Gland issues with my cat
Okay, so anal glands. Gross I know. I’ve had two cats experience ruptures. As of yesterday, one of those cats had his second rupture. Symptoms were very mild until suddenly they had a wound on their bums from the rupture. We noticed him licking one day and put the cone on him hoping we could get to our regular vet but it swelled up within one day and ruptured.
I’m curious what the causes may be. Why it’s happened twice. According to what I’ve seen online it’s really not a common issue with cats.
At the same time, it’s happened twice to one of my cats, and once to another.
I feel like it’s weird for it to happen to two of my cats when it’s apparently an uncommon condition for cats.
The treatment is brutal after it ruptures and I just want to know if there’s anything I’m doing wrong or I can do to prevent it.
Extra info- Charlie (domestic short hair female and spayed) had hers first. Booboo (domestic short hair male and neutered) had his first a few months after hers and his newest one now about two years later. Both cats are healthy, up to date on their shots. Charlie’s a little fat (14 pounds turning 9 this year, but she’s also just a big cat) but Booboo is healthy weight, especially for his age. He’s 14 and about 10 pounds.
Regular vet check ups, we have both of them on file to have the glands expressed for their yearly visits.
After the first ones we also got them on supplements specifically advertised for anal gland health.
I just want to know if I can stop this from happening again because the injury and treatment is rough. Wounds can’t be stitched due to placement so it’s weeks of caring for an open wound right next to their bum holes.
Any advice or information would be super appreciated because research online has not really helped me and the vets don’t exactly explain what can cause it because we had to take them to emergency care and that’s always really high speed care and they are more focused on getting them back to the procedures to handle the rupture.