My poodle has been having a problem with impacted anal glands.
Anal glands are small sacs located on each side of the anus.
The purpose of these glands is unknown, but it presumably has to do with scent. The cause of impacted anal glands is mostly unknown. We see the condition frequently after dogs have had diarrhea, probably because the inflammation around the anus narrows the anal sac duct or causes an increased amount of fluid to be secreted. We also see impacted anal glands in dogs that have been fed high-fat diets, dogs that have soft stools, dogs that are not very active, and dogs that have anal sphincter problems. Other Anal Gland Problems Anal glands can also can become infected and abscessed.