Home Remedies for Anal Gland Problems in Dogs: Tips and Tricks

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Pumpkin
Posted by Rhonda (Canada) on 11/03/2016
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How to prepare pumpkin puree for anal gland issues.

Wash the outside of the pumpkin. Cut off the top. Scoop out the seeds. Put it in a shallow pan. Put in oven at 350 F for about 1 - 1.5 hours. It's done when you can easily pierce the skin with a fork. Remove and cool. Juice will pool in the bottom of the pan. Drain that off and set aside. The cooled pumpkin skin easily peels off. Put the flesh in a bowl amd mash/puree. Store in fridge up to 5-6 days in a covered container OR freeze pumpkin scoops on wax paper or a plastic tray. Then store in freezer bags for later use.


Pumpkin
Posted by Becky (Kilgore, Texas) on 04/26/2015
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I have been using 1 teaspoon of pumpkin a day on my small dog also and have had real good results. I buy real small can of 100% pure pumpkin and divided it up and freeze it in small bags. I read it should be used in 5-7 days when stored in refig.


Pumpkin
Posted by Sarah (Dallas, Tx) on 07/23/2010
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This morning my 3-year-old cat dragged poop all over my house. I searched the net on why and found that she might have impacted anal glands. I took her to the vet, and sure enough, they said that was her problem, and they had expressed them. The cost to me was $25.00 and I really can't afford extra expenses right now. Also, I don't ever want poop all over my house again. So I came to Earth Clinic and read how much canned pumpkin had helped other peoples' pets-even cats. I went out right away and there was one can of pumpkin left at the grocery. I mixed it in her wet food (I give her dry, with a couple of spoons of wet) and she ate it happily. I was curious, and put a little half spoon of pumpkin also in her bowl, while she was eating--and she ignored the rest of her food, and licked up all the pumpkin! Next thing, I found her scraping around in her litter box, which had been untouched for the last 24 hours. I believe this has solved the problem, very easily--thank you to Earth Clinic, and to all who post here!


Pumpkin
Posted by Belinda (Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia) on 08/28/2009
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I have a 5 month old miniature dachshund that was experiencing discomfort associated with blocked anal glands. I read on a website to feed them pureed pumpkin as the fibre helps to clear the blockages. I boiled the pumpkin in plain water, then drained and pureed. Once cool, I gave him 1/2 a cup that night and 1/2 a cup the next morning. It worked a treat!! He has had no more symptoms.

Now i will freeze a batch in portions and give him some each week.

and he LOVES it!


Pumpkin
Posted by Bel (Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia) on 08/28/2009
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I have a 5 month old miniature dachshund who was displaying the symproms of blocked anal glands. After reading this post i decided to try the pumpkin. I boiled the pumpkin, the drained and pureed it. Once it was cool, i gave him 1/2 cup with his dinner and another 1/2 cup the next morning. We could see a difference in him after just a few hours. By the next night he was back to normal. He actually loved the pumpkin too, so i've frozen some in portions to give him a dose every week, just in case.

Thank you for the suggestion, it worked a treat and will consult this site whenever i have questions from now on.


Pumpkin
Posted by Saskatchewan Girl (Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada) on 07/09/2009
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Pumkin for stinky dog

Our dog had an accident with a loose stool on the floor about 4 days ago. It has been walking around since with a skunky type smell coming from it. I washed the dog thinking that maybe it had rolled in the stool which also had the foul odour. It worked for about 5 minutes when the smell returned. The dog had loose stools for 3 days when I just put him on straight rice...still the smell was awful but no more accidents on the floor. After 4 days of smelling skunky dog fart smell in our house (truly enough to make your eyes water in any room), I found this site about pumpkin. I started yesterday around noon. I gave 1 cup food to 1/4 cup pumpkin. About 4 hours later I repeated the same as the dog was still hungry. I searched the yard around supper time for an orange stool to see if he had passed anything firmer. I didn't find stool but what I did find was totally disgusting. It looked like a kiwi skin with white bones sticking out of it entwined in hair. It wasn't there earlier so I'm guessing it came out of the dog. After inspecting it looks like just the fur from a mouse and bones that have been stripped of meat. I'm guessing the dog ate this small rat/gopher (probably taken from our cat who only kills for pleasure) and ate it. With the amount of hair and the looks of the bones I think the dog probably ate it whole, digested what it could and the rest was maybe caught inside. Anyway the dog still stank bad that night but I continued with another dose of pumkin mix in the evening, a long jog and by about midnight the dogs odor smelled more like poop than this other stank. This morning it appears that the smell has passed as she is not making the kids gag anymore. I gave more pumpkin in same dose this morning and will continue the rest of the day which will hopefully keep things clear. Thanks for the tip, the vet can't get to her for a few more days and I was really starting to worry.


