Introduction
There is no test that can conclusively diagnose anal sac disease in cats. Instead, this condition is diagnosed based on the cat’s history, symptoms, physical examination, and microscopic examination of the anal sac contents.
Diagnosing Anal Sac Disease in Cats
The majority of anal sac disease cases in cats are caused when the anal sacs become impacted, and they are unable to express normal secretions when the cat has a bowel movement. If a cat has symptoms of anal sac impaction (constant licking or biting around the anal area in addition to pain around the hind end) then a veterinarian will perform a physical examination to palpate the anal sacs.
The anal sacs must be palpated by placing a finger in the rectum, and if impaction is present the veterinarian will feel small hard masses in the anal sacs. At this point, the veterinarian must apply a good amount of pressure to the glands to express the material inside the gland. In cases of impaction, the material that comes out of the glands has a distinct look and comes out of the glands as a thin solid ribbon of material.
If a veterinarian suspects that the anal sac disease has progressed to infection of the anal glands, then a microscopic examination of the glands’ material will be performed. Infected glands will carry certain types of white cells and bacteria that can easily be seen on a microscopic slide.
Anal sac disease is generally diagnosed when a cat has repeated impaction problems with the sacs. Impaction may happen occasionally, but anal sac disease is normally indicated by repeated incidences of impaction.