[Shawn S]

In the past couple months, my dog has started having problems with his anal glands. Took him to the vet and had them released. Two days later, it starts up again. Vet told me to try giving him Benadryl. While on Benadryl the past couple days, he has been fine. No issues with anal glands. Does that mean it is his diet that is causing it? Right now I feed him eukanuba lamb and rice (stuck with this since a puppy due to sensitive stomach), 1 greenies each day during the week, and he chews on a Nyla bone occasionally. Not sure where to start, I know that greenies are not the best for him and I could do away with them and start brushing his teeth more often. My first thought was to change his food to a better product. As I started think more into it and trying to eliminate the small thing, I Was thinking of first starting by cutting out greenies. Maybe the nylabone too? Doesn’t seem like the small fragments that break off those bones are very healthy. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Feel bad for the guy when he is scooting his butt on the ground.

[Shawn S]

Also, this has been the same for the past 4 years or so and just now he is having anal glands problems.

[anonymous]

Ask the vet why he suggested Benadryl? Does he think the dog’s anal gland issues are related to stress, anxiety? Allergies?
You may want to try a grain free limited ingredient kibble, my dogs do well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base with a little water added twice a day. Ask the vet if the vet tech can show you how to express his anal glands yourself (and how often), youtube has some good how to videos.
Oh, and I would forget the greenies, maybe an occasional 1/2 carrot instead (don’t be alarmed if you see orange chunks in the feces, it’s all fiber). I don’t like plastic bones either.
And start brushing the teeth once a day, it only takes 5 minutes once you get in the habit, youtube has good videos for this too.
Is he getting enough exercise? Get extra weight of off of him if he’s overweight. Increase walks (optimal for 1 hour a day or more)
Check the search engine here: /forums/search/anal+glands/

From a previous post of mine per:
Excerpts (out of context) from article below: https://www.vetsecure.com/veterinarymedicalclinic.com/articles/136
Overview:
Anal sacs are the reservoirs for the secretions of anal glands which are located on either side of a dog’s anus, at approximately four and eight o’clock. These sacs contain liquid secretions from the anal gland, which, in healthy animals, are normally pale yellow-brown to grayish in color. The contents are usually emptied during normal bowel movements, or when a dog is nervous or scared. In most animals, these sacs empty easily. However, some dogs, especially small breed dogs, are not able to empty the sacs properly and become susceptible to anal sac disease.
Transmission or Cause:
The cause of anal sac disease is unknown. Smaller dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas and poodles, are most often affected. Excessive anal gland production, soft feces or diarrhea, poor muscle tone, and obesity also contribute to higher risk of developing anal sac disease. Anal sac abscess tends to occur after an impacted anal gland has become so severely swollen and infected that the anal sac forms an abscess and ruptures.
Prevention:
Expression of the anal sacs every few weeks or months often will help prevent anal gland fluid from accumulating and becoming thickened again. High fiber diets have been shown to help prevent anal sac disease in at-risk dogs, especially those that are obese.

[Acroyali]

Were the glands simply full, or did the vet say they were impacted?

[Shawn S]

One side was full.

[Lora K]

hi, when my mastiff Gus was young, after having to go to the vet to have them expressed every month for awhile, i had them removed. they don’t really need them and the problem was solved.

[Shawn S]

Vet said that since the Benadryl worked, it should be due to environmental allergies. She said Benadryl does not help with food allergies. They recommended that I give it to him for a period of time and then stop and see what happens. Hopefully it will go away in a month or when the season changes.

[anonymous]

Sounds good. Hope that the environmental allergies are mild and not year round.

Ask your vet if a daily fish oil capsule per day would help? Grain free kibble? My dog with environmental allergies had some minor anal gland issues back when. But, as she responded to treatment for environmental allergies by a veterinary dermatologist, they disappeared.

Good luck. Thanks for the feedback.

[Natarene T]

I’ve dealt with anal gland problems on my Lhasa for almost six months. He was going to the vet almost ever week to have his anal glands expressed or checked. Every situation is different but in my particular situation it had to do with diet rather than allergies.

Is your dog scooting? Is that why you are taking him to get his glands checked? There can be many reasons a dog scoots. Itchy butt, full anal glands, peices of poo stuck to their bottom etc. It sounds to me like your vet told you benedryl because he is scooting from an itchy butt.

If it doesn’t gross you out you can check them yourself too. The glands are located at 4 and 8o clock around the anus. If you can barely touch around there and it feels like large peas then most likely they are full but if you don’t feel anything then I would leave it alone.

Full anal glands have to do with diet as well. Often times the dog is not getting enough fiber in their diet. I would try adding PURE Pumpkin to his diet. Just a tablespoon should work. Also, there is a product called Glandex that I have used and it works really well when the pumpkin doesn’t suffice.

Dogs are supposed to empty their glands when they poop. The poop is supposed to be firm enough to push against the anal glands to release the fluid.

Good luck to you.

[Author]

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