My cat became constipated and developed an anal gland abscess. It subsequently ruptured to the outside and at first drained pus, and then feces. My veterinarian took a biopsy; the results are pending. What causes this? Is there a holistic approach to treatment?
The two primary differential diagnoses for this condition would be anal sacculitis with abscessation, and anal sac carcinoma, a type of malignant tumor. Because there is fecal material coming out of the rupture, one can assume the ruptured anal sac communicates with the rectum.
The biopsy was an excellent idea, and will hopefully give you some answers. A complete work-up would include bloodwork (complete blood count, chemistry panel), rectal examination (many cats require sedation for this), abdominal and chest x-rays, and abdominal ultrasound.
While anal sac tumors are not as common in cats as they are in dogs, they certainly occur. If this is cancer and has invaded the rectal wall significantly, then the surgery is technically demanding, and incontinence is possible afterwards. Also, the lumbar lymph nodes in the abdomen are often enlarged due to metastasis, or spread, of the tumor. These can be removed as well, and may result in improvement of the constipation.
If this turns out to be a chronically infected anal sac, with scar tissue causing the mass effect, which in turn obstructs the anal gland duct and results in recurrent abscesses, then surgery could be curative. It will be a more complex procedure due to the communication with the rectum; your veterinarian may want to consider referring you to a surgical specialist.
As for holistic approaches, your best bet would be to locate a holistic veterinarian in your area. If this is cancer, however, surgery will be needed to remove the tumor(s), and the prognosis is guarded for the short term. The long-term prognosis depends on the tumor type, the presence or absence of metastasis, and how resectable the tumor is.
08/23/00
