Pumpkin may ease dog’s gland problem

Q I have two spaniels, and one of them seems to have recurring issues with her anal glands. I have tried all sorts of things I have read about online and nothing seems to work. About a month ago, I took her to an animal hospital, and she screamed when one of the doctors tried to empty one of her glands. A few weeks later, I went back to see the senior attending veterinarian, who was able to express both of her glands without issue. He noted that one was filled with thick material and took a little extra time to empty it out. The dog seemed happy, but within a day, started crying again. I had her seen again and this time they found nothing. They gave her some anti-inflammatory medication and she seems better. Why was she crying? The vets told me I could try adding fiber to her diet. What do you recommend to give her some relief? A

I can’t really comment on why your dog cried out when they tried to empty out her impacted anal glands, but I suspect she may just be sensitive or there might have been some kind of infection brewing. Surely, the veterinarian would have been able to assess what was going on and treat it accordingly. Then again, if she cried when you went back and they found nothing, that suggests something entirely different might be going on. The fact that the glands were emptied again so soon without any problem and the discharge was thickened might explain why she may have been uncomfortable. Full glands usually cause a dog to scoot or drag her behind on the floor, but not crying out as you describe. The difference would be if there was an anal gland infection that can lead to a rupture that sometimes necessitates surgery. That can be raw and painful to a dog, but this was not the case with your pet. There are all sorts of products recommended to prevent impaction, including canned pumpkin. I find this works somewhat. Anal glands are found in all dogs and cats and produce a foul smelling material. These glands let dogs identify one another, and evolution may have produced them because all animals in the wild are both predators and prey. When dogs defecate, these glands express a few drops to land on the feces. Imagine a predator following a prey animal that leaves this scent. That will put them off the trail. Sometimes it’s better to leave these glands alone unless a problem develops. My guess is the medication helped either the uncomfortable gland or something else that might have bothered her.