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Imperforate Anus

Imperforate Anus

Atresia ani

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Updated on September 26, 2024

SUMMARY OF CONTENT

Imperforate anus is a congenital condition in puppies and kittens in which the anal opening does not form.

SEVERITY:

Severe, fatal if not corrected
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a veterinarian to diagnose the severity and type
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves with surgery, fatal if not corrected
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by surgery
  • Prevention Icon
    No known prevention. Affected animals should not be bred.
  • Spread Icon
    Not contagious between animals or from animals to people
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires a physical exam and may also need radiographs

VERY COMMON IN

Common in the Mini Poodle, Toy Poodle, Rottweiler, Maltese and other breeds. Less common in cats.

Symptoms & Signs

Imperforate anus is a rare congenital condition of puppies and kittens in which the anal opening does not develop. Imperforate anus is the most common type of atresia ani (the congenital malformation resulting in the lack of a patent anus). Imperforate anus occurs more often in puppies than in kittens. The most common signs of an imperforate anus are the inability to defecate and the lack of an anal opening. There may be a bulge in the skin where the anal opening should be located. Other congenital malformations may also be seen in animals with imperforate anus.

Diagnosis

Imperforate anus is usually diagnosed by physical examination. Further diagnostics such as radiographs may be performed to determine if the gastrointestinal and reproductive systems formed correctly.

Causation

During fetal development, the anal membrane fails to perforate and form the anal opening.

Treatments

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AT-HOME CARE

None
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SUPPORTIVE CARE

Animals with chronic constipation following surgical correction may require stool softeners or a diet that promotes softer stools.
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MEDICATIONS

Post operatively, puppies may require stool softeners
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DEVICES

None
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SURGERY

Imperforate anus is treated with surgery to create an anal opening.
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SPECIALISTS

In most cases, a general practitioner veterinarian will refer a puppy or kitten to a board certified veterinary surgeon to perform the special surgery required to treat the condition.

Cost Of Treatment

Exam and diagnosis (sedation, radiographs, contrast media, etc.) may cost $200 to $400. Surgery may cost between $2000 and $3000 or more.

Recovery

Post-operative recovery may take 2-4 weeks.

Monitoring

All newly born puppies and kittens should be monitored for normal defecation, straining to defecate, constipation, and fecal incontinence. After surgery, they should be closely monitored for post-operative infections.

Prevention

Imperforate anus cannot be prevented. Affected animals should not be bred.

Questions about Imperforate Anus
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My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

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My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. Treatment should only be provided under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.