ANAL SAC DISEASE IN THE CAT Ernest E. Ward Jr., DVM. |The anal
sacs are located on either side of the anus just under the skin
at the 4 oclock and 8 oclock positions. They connect to the anus
by means of small canals called ducts. Anal sacs produce and
store a dark, foul-smelling fluid. These are the same types of
organs that a skunk has to scare away its enemies and mark
territory. Although cats use their anal sacs for the same
purpose, most domestic cats have no need to mark territory or
repel predators. Because the sacs are rarely emptied, the fluid
builds up, solidifies, and becomes an ideal environment for
bacteria to thrive. What diseases occur in the anal sacs? There
are three diseases that occur in the anal sacs. 1. When the
fluid becomes thick and solidified, the condition is called
impaction. What are the clinical signs? Symptoms of anal sac
disease are: How are these diseases treated? The treatment for
impaction is to express the sacs and clean out the solidified
material. For infection, the sacs m