# Discussions on Anal Glands



## shiggins

Hello, I was reading posts on anal glands. I work for a vet and see alot of this in many different breeds. The glands will fill up if the poop is not big enough to to express them when they are going poop. A easy solution we suggest to owners is up the fiber content to produce bigger poop. We suggest putting a teaspoon of canned pumpkin (like libbys used for pie and cookies) on the food. Most dogs just love it and it bulks up the poop and express the glands. Hope this helps.


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## davetgabby

hello again Susan . That makes a lot of sense to me. Just one thing I might add . Generallly with the pumpkin, my nutritionist recommends this.

"Important: Any food switch you undertake should happen very slowly, only replacing a small
portion of the old food with the new food at each meal. Keep some canned pumpkin (100%
pumpkin, not the spiced pie filling mix) on hand and add 1-2 teaspoons to each meal if loose
stools do occur. It should normalize things within 2-3 meals.
One (even) teaspoon of canned pumpkin contains about 2 kcal, which also makes it a very nice
low-calorie, high-fiber addition to meals for dogs who need to lose weight.


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## TilliesMom

since I am the one who brought up anal glands, now I have all kinds of questions!
I thought that the groomer usually did this during thier bath, if needed?
Yesterday, the groomer let me feel and Tillie had to marble sized lumps in her rear and the groomer said that was full anal glands. Tillie has been rubbing her bottom on the ground a lot more the usual over the past week or so... can the groomer hurt her or cause an infection? Her poos are pretty well formed as they first come out, then she usually has some runny poos at the end of her movement. How often do the glands need to be checked? emptied??
Sorry for all the questions, I am new in the dog world!! Cats are SO much less maintencance! LOL


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## lfung5

Thanks for the advice. I've never had my guys glands extracted. They don't have a smell from below..... I guess I would know if there was a problem? Once in a long time I will see Bella rub her butt across the floor, but it to get a dinkle berry off


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## Pipersmom

Unfortunately Piper is one of those dogs that needs to have her anal glands manually expressed. It's typically every 6 to 8 weeks. She will start biting at her butt and that's when I know she's uncomfortable.

Piper's first groomer did it as a standard part of the grooming so I never knew it was a problem until I switched to a groomer that didn't. I then had to take her to the vet to have it done every other month. I watched the youtube videos but I just couldn't do it myself. I finally got her new groomer to do it for me 

Maybe I'll try the pumpkin.


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## lfung5

Pipersmom said:


> Unfortunately Piper is one of those dogs that needs to have her anal glands manually expressed. It's typically every 6 to 8 weeks. She will start biting at her butt and that's when I know she's uncomfortable.
> 
> Piper's first groomer did it as a standard part of the grooming so I never knew it was a problem until I switched to a groomer that didn't. I then had to take her to the vet to have it done every other month. I watched the youtube videos but I just couldn't do it myself. I finally got her new groomer to do it for me
> 
> Maybe I'll try the pumpkin.


I'm not sure if this is true. I heard once you start, you can't stop doing it. I wonder if there's any truth to that. I never started. But also never had to.


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## Pipersmom

Yeah Linda, I've heard that too. I don't know if Piper's system just needs help or if having her anal glands expressed by her first groomer has led to her having to have it done all the time now. 

I saw a dog at the vet with a burst anal gland abcess and now I am completely paranoid about it.


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