Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Macroscopic, cytological and bacteriological evaluation of anal sac content in normal dogs and in dogs with selected dermatological diseases.
- Journal:
- Veterinary dermatology
- Year:
- 2002
- Authors:
- Pappalardo, Ersilia et al.
- Affiliation:
- Studio Dermatologico Veterinario · Italy
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In a study involving 40 healthy dogs and 30 dogs with skin conditions like pyoderma (a bacterial skin infection) and atopic dermatitis (a type of allergy), researchers looked at the contents of the anal sacs, which are small glands near the dog's rear. They found that the size and appearance of the anal sac contents were similar across all groups. However, sick dogs had more bacteria in their anal sacs compared to healthy ones, and certain types of bacteria were found more often in dogs with pyoderma. The study also noted that signs of inflammation, like neutrophils (a type of white blood cell), were more common in dogs with skin issues. Overall, the treatment did not show a significant difference in bacterial presence between healthy dogs and those with skin infections.
Abstract
Macroscopic and cytological aspects of anal sac content were evaluated in 40 normal dogs and 10 dogs each with pyoderma, Malassezia dermatitis associated with atopic dermatitis and uncomplicated atopic dermatitis. Bacteria isolated from anal sacs were compared with those from abdominal skin and hair in 20 normal dogs and 10 dogs with pyoderma. There was no difference between the groups in anal sac dimension, or in the colour, consistency or presence of granules in their content. Extracellular bacteria were found in higher numbers in diseased animals, whereas intracellular bacteria were observed in 40% of dogs with pyoderma and in only 2.5% of normal dogs. Malassezia spp. were present in 15.7% of dogs, with no difference between groups. Neutrophils were observed in 12.5% of normal dogs, 30% of dogs with Malassezia dermatitis with underlying atopic dermatitis and in 70 and 80% of dogs with pyoderma and uncomplicated atopic dermatitis, respectively. Seven bacterial species were isolated from anal sacs, with no difference between normal dogs and dogs with pyoderma. In five normal animals and in four dogs with pyoderma the same bacterial strains were isolated from anal sacs and from abdominal skin and hair.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12464064/