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Dog anal gland issues: How to relieve discomfort until vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 22 lbs

My dog needs his anal glands expressed, but I can’t get him into the vet until next week. Is there anything I can do to relieve his discomfort until then?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 5th, 2021

You can get some Glandex for Harry, and give that to him. It's a supplement that can help with anal sac issues. You can also add a teaspoon of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to his food to give him more fiber. This may help with his discomfort. I hope this helps!

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MY 10 YR. OLD MALE YORKIE HAS FREQUENT PROBLEMS WITH HIS ANAL GLANDS,WITH HIS LAST CASE ENDING IN ABSESS. I CARRIED HIM TO THE VET & HE SQUEEZED THE PUS & BLOOD FROM THE ABSESS WHICH WAS VERY PAINFUL FOR HIM. MY QUESTION IS,IS THERE SOME MEDICINE I C
Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco to address your concern. I would recommend using Glandex, which is a supplement that is supposed to help reduce the frequency of anal gland problems. Glandex can be found online quite easily. More frequent anal gland expressions may also help reduce the frequency of anal gland problems. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.
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I'm 95% sure he has a anal gland impaction. He was on a food for about 3 months with semi loose stools which I think that's why he has the anal gland issue. He has a fishy smell to his bottom. He leaks a clear fluid on my couch and I have switched hi
You can also add canned pumpkin (not pie filling) to his diet. The more often you express the glands manually, the more irritated they get and this will impact their function. Anal sacs (glands) should only be expressed by a veterinarian who can check whether they need expressing. They should not be expressed by the owner or a groomer. They should only be expressed when actually needed. External expression is not correct, it bruises tissue and can cause infection and inflammation. Internal expression by a veterinarian who can assess the condition of the anal sacs as well as the grade of filling and any condition whether it is normal or not, is the proper way. You can also try giving a supplement called Glandex.
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My dogs anal glands keep filling up. Is it good to add rice ( brown) to his food?
Sometimes adding some canned pumpkin to your dogs diet may help with anal gland issues. The added fiber can help to bulk up the stool and allow for the anal glands to be released when the dog defecates. If Jeter seems uncomfortable (licking around his rectum or scooting) then it would be a good idea to have a veterinarian check his anal glands and express them. The veterinarian can also ensure that Jeter does not have an impacted or infected anal gland.
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What can i give for my dog to naturally express his anal glands? Hes been leaking for about 2 months now and his stool is firm. Ive tried psyllium husks, silica and pumpkin.
This can be a frustrating problem. I often recommend adding fiber but it sounds like this hasn't helped. If there is any evidence of inflammation or infection there is sometimes a link to allergies - you may want to ask your vet if they think a hypoallergenic food trial might help. Sometimes in situations where there are recurrent anal gland problems surgery is recommended to remove the glands, but there can be complications. I have had clients use Glandex in the past, but I'm not very familiar with this supplement.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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I give my bisson cosamax. He eats boiled chicken and a little dry dog food moistened with water. Do I need vitamins too? His anal glands are full every 3 weeks. Is there something I can doc for that?
Sammy should be eating mainly dog food with just a tiny bit of chicken to stimulate his appetite if necessary. Make sure the chicken is mixed in well so he can't pick out the pieces and leave the dog food. One teaspoon of plain canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling). Can be mixed into the food once or twice daily. The added fiber may help keep the anal glands emptied. Normally, they are emptied during the act of defecation. If this doesn't help, you'll need to take Sammy to your veterinarian or groomer regularly to have his anal glands expressed (emptied) to prevent infection.
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Bell, 7 1/2 yr old female, anal glands fill about every 4 weeks (or oftener). Feed is Purina One Healthy Weight, with one Well & Good Multi Vitamin and one Well & Good Allergy Aid pill daily. I also feed cooked pumpkin and cooked oatmeal. Is there
I am sorry to hear about your problems with Bell! I have had some owners find the product Glandex to be helpful (though not all) so that is worth a try. Others have found probiotics such as Fortiflora or Prostora, or Omega fatty acid supplements to be helpful.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Panda had moderately full anal glands he was expressed by vet a month ago he is now scared of going to see vet because he has been expressed twice my vet suggested we trial glandex and if this does not work express him monthly or surgical removal of
You can try to change to a different food to see if a different protein source can help. You may need to talk about other allergy medicines such as Apoquel or Cytopoint which can help with allergies too. If there is thick material in the glands increasing fiber with green beans or canned pumpkin can help make it easier to express. Getting the glands removed is less traumatic than getting them expressed monthly as it requires one surgery and a stay as opposed to monthly visits. That glandex may take 4-6 weeks to see improvement.
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My dog s anal glands are bothersome for her and need to be drained every 6 weeks. Is there anything else that I should be doing to help her? She has no digestive problems otherwise except that she has to eat only HP foods and snacks due ti skin alle
Thank you for using Boop by Petco. There is a supplement called Glandex and one called No Scoot that many of my clients love for anal gland problems. In some cases it can decrease how often they need to be expressed. I would discuss with her veterinarian if either of these may be compatible with her diet.
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Hello, oscar has been having some trouble with his anal glands lately. He's been acting normally and has been eating and drinking normally. But his bum has been a little swollen the past week. Money had been a little tight and the next appointment at
Ouch! Poor Oscar! It is good you have an appointment with your vet. This may require oral medications for pain and infection and they will want to do a thorough exam to see if the anal glands are the underlying problem. Until then I would keep applying the triple antibiotic ointment at least twice a day. You could also apply some hydrocortisone to the area to help with the swelling and irritation. If the anal glands are full, adding fiber to the diet can help bulk up the stool and express them naturally. I recommend canned pumpkin puree (not the pie filling) at each meal. I hope this helps and that Oscar gets feeling better soon. Thank you for using Boop by Petco!
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I think my puppy has anal sac disease and she is very uncomfortable what can I do to help her?
These will need to be expressed by vet or vet to relieve the discomfort, bathing the area with salted water in the meantime can help. Additional fiber in the diet can b used to prevent recurrence and be sure to keep up to date with deworming medications
Updated on September 24th, 2025

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