# Anal gland problem seems to be solved !



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I don’t routinely empty my dogs anal glands but Beckie is the exception to the rule. She needs them expressed about every two weeks or she gets very bothered. I’ve had the vet do it and I’ve done it myself but I was hoping to find a natural solution.

Through my research, I’ve found this product, made in the US and supposedly by vets. They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee and will reimburse you if it doesn’t work. It cost me something like 50$ CAD and for Beckie who is small, it will last me six months.

I’ve been using it for about 3 weeks now and it made a difference in 24 hours. Beckie never licks herself anymore and her stools are bigger and firmer, which allow the glands to drain on their own.

If anyone has the same problem with their dog, it definitely is something to consider.



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZJ5BJ74?aaxitk=IB7a4vxMV2Z.ndC2BACrkQ&pd_rd_i=B00ZJ5BJ74&pf_rd_p=591760d1-6468-480f-9b10-0ee9c85706fd&hsa_cr_id=9651593980801&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F51dSgBR6%2BZL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B00ZJ5BJ74


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## Dogs4Life (May 27, 2018)

That's great, Dechi! I might have to try those for one of my dogs.


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## rkj__ (Dec 24, 2017)

Cool. 

Looks like a convenient solution. Thanks for sharing. 


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Yay! So glad you found something that worked. I may also have to try it on Zooey and Rue!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Thank you! The ingredients look pretty good and straight-forward. I like that. Adding this to my cart for future use 

Peggy's anal gland episodes so far seem to improve with a daily green bean or two. Just something to bulk her poops up a bit. Canned pumpkin made her vomit.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I’m glad you found something too but I bet Beckie is the most pleased that no one is mucking around her behind and it’s not bothering her.


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## Charlie's Person (Dec 9, 2018)

Dechi said:


> I don’t routinely empty my dogs anal glands but Beckie is the exception to the rule. She needs them expressed about every two weeks or she gets very bothered. I’ve had the vet do it and I’ve done it myself but I was hoping to find a natural solution.
> 
> Through my research, I’ve found this product, made in the US and supposedly by vets. They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee and will reimburse you if it doesn’t work. It cost me something like 50$ CAD and for Beckie who is small, it will last me six months.
> 
> ...


Thanks! Will look into it too

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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

I actually used them on a past dog I had. Seemed to make somewhat a difference. One of the dogs I occasionally pet for gets them every day and they help her.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Skylar said:


> I’m glad you found something too but I bet Beckie is the most pleased that no one is mucking around her behind and it’s not bothering her.


Ha Ha Ha ! That’s for sure !


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Update : the feeding instructions say 1/2 a chew pill for dogs up to 15 pounds, so I started with 1/3 pill since Beckie is 7 pounds.

She was okay for 4 weeks but then I had to empty her glands. 2 days ago I upped the dose to 1/2 pill and we’ll see how it goes. If I’m not satisfied I’ll just stop using it and ask for a refund, since it’s 100% guaranteed. 

It’s been helping though, because we went from expressing her glands every 2 weeks to every 4 weeks.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

How do you know when you need to empty her glands? Does she get a fishy or metallic smell? Or is it just when she starts licking or scooting?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> How do you know when you need to empty her glands? Does she get a fishy or metallic smell? Or is it just when she starts licking or scooting?


She doesn’t scoot, she licks herself and there is also the fishy smell that sets in. Now that I’ve experienced it, I can recognize it when it starts to smell a little bit.


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## Charlie's Person (Dec 9, 2018)

Mufar42 said:


> I actually used them on a past dog I had. Seemed to make somewhat a difference. One of the dogs I occasionally pet for gets them every day and they help her.


I think I found something similar here in British Columbia. Hard to get selection when you live in a tiny village in the interior. We are giving it a try. "Head to Tail" Scoot Stop. Made in USA 

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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Charlie's Person said:


> think I found something similar here in British Columbia. Hard to get selection when you live in a tiny village in the interior. We are giving it a try. "Head to Tail" Scoot Stop. Made in USA


You can also buy Glandex on Amazon.ca


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Thank you for the recommendation. I think I'll try it. Poor Matisse...he has had two anal gland abscesses. He did not scoot but did seem to be licking near his hind end more than usual. I didn't notice anything wrong when I groomed him just a day before I noticed him being in pain...shivering. It just didn't occur to me about his anal glands. (dumb me) I took him to the vet here and she took x-rays because I said he's in pain...maybe it's his knee or something...arthritis but she said he doesn't have arthritis or anything wrong there. I shouldn't have given her that idea. But she noticed nothing...must not have palpated him very well because she sent us on our way as I was still protesting, "But he's in PAIN!!!" I was so disturbed. So I took him all the way across the water on the ferry to my old vet north of Seattle. He immediately knew what was wrong because he ran his hands all over him, lifted his tail, said, "What's this?!" and said it was the worst abscess he'd ever seen and sedated him, lanced it, drained it, gave me anti-biotics and some ointment to squeeze up into the hole he made to lance. But he survived that. 

