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Can I swap pumpkin for other veggies to help my dog's anal glands?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Is it just pumpkin that's good for anal glands or is other produce good for anal glands as well. Right now I'm giving my 17 pound dog 2 tablespoons of fruitables digestive supplement for her anal glands along with her 2/3 of a cup of kibble a day. Can I swap out 1 tablespoon of fruitables digestive supplement for another tablespoon of veggies? Or is it best to stick with the 2 tablespoons of pumpkin? Thanks!

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 12th, 2017

Pumpkin is good because it adds fiber to the diet leading to regular defecation, and when a dog has regular stools, that helps express the anal sacs. In fact, pumpkin is recommended to give to dogs when they are constipated. For her digestive health and anal sacs, pumpkin would be the best to give her, but as a treat, you can switch out to another tablespoon of veggies every now and then :-)

24Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Davis
Veterinarian
Published on December 5th, 2018
Personally I would just give plain canned pumpkin for the added fiber. I start with a tablespoon in each meal and increase it a little as needed to increase the bulk of the stool. This will be less expensive. I’m not sure this or the fruitables will be effective though. I recommend having the anal sacs expressed on a regular schedule, usually about every two to three months to prevent an anal sac infection. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Chloe.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 22nd, 2017
Any type of fiber should help to bulk up the stool and express the anal glands when she is defecating. You can look at the size and consistency of her stool now and see if there are changes when you start the veggies. Avoid onions, grapes and raisins which are toxic.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on September 21st, 2017
I would try some of the following tactics to help Chloe, and by pass the baby food. There isn't anything wrong with it, I just do not believe it will be as much help as the below approaches;

Pumpkin is high in water content and an excellent source of fiber. Fresh steamed or baked pumpkin can be pureed and added to meals

Increased water intake

Probiotics- www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24772

Increased excercise

https://www.petcoach.co/article/best-home-made-remedies-for-your-constipated-pet/
5Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH
Veterinarian
Published on September 20th, 2017
Hi and thanks for you post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Plain canned pumpkin can help as can increasing the amount of fiber she eats per day. Green beans and carrots to her food may work nicely too. 3-4% fiber is fine, but a little more would be better.

If she continues to not express her anal glands naturally, she may need to have them manually expressed by either a vet or a groomer on a regular basis so they do not become impacted.

I hope this helps and best to you and Chloe!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Dog anal glands: How much pumpkin and how often should I feed it?

I typically recommend one tablespoon of pumpkin for each meal, so it's given twice a day. It's fine, however, to give it to her once a day with two tablespoons, but I would not add any more to her diet. Too much fiber can cause constipation, so it's best to stick with a maximum of two tablespoons today.

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My dog licks her anal glands. Can I add psyllium to her pumpkin?

Psyllium is ok to give but as both pumpkin and psyllium are high in soluble fibre it may not add much additional benefit. Generally in persistent anal gland cases, a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibres (bran/whole grains) are recommended

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My dog's poop is normal. Should I still give pumpkin for anal glands?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Many vets recommend the canned pumpkin to continue on emperically-so just every now and then if she is now well maintained, while others ok it to be discontinued entirely. In my personal clients, I will often tell them it is ok to skip every day addition of this and go to about once a week to see if that will help maintain. However-if Chloe has had trouble with her glands, I always recommend having them checked by your veterinarian every 3-4 weeks to avoid any potential rupture, etc. Your doctor will palpate the glands for any sign of scar tissue (old ruptures), as well as abnormal consistency etc of the glandular material to assess any further problems. I hope this helps, and I'm very glad that Chloe is doing much better!

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My dog's anal glands keep filling up. What food or diet helps?

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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My dog is constipated, straining, and pushing her rear. Anal glands?

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My dog has an anal gland growth. Will pumpkin or coconut oil help?

The treatment for Boomer's issues is dependent upon if it is a mass, anal sac abscess, or anal sac impaction. If your vet has discussed an MRI yet started Boomer on antibiotics, I am working under the assumption that they believe he has a mass that has become infected. The peri-anal location can certainly pose surgical challenges due to the variety of nerves in that area. Canned 100% pure pumpkin (not pie filling) can add fiber to the diet and help to firm stool a bit more when there are issues with anal sac emptying. Adding a very small amount of this to Boomer's diet could be helpful if he is having difficulty expressing his anal glands. Coconut oil has no proven health benefits in dogs and my concern is that it could trigger pancreatitis if ingested due to the high fat content.

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Is adding more veggies to my dog's diet too much with pumpkin?

Given that she already gets two tablespoons of pumpkin, adding more produce would be over doing it, but you could occasionally give her one tablespoon of pumpkin and one tablespoon of carrots or beets.

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