Anal Glands

The anal glands are a pair of small sacs that sit just inside the anus. They contain a strong-smelling liquid used for marking territory. Healthy anal glands empty when a dog poos.
Blocked anal glands are a relatively common problem and in most cases, are simple to treat. Left untreated, blocked anal glands can lead to more serious problems such as infections/abscesses.
Any dog can develop blocked anal glands but it’s more common in overweight dogs (weak muscles around the bottom), dogs born with narrow anal gland openings (makes emptying difficult), and dogs that have ongoing diarrhoea/soft stools (anal glands rely on firm, bulky stools to push past and empty them).