Inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats is an unpleasant disease that can occur not only in females, but also in males. Many owners of uncastrated cats know firsthand the laundering of the "fat tail", since this is a rather laborious affair. What do the paranal glands look like in cats and what problems can they cause?
A bit of disease information
In common people they are called anal sacs. Two glands are located near the anus, and the substance secreted from these sacs is very viscous and thick, with an unpleasant odor. For this reason, very often veterinarians do not offer owners a cleaning of the animal. Most cats can independently release the glands from the specified substance during self-defense or when marking the territory. Also in a healthy animal, this secret comes out during bowel movements. In the wild, cats can easily cope with the task, but pets have almost lost the ability to free themselves from the harmful substance on their own. Therefore, the owners have to help their pets.
If the animal cannot control this process, an inflammatory reaction occurs, in which the anal sacs increase in size and cause a lot of problems: cats cannot move normally and go to the toilet. Paraanal glands in cats cause behavior unusual for them: the animal begins to fidget backwards on the floor and lick the anal area strongly.
Causes of pathology
- Genetic predisposition, especially if you have a thoroughbred cat.
- Too soft feces (diarrhea).
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Very viscous substance secreted from the glands.
- Specific features.
- Obesity.
- Parasitemia.
- Lack of exercise.
- Too soft food.
- Other hidden reasons.
As mentioned above, the paraanal glands in cats can become inflamed at any time if excessive secretion occurs. In turn, the multiplication of pathogens leads to serious consequences and even sepsis with untimely treatment.
Stages of the disease
If you do not treat the paraanal glands in cats, the disease will progress and your animal will remain crippled. To make it clear what this pathology is, we will talk about its stages and how they proceed.
- First stage. There is severe itching, the animal behaves uneasily, a secretion of yellowish color in small quantities may be released.
- The second stage - pustular rashes are observed on the body of the animal on the inner side of the thighs, sometimes stiffness occurs in the pelvic area. The secret comes out thicker and in large numbers.
- The third stage is very dangerous for the animal. The secret begins to stand out in small quantities, has a creamy texture of a dark color.
- The fourth stage is the most dangerous. With her, the animal often stops walking due to paralysis of the pelvic girdle. The secret stands out granular nature, the consistency of clay.
Symptoms
As mentioned above, a problem should be identified from the moment it occurs. Therefore, it is extremely important to read the information below in order to have a basic understanding of this disease.
Inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats has the following symptoms:
- tenesmus;
- change in habits;
- aggression towards people around;
- oppression;
- hair loss;
- refusal to eat;
- wet to the touch;
- rash;
- skin sinuses;
- pain in the tail area;
- skin ulcers;
- hypersensitivity;
- pruritus (itching);
- fever;
- hyperpigmentation.
How does the disease progress?
As you already understood, this disease begins with a violation of the secretion exit from the anal sacs. Simply put, they are clogged. Outwardly, a cat can look completely healthy and active, and only periodically will show increased attention to its tail. After a short period of time, the secret changes its consistency and becomes thicker, the so-called flakes appear in it. After that, the animal changes its behavior and does not allow, as before, to stroke it in the hind legs and tail. Due to the overflow of glands, the secret seeps into the blood, while the animal feels an intolerable itch that cannot be stopped. Accordingly, the cat begins to intensively lick the area under the tail.
If the animal has not received timely assistance, then the microorganisms located in the anal sacs cause an inflammatory process. In the clogged ducts, an abscess of the paraanal gland in the cat. After this, purulent accumulations come out, and a fistula forms in the anus. This period is considered extremely dangerous for the animal: in cats, as a rule, the temperature rises within 40 degrees, they refuse to eat and become very lethargic. If nothing is done, then the cat is likely to die.
Home treatment
Inflammation of the paraanal glands in cats, the treatment of which can be carried out at home, is not very difficult to eliminate in the initial stages. Before this procedure, it is advisable to wear clothes that will not be a pity to throw away. It is good if you will be helped by households, because this way you will cope with the task faster.
First prepare as many sterile gauze napkins, petroleum jelly, and rubber gloves as much as possible. It is necessary to fix the animal so that it could not move. With your left hand, wrap the tail on your back and use a gauze to squeeze the area under the tail just below the anus, and you must grab two glands at once. If you did everything right, a foul-smelling liquid should appear from the anal sacs. This treatment option will help if the animal has the first or second stage of the disease, in other situations you need to act differently.
If the secret has acquired a viscous consistency, then it is very difficult to get rid of it. This will require an internal cleaning of the paraanal glands in cats. To do this, put on gloves and lubricate the index finger with petroleum jelly, then it must be inserted into the anus of the animal and squeezed the gland from the inside with force: squeeze this substance out until it comes out completely.
More humane treatments
There are more humane ways to solve this problem. For example, you can use syntomycin liniment. To do this, apply the ointment to the inflamed area and do not let the cat lick the product for an hour. You can buy candles in the pharmacy, which contain ichthyol - they must be placed within 10 days in ¼ half.
But the best thing, of course, is to seek qualified help from a veterinarian. Do not allow the development of a similar disease in your pets, systematically monitor their state of health, in particular the paraanal glands. With these actions you will save yourself from problems, and the animal - from torment.
Prevention
As a prophylaxis of the disease, it is necessary to clean the anal sacs as often as possible. The terms of their cleaning are set individually, as it all depends on the breed of the cat and the characteristics of its body. Among other things, you should know that not at every age you can carry out this procedure - this moment is also individual. If you have identified this problem with your pet, you can help it yourself. It will also be useful to go to a veterinary clinic - there they will prescribe the necessary course of therapy to cure the paraanal glands in cats. Treatment prescribed on time will definitely bring a positive effect.
Everyone wants to get an animal, but not always a person understands what responsibility falls on him. Although many breeds of cats are completely unpretentious, but they still require some care. Therefore, if you decide to get an animal, then you must responsibly approach this, and not only play with the pet, but also treat it if necessary. If you do not have time for this, then you need to think about whether it is worth having a pet.