Then it happened again not that long after...maybe another couple months. But I noticed it sooner this time, took him to another vet in my town who didn't have to lance it but drained it. I was told then that he'd need to have his glands expressed routinely. Well, I use to do this myself with a past dog...my Dobe. But when I tried to do it myself on my Chihuahua, I couldn't get anything to come out so I figure I may have trouble with the poodles. They're so tiny, it scares me. So, I'll try this stuff. I do have the stuff called Firm UP. I wonder if it's virtually the same thing though. At any rate, they dislike it and won't eat their food with it on there. I think, but can't quite remember for sure, that they're eating a different food now that may work better anyhow. But just in case, I'll try this stuff. Thanks for posting.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Oh no, poor Matisse ! It must have been awfully painful... I really hope Glandex works for him. It smells good and Beckie likes the taste. I just give it as a treat.



Poodlebeguiled said:


> But when I tried to do it myself on my Chihuahua, I couldn't get anything to come out so I figure I may have trouble with the poodles.


I was afraid to do it to Beckie but I was shown how to do it and figured I had to try. 

Here’s how I do it : I put her back paws in the sink, and her front paws on the counter. It gives me a nice angle to work, and when I express the glands, the liquid falls directly into the sink, not even touching her fur.

After that I leave her in the same position to run some water and soap on her bum and dry her, just to make sure she won’t smell. And then I clean and disinfect the sink thoroughly. Try it, maybe you’ll like it too.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

PB, have you tried bulking up Matisse's food with a green bean or another fibrous veg he enjoys?

We are loving life with Peggy since having her glands expressed by a vet tech, but would also really like to find a more permanent ongoing solution. A green bean seemed to work for us for a while, but Peggy has _very_ compact poops and seemed to quickly adapt to the extra fibre.


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## Charlie's Person (Dec 9, 2018)

Dechi said:


> You can also buy Glandex on Amazon.ca


I am going to compare the cost, and also buy the Glandex to see if it works better. Charlie loves the Scoot stop, but I am not sure if it does anything 

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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Charlie's Person said:


> I am going to compare the cost, and also buy the Glandex to see if it works better. Charlie loves the Scoot stop, but I am not sure if it does anything
> 
> Sent from my STV100-3 using Tapatalk


Please come back and let us know.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

11 DAYS since having Peggy's glands expressed, and there's that vile fish smell again.  I'm so tired of stripping the couch and washing all the cushion covers. It definitely happens most often when she's relaxing up there with my husband and a chew toy.

The technician noted no abnormalities, and also said the glands were only about half full. This just doesn't seem right.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> 11 DAYS since having Peggy's glands expressed, and there's that vile fish smell again.  I'm so tired of stripping the couch and washing all the cushion covers. It definitely happens most often when she's relaxing up there with my husband and a chew toy.
> 
> The technician noted no abnormalities, and also said the glands were only about half full. This just doesn't seem right.


It is such a pain, I know ! Are going to try Glandex or another similar product ?


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Dechi said:


> It is such a pain, I know ! Are going to try Glandex or another similar product ?


We've tracked down Glandex chews at a local Petco and will pick them up tomorrow. My husband, while putting in the _second_ load of today's fishy laundry, said he doesn't want to wait the extra day for delivery. I can't blame him! 

My last dog had to have her glands regularly expressed, but had zero odour. She was an enthusiastic scooter (which was admittedly pretty hilarious when she'd do it down our steep driveway). I wonder if the scooting actually helps get the scent out in more socially appropriate places? 

Not sure our poor couch will ever be the same. ?


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Petco was out of the Glandex chews. Grrrr. But we picked up the powder and Peggy's already devoured her first dose.

She says, "Mmmm! Yummy!"

I say, "Pleeease work!"


