Anal Gland Issues

Quick Summary

Anal gland issues in dogs often occur when stools are too soft to provide the natural pressure needed for expression during defecation. High-fibre raw diets help produce firm, bulky stools that naturally clear the glands, preventing uncomfortable impaction or infection. Symptoms of blocked glands include scooting, excessive licking, or a pungent odour. Adding bone or natural supplements like pumpkin can improve stool consistency and support long-term digestive health. Proactive nutritional management reduces the need for manual expression and protects against chronic inflammation or abscesses in sensitive pets.

Dogs on kibble/ wet food often get anal gland issues due to having soft stools constantly. This means they aren’t straining to got to the toilet – therefore not clearing the

anal glands naturally.

Moving your dog to raw will likely clear up any anal gland issues… as they will now be doing solid poops!

There are supplements you can add to your dogs diet if they are still struggling:

Proflax- Bottoms up

Psyllium Husk – fibrous (adds bulk to stool)

Pumpkin seed powder