[dendad]

We have two Chihuahuas. One of them is constantly having to have her anal glands expressed. We feed them Freshpet Chicken in the evening and Freshpet Beef and bison in the morning. They also get a pumpkin supplement in the morning. I’m thinking the beef and bison food might be the cause. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Patricia A]

I have Chihuahuas’ also. Maybe she is not getting enough fiber to bulk up stool. Notice how her stool is as opposed to your other Chi who does not have to have anal expressed. I feed Stella and Chewy’s . Now have my elderly mom’s Chihuahua also. She had loose stool when I would walk her . Since her diet change to what I have been feeding my two, her stools are normal. Hope this might help.

[dendad]

Thank you Patricia. Are Stella and Chewy’s treats or dog food? The pumpkin supplement I mentioned in my post are Glandex treats. For their weight, I’m supposed to only give a half treat. Maybe a whole one? They’re expensive, but if they’d work I wouldn’t mind. The expressions at the Vet are killing me. Anywhere from $35 to $40 each time. Dog groomers usually don’t charge for that, but we don’t take them to groomers.

[Patricia A]

I looked at the Glandex reviews. I always start with the negative ones. So some dogs had adverse reactions to the supplement. But doesn’t hurt to try.
I find there is sometimes no rhyme or reason to why some of my dogs over the years had the scooting and others never had to have the expression of the glands.
Had a Doxie when kids were little and probably not on the best diet with all the table scraps and not knowing back then about kibble quality etc. But he never had soft stool, or anal problems. Lived a long life of over 17 for our Pookie. Had Chloe our first Chihuahua and even though stool was never loose, had the scooting and always needed expression.
My mom came to live with us and hence we also have added to our already two Chihuahuas’. I know my mom was giving her table scraps and even found her dog bowl filled with Pepperidge Farm gold fish due to start of dementia.
So now living with us, she has lost a few needed pounds and on and loose stool has totally stopped with diet I give our other two. So living with my mom she was getting too much fat in diet which also causes my two to have Diarrhea.
I feed a combination of freeze dried in Primal and Stella Chewy’s. Their treat is one Bixbi Rawbble nugget. They get a little Stella Chewy’s Raw coated chicken kibble to stretch the freeze dried since now it’s getting expensive with having three.
I always go by the DFA reviews and only get the 5* proteins because I believe less fat.
Treats are high fiber raw baby carrots and string beans being canned low salt or raw.
I went REALLY, REALLY, REALLY slow when introducing these different brands and proteins. This way I can tell which doesn’t agree and also it takes a few days for digestion to get used to. Maybe stick switch SLOWLY with a few Stella’s kibble. See how she does. Then if want and all good add a little freeze dried in one brand and protein. Stella’s also comes with the freeze dried in the kibble.
Hope this helps her but sometimes it isn’t even the diet .

[dendad]

Thank you Patricia. I know it wasn’t a laughing matter, but I got a chuckle out of your gold fish story. Thanks for that.

[Patricia A]

LOl! I try hard to find humor myself at this point with taking care of mom AND sometimes her angry little dog. lol

[pet G]

Your vet will wash out the sacs and give your dog antibiotics. An untreated infection will develop into an abscess (a swollen, tender mass of pus) and could break open. Your vet will open and drain the abscess and usually prescribe antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Daily warm compresses can help, too.

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