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

I’m not sure if it will help Peggy, but my vet recommended psyllium husk for anal gland issues. It really bulks up the stool and gives it a very weird jelly-like texture. You just need to add about a tsp to meals (for a spoo). Might be worth a try!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Muggles said:


> I’m not sure if it will help Peggy, but my vet recommended psyllium husk for anal gland issues. It really bulks up the stool and gives it a very weird jelly-like texture. You just need to add about a tsp to meals (for a spoo). Might be worth a try!


Thank you! She has such fabulous digestion and regular, well-formed poops, I hate having to mess around with this stuff. But I do suspect her "perfect poops" could be at least part of the problem.

I'm going to slowly increase the Glandex over the next few weeks, and will put psyllium on my shopping list if we're not seeing results.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Well, it's too soon to safe if it's working, but Peggy LOVES the Glandex powder! Wow! She just licked her breakfast bowl clean and is rudely flipping it around now, demanding more.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Well, it's too soon to safe if it's working, but Peggy LOVES the Glandex powder! Wow! She just licked her breakfast bowl clean and is rudely flipping it around now, demanding more.


I didn’t know they had powder. What I have are soft chews.

I’m glad she likes it !


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Dechi said:


> I didn’t know they had powder. What I have are soft chews.
> 
> I’m glad she likes it !


I wanted the chews, but Petco was out of them. 

Maybe I got lucky, though! If this helps the gland problem _and_ motivates her to eat, I'll be one happy lady.

Fingers crossed.

It's got the same active ingredients, but in a base of dried beef liver.









VETNIQUE LABS Glandex Anal Gland & Probiotic Beef Liver Flavored Pumpkin Fiber & Digestive Powder Supplement for Dogs & Cats, 2.5-oz bottle - Chewy.com


Buy Vetnique Labs Glandex Anal Gland & Probiotic Beef Liver Flavored Pumpkin Fiber & Digestive Powder Supplement for Dogs & Cats, 2.5-oz bottle at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!




www.chewy.com


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## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

Fabulous that Peggy eats her meals with the powder on it, do you mix with wet food?


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

TERIN said:


> Fabulous that Peggy eats her meals with the powder on it,  do you mix with wet food?


I moisten her kibble with water (as I usually do) and then just sprinkle it on top to ensure she eats the whole dose.

She was VERY excited for it again tonight.


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## [email protected] (Jun 8, 2018)

My 13 mo old standard has a fishy odor off and on. I didnt know it was common and or if I should be concerned until I read all the comments? We had anal Expressed and vet said not full? Thank you for the information.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

We've had two fishy episodes since starting the Glandex powder. They've been shorter than past episodes, but still required that we strip the couch to wash the cushion covers, which is a huge (smelly) pain.

We increased the dose about 2 weeks ago, but her poops just keep getting firmer, not bigger. I suspect the volume of each poop has to increase to trigger the glands?


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## Dianaleez (Dec 14, 2019)

These are timely posts for me. Normie's only 5 1/2 months but he's having anal gland issues. He was expressed by the vet last week and was scooting yesterday. The vet spoke in terms of a 'plug' that can harden and make it more difficult to release.

We'll try Glandex chews.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Update on Beckies’s glands. Since I upped the dose, there hasn’t been a fishy episode yet but Beckie has been licking a bit. I haven’t emptied her glands, I’m figuring maybe she’s just not used to the feeling of her glands being filled with liquid. Her stools are really big. I mean she’s six pounds and they look like stools from a dog twice her size, so the glands must be expressed when she goes.

I’m still following this closely and hoping it still improves. It is a slow process.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Dechi said:


> Update on Beckies’s glands. Since I upped the dose, there hasn’t been a fishy episode yet but Beckie has been licking a bit. I haven’t emptied her glands, I’m figuring maybe she’s just not used to the feeling of her glands being filled with liquid. Her stools are really big. I mean she’s six pounds and they look like stools from a dog twice her size, so the glands must be expressed when she goes.
> 
> I’m still following this closely and hoping it still improves. It is a slow process.


That's great news! I really need to figure out how to bulk Peggy's up. I mean - I love them (as much you can love a dog's poop). They're so easy to pick up and always very clean and well-formed. But this fish has gotta go!

I'm going to order the chews since they've not been in stock around us. Maybe I'll do one of those a day in addition to the powder we've still got left.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Update: Peggy's loving the Glandex chews. She's getting 1/2 tsp Glandex powder on her breakfast and one chew with dinner. We've had some minor fishy episodes, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

Today when she pooped I noticed more than her usual occasional drop or two of liquid. It seemed like she expressed quite a lot. Seems like a good sign?