Pumpkin
Posted by Christie (Up North, Michigan) on 05/21/2009
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Canned Pumpkin for dog anal gland problems:

My husband and I have been using 100% canned pumpkin on my cocker spaniel as needed for about a year. I found this remedy online when researching her abcessed anal gland problem. We are pretty in tune with her and can notice right away when she is beginning to get a little discomfort in the area, tucking her butt in when she sits, the licking and scooting etc.. we immediately give her a tablespoon of pumpkin every night for a few days and it completely takes care of the problem. Her stools become more formed and compact - not to mention orange from the pumpkin.. But it takes care of the problem for several weeks at least, we'll give it to her whenever we think she might be brewing another swollen gland, or if we notice her having a bout of loose stools. I swear by this and recommend it to every pet owner I know.


Pumpkin
Posted by Rob (Denver, CO) on 02/16/2009
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It's been just over 6 weeks since Cowboy starting using pumpkin for his anal sac and hairball issues and I'm simply blown away by the results.

He's been to the vet twice since his last anal sac abscess (12/20/08)for rechecks and each time his glands have been empty. That alone is simply miraculous. In the past he wasn't able to empty his anal sacs naturally through defecation. Prior to the pumpkin remedy both of those vet visits would have resulted in the vet having to manually express his glands to prevent them from abscessing. The pumpkin appears to have cured him of this horribly painful and long-term condition.

The other issue was the daily or 4-5x per week hairball vomiting. Having to clean the mess I've always monitored the condition very closely. I would mark the calendar each time he would throw up with either a V if he threw up and there were no hairball seen or an HB if I saw a hairball. It was very common for him to throw up between 18-24 days monthly. Since we've begun the pumpkin remedy he's thrown up only one time in February.

This was a chronic condition for most of his life and the vet kept telling me because he was a long haired cat it was basically something we'd have to deal with. She prescribed the petroleum malt products which is supposed to help lubricate the digestive tract and allow the hairball to pass naturally. I may have used 1/4 of a tube, if that, and just threw that stuff away because it didn't work. Also, I never felt comfortable giving my cat a petroleum based product anyway.

I am so elated to have discovered the healing properties of pumpkin. I'm convinced Cowboy will live a much more comfortable life because his digestive system is working efficiently now.

As for the amount I give him it's certainly been a process where I started off using approximately 1/2 tsp mixed in his meal of grain-free canned natural cat food and about 1/2 medallion of raw cat frozen food (nature's variety). We've worked up to 1 tsp with each meal so he's getting about 2 tsp daily now.

He's also getting a small amount of probiotics with his morning meals to help restore some of the good bacteria that died off with the antibiotic therapies for the abscesses in the past.

Thank you Earth Clinic contributors for this valuable natural remedy. I'm eternally grateful!


Pumpkin
Posted by Kelly (Nashville, TN ) on 11/21/2008
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Canned pumpkin (100% pure pumpkin) is a great cure for dog who must have their anal glands expressed due to impactions. Also, my two dogs take enzymes and herbs daily. The herbs smell (and most likely taste) really bad. I mix them in a few teaspoons of pumpkin and add a couple of drops of omega 3 and vitamin E and a drop or so of Agave nectar. No problem getting them to eat this.


Pumpkin
Posted by Laynie (Lakewood, NJ) on 03/25/2008
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I cannot even tell you how thrilled I am to have found the "pumpkin" cure for anal impaction! My dog, a small mixed breed, was at the point where I was taking her at least every two weeks to have her glands expressed! I started her on one teaspoon (she is small) of pumpkin mixed with her food and she has not had to have them expressed in over three months now!! It's a wonderful cure! If you haven't tried it, do so!! THANK you!!!


Pumpkin
Posted by Margaret (Worcester, MA) on 11/11/2006
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feeding approximately 2 tablespoons canned 100% pure pumpkin 2X per day (for a dog weighing about 100 pounds). This cures anal sac impaction. My Rottweiler had anal sac problems from too soft stools and was in misery after eliminating. We had to take him several times to the vet for her to express the sacs- which he found rather unpleasant. She suggested we increase the fiber content of his diet and suggested we try the pumpkin. We started out with 1 tblsp/feeding (twice a day) and then upped it to 2 tblsp/feeding (twice a day) because of his size. He loves his pumpkin and has it every day. He has not had one bout of anal sac problems since we have started him on the pumpkin and this has been for almost 2 years now.