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Can I express my dog's anal glands at home & prevent frequent filling?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 2 years and 2 months old | 30 lbs

My dog’s anal glands seem to fill up about once a month lately. She gets very anxious at the vet, so I’m wondering if there’s a safe and sanitary way for me to express the glands myself? And any way to prevent them from filling so frequently? Thank you!

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 7th, 2021

You can express Ellie's anal sacs yourself, but have the vet show you how to do it first to make sure you are doing it right. You can also give her Glandex. It's a supplement that can help with anal sac health. I hope this helps!

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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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 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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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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My dog got too excited and I think he expressed his anal glands. He smells really bad. How do I get rid of the odor? Do you recommend any products? Also, how do I prevent this from happening again?
This is not unusual when dogs get very excited. You can wash his bottom with soap and rinse well. Make sure to get the underside of his tail. There is a product called Glandex that many dogs respond well to. I it helps to express the glands when he has a bowel movement. It is a supplement that you feed them and you can find pretty easily. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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My dog had her anal glands infected. It had puss and popped. It drained out and I changed her food because I feel like her food was causing her an allergy. I also soaked her warm bath and put an ointment to heal the infected area. Everything seems to
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sofie. I recommend that she has her anal glands regularly expressed by her veterinarian. This way they can be closely monitored for any sign of a recurring infection or impaction. Initially she should have them expressed by her veterinarian every 3-4 weeks. I hope this information helps!
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My female Shih-Poo has inflamed anal glands. She was dragging her bottom so we treated her for worms. The anal glands have been infected in the past. What can I do from home to assist her with the discomfort? What will relieve the inflammation?
If she has impacted or infected anal glands then they need to expressed. This is something you can learn to do at home, but it is probably best to have your veterinarian or their staff teach you the first time. In the meantime you can use warm compresses on Gracie's bottom to try to ease a little discomfort. Some of these small breed dogs need their anal glands expressed every 4-6 weeks on a regular schedule. Adding some fiber to her diet may also help her to express them a little more naturally.
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How quickly will a 3 pound poodle get relief after excreting anal glands ? Also what dogfood is best to prevent this ?
Hello. I am sorry to hear about Oliver's problem. How quickly the anal sacs refill truly depends on the dog. Some dogs need their anal sacs expressed every month, others once a year. If your dog has been having problems with anal sacs, your vet may want to recheck them a month or two after having them expressed. They can then make a recommendation on how soon to come again based on how full they are at the recheck appointment. often we will recommend a diet higher in fiber for dogs with this problem or add fiber to the diet in the form of canned pumpkin or psyllium. I would ask your vet which they recommend for your dog as every pet is unique and they know your dog best!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog is having issues with his anal glands. They have to be expressed every few days.
Anal sacs should be naturally be expressed every time a dog has a bowel movement. A dog that continually has problems with them filling up likely has an issue within the intestines or the way the sacs are positioned. Smaller breeds do tend to have this problem more often. It's important to have your vet evaluate Aspen, so they can diagnose the specific problem. Once the problem is discovered a good prevention plan can be put in place. Below is a link to an article with good information about anal sacs and how to prevent them from becoming impacted. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-prevent-impacted-dog-anal-glands/ I hope that helps and all is well with Aspen.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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once you express a dogs anal glands must ou continue to do it periodiclly or can it be a one time thing . i sqqueexed my dogs anus and fishy smelling stuff came out which was from the glands is that considered expressing their anal glands
Yes, that is considered expressing the anal sacs. I would only do them as needed. If you notice that Lolli is sniffing around her anus or scooting her bottom, then they may need to be expressed again. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My female Lab has delveloped an expressing problem. I took her to the veterinarian an she was able to get rid of the smell. I give her Glandex every morning but the smell has come back.She is a healthy 9 yr old that gets exercise any suggestions?
In addition to the Gllandex I suggest you feed some canned pumpkin with every meal. Add 2 tablespoonfuls of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) to her food. This is mostly fiber and should make her stool more voluminous and help express them. If the smell of the glands is very bad, ask your vet to express them and then flush them with an antibiotic solution. This will kill the bacteria in the secretion which cause the smell. These bacteria are part of the natural flora of the glands, but they can be removed to make place for a new kind of bacteria with a chance that these do not cause such a bad smell.
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