We also purchased this:



https://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-and-Garden-Non-Skid-Waterproof-Quilted-Pet-Sofa-Cover/165991006



Definitely not the most stylish, but better than stripping the couch of all its cushion covers every time she has a fishy episode, especially since it only seems to happen when we're relaxing and very much not in the mood for a big clean-up. Our usual throw blankets, even doubled or tripled, are no match for that awful stuff. Hoping this cover does the trick since it's waterproof.

How's Beckie doing?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Today when she pooped I noticed more than her usual occasional drop or two of liquid. It seemed like she expressed quite a lot. Seems like a good sign?


I’ve never seen any drops of liquid from any of my dogs poop. Maybe she has over active glands ? It seems like a good sign though.



PeggyTheParti said:


> How's Beckie doing?


She’s still on 1/2 chew per day and since we haven’t had other fishy episodes and she isn’t licking excessively, I’ve bought some more Glandex chews.

So we’ve been good for 2-3 monts now and I hope it stays that way and same for Peggy !


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Dechi said:


> I’ve never seen any drops of liquid from any of my dogs poop. Maybe she has over active glands ? It seems like a good sign though.


I've never noticed it before either....but I probably wasn't looking as closely as I do now.  I think it's just supposed to be a drop or two to "leave a calling card" for other animals. I figure the more she leaves outside, the less we'll have to endure in here.

Great to hear Beckie's responded so well. And half a chew a day is so reasonable.

The cost of supplements like these even for a smallish spoo like Peggy is just crazy. I don't know how people afford giant breeds!


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## Charlie's Person (Dec 9, 2018)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I've never noticed it before either....but I probably wasn't looking as closely as I do now.  I think it's just supposed to be a drop or two to "leave a calling card" for other animals. I figure the more she leaves outside, the less we'll have to endure in here.
> 
> Great to hear Beckie's responded so well. And half a chew a day is so reasonable.
> 
> The cost of supplements like these even for a smallish spoo like Peggy is just crazy. I don't know how people afford giant breeds!


We are forever dealing with runny poop and this does not properly empty Charlie s anal glands, so he licks. Obviously uncomfortable. I am feeding pumpkin puree out of the can. Helps somewhat .The cost of Glandex dosage for an 80 pound dog is crazy.

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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Charlie's Person said:


> We are forever dealing with runny poop and this does not properly empty Charlie s anal glands, so he licks. Obviously uncomfortable. I am feeding pumpkin puree out of the can. Helps somewhat .The cost of Glandex dosage for an 80 pound dog is crazy.
> 
> Sent from my STV100-3 using Tapatalk


It really is. The Glandex powder is at least a little more cost-effective.

Canned pumpkin makes Peggy sick.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> The cost of supplements like these even for a smallish spoo like Peggy is just crazy. I don't know how people afford giant breeds!


It’s about 50$ for mine, which last 120 days for Beckie so about 16$ per month. I suppose it’s a lot more for a spoo. Beckie weighs 6-7 pounds...

I must have jinxed it... Today we has a fishy episode and I had to empty her glands. They were full. But we went from every 2 weeks to every 2-3 months, which is serious improvement !


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

That's a huge improvement, but it really stinks (literally) when you don't know when it'll happen again! Sorry for jinxing it by resurrecting this thread. 😅


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## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> That's a huge improvement, but it really stinks (literally) when you don't know when it'll happen again! Sorry for jinxing it by resurrecting this thread. 😅


What is Peggy eating for meals, do you know the fibre %


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

TERIN said:


> What is Peggy eating for meals, do you know the fibre %


We recently transitioned her to Farmina Puppy - Ancestral Grain - Chicken and Pomegranate. Nutritional info says 1.7% crude fiber:









FARMINA N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Medium & Maxi Puppy Dry Dog Food, 26.5-lb bag - Chewy.com


Buy Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Medium & Maxi Puppy Dry Dog Food, 26.5-lb bag at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!




www.chewy.com





She previously ate Nutro Ultra Puppy, which has 4% fiber:









NUTRO Ultra Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag - Chewy.com


Buy Nutro Ultra Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!




www.chewy.com


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## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

Has Farmina made a difference for her-- bulked up stools


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

TERIN said:


> Has Farmina made a difference for her-- bulked up stools


Nope. Not at all. If anything they're even smaller since switching, even with the extra-large daily dose of Glandex.

Just perfect little poops.

