My Boston Terrier had a painful bump that popped. Is it an anal gland?

It could be an [anal gland abscess](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anal-glands-sacs-impactions-infections-abscesses-in-dogs). This occurs when the anal glands do not fully empty during the act of defecation resulting in inflammation, impaction and infection. Have her examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. This may include sedation followed by lancing, draining and flushing the abscess. Antibiotics and pain management will likely be indicated. Topical treatment may not be sufficient. An e-collar (cone) can be used to prevent licking until she sees the doctor. Afterwards, you can have her glands expressed (emptied) regularly and add additional [fiber](https://www.petcoach.co/article/high-fiber-diets-anal-gland-disease-in-dogs/) to her diet to[ prevent recurrence](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-prevent-impacted-dog-anal-glands).

Your pet may have an inflamed or infected [anal gland](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/conditions-of-the-anal-glands). [Impacted or abscessed anal glands](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anal-glands-sacs-impactions-infections-abscesses-in-dogs) are very painful and makes it difficult to defecate or even move. Without treatment, an impacted gland may abscess and rupture, causing a open wound on your pet's rear that will require wound care, antibiotics and pain relief. I recommend getting your pet seen by your vet. He or she will express (empty) the anal glands, clean her up and possibly start her on antibiotics and pain medication if indicated. You can ask to be shown how to express the anal glands yourself at home so you can avoid impaction or infection in the future. Increased dietary fiber or supplements, such as [Glandex](), may help prevent anal gland issues as well.

This can be painful and messy so I recommend using a hot compress on the area several times a day to keep it clean and draining. Then I apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on the surface. As Milo will lick the area using a cone or restraint collar to prevent licking will help it heal faster. Once the sac has ruptured it usually will heal quickly on its own. Continue the antibiotics until they are finished. To prevent this from happening again I would have Milo's anal sacs expressed regularly, every two to three months. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Milo.

I recommend bringing him to your vet ASAP to have his anal glands expressed. Full anal gland can be extremely uncomfortable or even painful for dogs and can even lead to perianal fistula (ruptured anal glands) if not expressed in a timely fashion. Many vets hospitals will do anal gland expressions without charging an office visit/exam fee. However if the anal glands are not full, a full exam by your veterinarian to determine if there is any obvious lesion in either Gunner’s perianal region or musculoskeletal pain would be helpful.

Hi and thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This appears to be what we call an anal gland abscess, which is an infected anal gland. The anal glands are two sacks location at the 4 and 10 o'clock position that are usually expressed when your pet poops. However, some pets have a hard time expressing and emptying these sacks on their own, which leads to them filling up and getting infected. This needs to be addressed by your vet unfortunately because the sacks needs to be opened up and flushed. This often has to be done under a mild sedative. For now just apply a cold compress to the area. I hope that Fiffy gets better soon. Best wishes and take care.

This looks like a ruptured anal gland, the medication she is currently on should help to prevent infection but you should have the other gland checked and emptied by your vet or vet tech to prevent the second from rupturing also. As long as the area is kept clean it should heal uneventfully, a high fiber supplement may help in preventing further recurrence

This could be a severely abscessed anal gland/sac or a tumor or a perineal hernia. This can only be diagnosed with a hands-on exam. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a hernia may have to be fixed surgically. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.