Weird name - anybody have a dog with this? How did it occur and what did you do with it. Is it common?
Daughter’s dog has something going on down there - a rupture near the anus that is weepy and not drying up for several days. She’s made a vet appointment, but I’m just curious.
Yes, a true fistula develops over months not day as it is truly defined as a tear or tube type wound that will not heal.
We used a chemotherapy drug to eliminate it. It was not cheap but it was effective. Required two rounds as I recall. If it would be helpful, I will go back in her records and try to find the drug name.
This drug did work when nothing else worked. My dog developed the fistula after anal gland removal surgery–which was also a last option of sorts. She had issues back there for some time but she’s been healed for years now.
Thanks - Ugggh - she does not need that. I’lll pass it on. Dog seems fine, but a Dr Google search brings this up.
Dog is only just 2 years old.
We will wait a bit and see what the vet says before asking you to go back into your records.
My girl dog has had anal gland issues. She has abscessed twice. Healed up without a problem. I now add pumpkin to her food and have her glands expressed by the vet at least annually (or if she starts scooting) Haven’t had any problems for a couple of years now.
MsM: What treatment did you give her when she abscessed. Did pus come out or anal gland fluid - was it smelly?
Anal gland impaction, abscess, and bursting was the chronic problem that preceded my dog’s surgical removal. When they would abscess and burst it was not smelly. There was some pus but mostly blood and clear serum fluid. The area would be red, very sore, and uncomfortable for her. When she developed the fistula it was like a small amount of draining from a fresh surgical site, it just never stopped. Also not smelly, mostly clear fluid. No redness, no swelling. Really no other symptoms. Would clear up for a day, maybe two, sometimes a week or 10 days and you think, great it’s healed–only to come back again, and again, and again.
My dog had the sore spot, some bleeding and drainage. I don’t recall the exact medications. Antibiotics, hot compresses on her bum, keep it clean. Fortunately her two occurrences were a year or so apart, so likely separate rather than a recurrence and she has not had one for at least a couple of years, So with some management it may not be a chronic issue (Or it may be!)
Vet had told me not to ever express the glands. She told me that this can stretch out the sphincter muscles and make it worse.
Our dog had a problem from the time we adopted her, leakage and that is not good to have in the hous,e so we ended up having the surgery. $2000, and i had to wipe her bottom for 6 months. Then she healed, thank goodness.
True perianal fistulas are an autoimmune disease which is why chemotherapeutics such as cyclosporine are effective. German Shepherds are predisposed.
Anal gland abscessation can occur in any breed. There is typically only one draining tract. They are as described above.
Perianal fistulas typically have multiple draining tracts and for lack of a better word are very very ugly.
Ahh, now I understand there is a difference. My dog had an abscess rather than a fistula.
BTW she has since developed an autoimmune disease (immune mediated polyarthritis) so perhaps there is some connection.
Our dog went to the vet - he said he sees one such abscess every couple of weeks. He expressed her anal gland and gave her antibiotics and said it may never happen again. It was not smelly either, but had some blood in it and some serum stuff. She is a French Bulldog.
Honest to goodness I sincerely wonder if we pet owners are giving our dogs these anal gland issues by feeding high end commercial dog food–no grain, no fillers, also provides no bulk to the fecal material, rendering it unable to express the glands as nature intended; leaving so many dogs now with problems.
Don’t give us something else to worry about!!! Could be, because my dog always has pretty soft poops - no hockey pucks.
Canned pumpkin and baby carrots will be her friend 
But then again, my dog’s second abscess was while eating a good amount of pumpkin daily. :ambivalence:
My Mom’s Poodle developed abcessed anal glands, we treated him with antibiotics and used hydrogen peroxide. We also took him into the vet to have a tech express them internally (not squeezing from the outside) every few months.
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