm compress. He has to go back in 4 weeks to get both anal glands emptied. So he is definitely on the road to recovery.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread - Seth and I appreciate it very much. What a day for me!!! After dropping him off to the vet, I was driving to work - and just as I entered Beverly Hills, there was a sudden volcanic explosion under my hood - and smelly fluid and smoke were gushing everywhere. I pulled over and called AAA. Turns out my radiator busted. So, i get towed to a 76 station and a coworker picks me up and takes me to work. While I''m trying to get caught up from being away on Friday, I''m hurrying through some things and I spin my chair around to grab something (forgetting I had left a drawer open), and I whack my diamond a good one on the edge of the open desk drawer. No damage that I can tell - but thank heavens for Jewelers Mutual. So, I pick up my car and pay some money - go pick up my kitty and pay some more money and frantically inspect my diamond under a loupe. I''m glad this day is coming to an end. Oh, and while I was picking up my car - I bought 3 Mega Millions tickets and 3 California Lotto tickets. After the day I had, maybe I can get a little lucky . . .

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/30/2006 5:52:16 PM
Author: LAJennifer

Date: 5/30/2006 4:02:15 PM
Author: Mara

Date: 5/30/2006 3:54:34 PM
Author: pearcrazy
I had a male cat that used to have anal gland problems. The vet showed me once how to help express them.

My kids used to alert me to it by saying that Elvis had 'dirty butt smell'.

lol we actually call it 'iron butt' because it smells like iron to us. that's when i know it's time to take P to the groomers. we were both so traumatized by having to express them ourselves (well greg was more traumatized) that it's much better for someone else to do it, esp someone experienced! last time he tried it, he was squeezing the wrong thing.

DOUBLE ICK!!!!

Hee hee " Iron Butt'!!!!! Very funny! I have some gross anal gland stories I could add but won't

I am glad he is doing better LA Jen and we were able to help.

 

[tawn]

I bought 3 Mega Millions tickets and 3 California Lotto tickets. After the day I had, maybe I can get a little lucky . . .

Today was Tuesday, but since Monday was a holiday....today was such a Monday! I just had a bad day like yours, and was so grumpy recovering from a 3-day Migraine! So, I too, grabbed 2 CA lottery ticket scratchers when I had to go to the grocery store as a cheer me up!

And...won $1000!! My day has been so much better since then! Hope you win too!

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 5/31/2006 4:09:41 AM
Author: tawn

I bought 3 Mega Millions tickets and 3 California Lotto tickets. After the day I had, maybe I can get a little lucky . . .

Today was Tuesday, but since Monday was a holiday....today was such a Monday! I just had a bad day like yours, and was so grumpy recovering from a 3-day Migraine! So, I too, grabbed 2 CA lottery ticket scratchers when I had to go to the grocery store as a cheer me up!

And...won $1000!! My day has been so much better since then! Hope you win too!

Wow!!! Congrats!! I''m glad somebody''s day ended nicely. I haven''t checked my tix yet. I think Mega was last night and California Lotto is tonight. Hey, I could be a millionaire and not even know it.

 

[tawn]

Date: 5/31/2006 11:05:16 AM
Author: LAJennifer

Date: 5/31/2006 4:09:41 AM
Author: tawn

I bought 3 Mega Millions tickets and 3 California Lotto tickets. After the day I had, maybe I can get a little lucky . . .

Today was Tuesday, but since Monday was a holiday....today was such a Monday! I just had a bad day like yours, and was so grumpy recovering from a 3-day Migraine! So, I too, grabbed 2 CA lottery ticket scratchers when I had to go to the grocery store as a cheer me up!

And...won $1000!! My day has been so much better since then! Hope you win too!

Wow!!! Congrats!! I''m glad somebody''s day ended nicely. I haven''t checked my tix yet. I think Mega was last night and California Lotto is tonight. Hey, I could be a millionaire and not even know it.

Think of all the diamonds you could get with the millions you might have won!