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My dog's anal glands need frequent draining. How can I help her?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Beagle | Female | spayed | 5 years and 1 month old | 31 lbs

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 allergies. Thank You!

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Rebecca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 30th, 2022

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.

4Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 27th, 2018
Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach 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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on December 8th, 2018
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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Claudia Fioravanti
Veterinarian
Published on March 7th, 2019
Hi, as a supplement I have found Glandex helps a lot. I have tried on my own dog, after I was given a few sample at a congress in Orlando a two years ago.
Literature says 92% of dog owners report it helped with their dog's anal glands problem, so definitely worth a shot ! See www.glandex.com
Thank you for using PetCoach !
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Why does my dog keep having anal gland problems? Is it her food?

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.

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What high-fiber treats stop my dog's anal gland itching and rubbing?

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

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What food or fiber helps my dog's frequent anal gland issues?

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.

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My dog's anal glands were just expressed. Why is she scooting again?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Aspen. I'm sorry she is potentially having issues again with her anal sacs. Unfortunately, some dogs have continual issues. I'd try giving her a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) with each meal. This will put more fiber into her diet, solidifying her feces more, and hopefully encouraging the sacs to express when the feces is pushed passed them. I hope this helps!

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My dog's anal glands need frequent expression. Is this normal?

I am so sorry Bella is having issues with her anal glands. You can always add some canned pumpkin to Bella's food to see if that helps bulk up her stool a little bit so she can express her anal glands easier. Some dogs do need frequent expressions every 1-2 weeks. I would discuss doing an anal gland infusion with antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory to help with some inflammation in her anal glands. She may or may not need to be sedated for the infusion. Some dogs can tolerate it very well while others (typically when there is an infection) cannot tolerate it well and will need to be sedated. I hope her anal gland issues resolve soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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Why does my dog keep getting impacted anal glands and licking?

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.

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Why is my dog constantly scooting, rubbing ears, and crying at night?

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 her 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. The itchy ear could also support an allergy diagnosis but it could be unrelated. I recommend to look into diagnosing allergies, Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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