Dogs almost never get true hemorrhoids. What you’re seeing near your dog’s anus is far more likely to be an anal gland problem, a rectal prolapse, or a perianal growth. These conditions can look similar to what hemorrhoids look like in humans (swollen, reddish lumps near the anus), but they have very different causes and need different treatment. Understanding what’s actually going on will help you get your dog the right care.
Why Dogs Don’t Really Get Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids in humans are swollen blood vessels inside or around the anus, caused largely by upright posture and the constant downward pressure of gravity on pelvic veins. Dogs walk on four legs, which distributes that pressure differently and makes true hemorrhoids extremely rare. Veterinarians almost never diagnose hemorrhoids in dogs.
So if your dog has a swollen, red, or protruding lump near the anus, it’s almost certainly one of three things: an anal gland issue, a rectal prolapse, or a perianal tumor. Each one looks slightly different, and knowing the differences can help you describe what you’re seeing to your vet.
Anal Gland Problems: The Most Common Culprit
Dogs have two small scent glands (called anal sacs) located just inside the anus, roughly at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions. When these glands become impacted, infected, or abscessed, the result is swelling, redness, and sometimes bloody or pus-filled discharge right next to the anus. This is what most owners are actually looking at when they search for “dog hemorrhoids.”
An impacted or infected anal gland typically shows up as a firm, red, swollen area on one side of the anus (not evenly around it). If the gland has progressed to an abscess, you may see an open, draining wound with blood or pus. There’s often a strong, fishy odor. In severe cases, the abscess can rupture on its own, leaving an open sore that leaks foul-smelling discharge.
Behavioral signs are just as telling as the visual ones. Dogs with anal gland problems frequently scoot their rear end along the floor or ground, lick or bite at the area obsessively, hold their tail down, and strain or seem reluctant when they need to defecate. If your dog is doing any of these things along with visible swelling, anal glands are the most likely explanation.
How Anal Gland Issues Are Treated
Mild impaction is resolved by manually expressing (emptying) the glands, something your vet or a groomer can do. Infected glands typically need flushing with saline and infusion with a medicated ointment, a process that may need to be repeated two or three times. Dogs prone to recurring problems sometimes benefit from a higher-fiber diet, which produces bulkier stools that naturally press against the glands and help them empty on their own. In chronic or severe cases, surgical removal of the anal sacs is an option.
Rectal Prolapse: A Ring of Tissue Protruding Out
A rectal prolapse looks dramatically different from an anal gland problem, but owners sometimes describe it as a hemorrhoid because it involves swollen tissue pushing out of the anus. In a rectal prolapse, a tube or donut-shaped ring of moist, pink-to-red tissue protrudes from the anus itself. The tissue often has circular folds running around it, like rings on a tube.
This is distinct from prolapsed hemorrhoids in humans, which tend to have folds that radiate outward like the spokes of a wheel. If you see circular, concentric folds, you’re likely looking at actual rectal tissue that has telescoped outward. Rectal prolapse in dogs is usually triggered by prolonged straining from diarrhea, constipation, intestinal parasites, or a urinary or digestive obstruction. It’s more common in young puppies and in breeds prone to gastrointestinal issues.
A rectal prolapse is a veterinary emergency. The exposed tissue dries out and swells quickly, and the longer it’s outside the body, the harder it is to save. If you see a mass of moist, pink tissue bulging from your dog’s anus, keep it moist with a damp cloth and get to a vet immediately.
Perianal Tumors: Lumps That Grow Slowly
Growths around the anus are another possibility, especially in older, intact (unneutered) male dogs. The most common type, called a perianal adenoma, appears as a firm, round, slow-growing lump in the skin surrounding the anus. These can be as small as a pea or grow to several centimeters across. They sometimes ulcerate or become infected from the dog licking at them, which can make them look red, raw, and swollen.
A less common but more serious growth is an anal sac adenocarcinoma, a malignant tumor that develops inside one of the anal glands. These range widely in size, from barely detectable to large enough to cause visible bulging on one side of the anus. About 10% of cases involve tumors on both sides. Because these tumors grow inside the gland, they may not be visible from the outside until they’re fairly large, but your vet can detect them during a rectal exam.
The key visual difference between a tumor and an anal gland abscess is how the lump behaves over time. An abscess tends to develop quickly (over days), is painful, and often has discharge. A tumor grows gradually (over weeks or months), is usually firm rather than soft, and may not be painful at first. Any lump in the perianal area that persists or grows warrants a vet visit.
How to Tell What You’re Looking At
- Swelling on one side of the anus, fishy smell, scooting: Most likely an anal gland impaction, infection, or abscess.
- Moist, pink-red tissue protruding from the anus with circular folds: Likely a rectal prolapse. This needs urgent veterinary attention.
- Firm, round lump in the skin near the anus that grows slowly: Possibly a perianal tumor, especially in older intact male dogs.
- Red, grape-like swelling right at the anal opening: Could be a polyp or, very rarely, an actual vascular swelling resembling a hemorrhoid. A vet can distinguish this with a physical exam.
Color, location, and speed of onset are the three most useful details to note before your vet visit. Take a photo if you can. Many of these conditions look similar on the surface, and even experienced owners can’t reliably tell them apart without a professional exam.