But when I remember to look closely, I'm consistently now seeing a few drips before or after, so _something_ is stimulating her anal glands. Maybe her poops are a little harder now?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Update : unfortunately I had to empty Beckie’s glands yesterday. She was going nuts, I didn’t have a choice.

I don’t know what to think anymore...


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Aw, I'm sorry, Dechi.  My mini's glands had to be emptied regularly by her groomer. I just never was able to figure it out. And she was a fibre fiend! She loved fruits and veggies. Had good sized poops. Nothing worked. But she never had a fishy episode. Would just scoot like crazy.

I don't understand how an animal can have a gland that requires so much human intervention. Almost seems like a failure of breeding, except you see it across so many breeds!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I don't understand how an animal can have a gland that requires so much human intervention. Almost seems like a failure of breeding, except you see it across so many breeds!


It definitely is. What would those dogs do « in the wild » ? Of course no dogs are meant to live in the wild or off the street, but you know what I mean...


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Dechi said:


> It definitely is. What would those dogs do « in the wild » ? Of course no dogs are meant to live in the wild or off the street, but you know what I mean...


I definitely know what you mean. I wonder if a "wild" raw diet would eliminate the problem altogether.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I definitely know what you mean. I wonder if a "wild" raw diet would eliminate the problem altogether.


I wouldn’t be surprised if it did. It’s worth a try. I fed my dogs raw for a while (prior to Becky) but the risk of salmonella was too much for me and I stopped.


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## Poodlemana (Sep 14, 2013)

My foundation bitch had to be expressed about every 2 weeks. It came out like cream colored toothpaste. No fishy odor. It was the weirdest thing! I've never had another like her.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Poodlemana said:


> My foundation bitch had to be expressed about every 2 weeks. It came out like cream colored toothpaste. No fishy odor. It was the weirdest thing! I've never had another like her.


That is odd. Did she die of old age ? Beckie’s comes out liquid green with a nasty smell.


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## Poodlemana (Sep 14, 2013)

Yes, she lived to be 17 years old. She is the only one I have had with that kind of anal gland goo. She always had a full load and had to be expressed with every bath. The rest, even her daughters, have all been that dark brown, fishy liquid stuff. As a rule, they all get their glands done with every bath. Most of the time they are not full but a little always comes out.


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## VanessaC (Feb 24, 2020)

I’ve read that fur is a good source of insoluble fiber that helps bulk up stools and drain anal glands. Presumably that’s one way wild canines deal with this issue... 

Another good natural (plant-based) ingredient to consider is psyllium husk.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

VanessaC said:


> I’ve read that fur is a good source of insoluble fiber that helps bulk up stools and drain anal glands. Presumably that’s one way wild canines deal with this issue...
> 
> Another good natural (plant-based) ingredient to consider is psyllium husk.


So funny you say that, as Peggy has developed a weird new habit of munching away at her clipped hair as I groom her. Or she'll see a bit floating around the house afterwards and gobble it up. Maybe this will prove more effective than the other methods I've tried. 😂 It's certainly cheaper!


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## Yonnie (Apr 29, 2020)

Dechi said:


> I don’t routinely empty my dogs anal glands but Beckie is the exception to the rule. She needs them expressed about every two weeks or she gets very bothered. I’ve had the vet do it and I’ve done it myself but I was hoping to find a natural solution.
> 
> Through my research, I’ve found this product, made in the US and supposedly by vets. They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee and will reimburse you if it doesn’t work. It cost me something like 50$ CAD and for Beckie who is small, it will last me six months.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing! I have a 15wk. Old toy poodle, first time grooming, the groomer expressed anal glands & was talking about how full they were(3 wks ago) I can tell there are still problems, wondering if adding raw pumpkin to his diet (or any high fiber food)would help as opposed to using these chews?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I had to empty her glands again yesterday, so 19 days after last time. I’m going back to her old food to see if it helps. She didn’t have that problem when she was on it. Fingers crossed.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Yonnie said:


> Thanks for sharing! I have a 15wk. Old toy poodle, first time grooming, the groomer expressed anal glands & was talking about how full they were(3 wks ago) I can tell there are still problems, wondering if adding raw pumpkin to his diet (or any high fiber food)would help as opposed to using these chews?


Hi and Welcome!

Pumpkin (fiber) can help firm up stools which can in turn help express the glands naturally. Check with your vet first to make sure there's no reason not to try the pumpkin. It may depend on the reason for the glands not emptying more on their own or filling up faster. That said, this is the pumpkin I use when my boys get a bit soft.


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