Chronic Anal Gland Problem!

Question
Our dog has had a recurrent anal gland problem!  Even with regular anal gland expression, he continued to lick the area.  He has had an XRay to rule out a bladder stone, been diagnosed with OCD, so he has been in an Elizabethan collar and taking Prozac and Benadryl for 6 weeks now.  Today I removed the collar to see what would happen and he immediately started licking like before.  He has not been able to lick for 6 weeks.  His anus has a white, almost creamy substance on it, and the hair around the area is somewhat oily.  Doesn't look normal to me.  He still scoots and acts like the area is bothering him.  We're told that a hypoallergenic diet is next, but we're thinking it could be something else...any suggestions?  Thanks!!!

Answer
Yes! Stop the Prozac! I think Prozac is being used a little too often in veterinary medicine. It is too easy to not try to figure out the problem and instead prescribe Prozac.

Your dog may, in fact, have chronic anal sacculitis or infection in his anal glands. Are the secretions from his anal glands normal when they are expressed or are the purulent(yellow, bloody or thick and white? If his glands are infected he will need a 2-3 week course of antibiotics and may possibly need to have the sacs flushed under sedation. Anal sacculitis can be difficult to treat medically and sometimes the glands need to be surgically removed.

If it is not anal sacculitis then your dog may very well have an underlying allergy which is causing the chronic licking. However, I would seek a second opinion on the anal glands before I went in a different direction such as a food trial.
Good Luck.

Dr. G.