Dog anal gland issues: How quickly does Glandex work, and what else helps?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Anal glands are sometimes difficult to determine what causes them to fill up quickly and why they don't empty on their own. What we typically recommend is switching the diet completely to a different brand / formula and adding in supplementation for the anal glands such as Glandex (which can be purchased online). I've known Glandex to reduce the time between anal gland expressions by months and sometimes the diet switch alone makes a big difference. Try this for a few months and if the problem persists after, I would speak with your veterinarian about other options. 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.

For anal gland infections or glands that fill up on a regular basis that need to be expressed regularly, I recommend the below products. Both products can be found online and I find that Glandex works the best. I hope this helps Buddy! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be happy to help you further! 1. Glandex 2. NaturVet No Scoot

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. 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.

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.

I have seen a few dogs like Bella. Many times there will be an underlying cause such as allergies that cause this but not always. I would recommend a food trial with a prescription diet made by Royal Canin called Ultamino. You will feed her ONLY this diet for 2 months. She cannot eat ANYTHING else, no treats, bread crusts...absolutely nothing. At the end of the food trial, if her anal glands are not bothering her, then you know its a food allergy. If they are still bothering her, then its not a food allergy. If you haven't tried this yet, its worthwhile. Sometimes a short dose of anti-inflammatory or steroids can also help wth residual inflammation. Her doctor can prescribe these medications if they seem warranted. Best of luck with Bella!

Every pet is different and some pets may need their glands expressed every few weeks. Most however will be less frequent. This can be a problem in any dog but it is more common in small dogs. There is a supplement called glandex which many pets respond well to. You may also try feeding him a higher fiber diet. Lastly, sometimes frequent anal gland issues can be a sign of allergies. You may talk with your veterinarian about ways to diagnose an allergy and if this seems to be indicated. Surgery is also an option to remove the anal glands. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

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!