Feeding Canidae & Still Anal Gland Problem

[Joshie'sMom]

We have a 10 month old male Rottie. We feed him a very healthy diet (Canidae) and he gets plenty of exercise but for some reason every few days his anal gland expresses and it smells horrible.
Is it normal for them to express this often and actually leak onto the furniture, etc? We aren't sure what to do, because when we do take him to the vet they check and say that they are already empty. I guess it is healthy that he does express them himself, but it is every couple days & we can't stand the smell.
Should we add something to his food? For a while we added the 100% pumpkin but that didn't help, he still leaked it every couple days. Should we try something else, like oatmeal (I read that somewhere on this thread I think)
My husband's parents have a female Rott and they take her to the vet every six weeks to get the anal gland manually expressed. This is the second Rottie they have had this problem with.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

[sweetlee]

I did read somewhere on here that some folks toss a handful of bran flakes cereal on their dogs food to bulk up the stools so that the glands will empty when they poop.
I use 1/4 quick cooking oatmeal mixed with enough water to get it wet along with Dodge's Canidae twice a day.
If you are smelling them, they are probably leaking, and I believe the only time they should express is when he is pooping.
You may need to have them done manually by a vet.
My vet charged 10 bucks and trust me, it was worth it, it reaked up the whole office.
I am so hoping this isn't a chronic problem for us. The vet told me sometimes after a bout of soft stools or diarrhea that they can plug up and get full.
Is your dog scooting or itching his bottom or licking alot?
Those can become impacted and infected and then I guess it is one nightmare of a mess.
I wouldn't mess with it for too long.
Someone else said they feed food grade diametacious earth for about 10 days for anal gland problems. If I smell these things again I am going to give it a try.

Sharon

[Joshie'sMom]

Thanks Sharon.
He doesn't scoot or lick or cry or anything, so I know he isn't in any pain; the vet always says that they are ok & that he expresses them himself. It is just that it's in the house for some reason, and it leaks onto the furniture and onto his bed, etc. We don't know why. His poo is normal but I guess it could be more bulky. I guess I will try the oatmeal because I am afraid with the bran flakes they have too much sugar and other additives. He has such a sensitive stomach that I am afraid to give him anything that isn't his regular Canidae, unless it is bland. We have regular oatmeal (no special flavor or anything) so I will try a handful of that with his dinner tonight because he already had his breakfast.

I too hope this isn't a chronic problem for us. How old is your baby? Thanks again!

[brunie's mom]

Try the regular bran flakes or bran buds, not raisin bran cereal.
A couple of handfuls with each meal should do the trick.

I've owned many dogs(all sizes) through the years, and have never had anal gland problems. Does your dog get any fruit or veggies? I've always shared any fruit that I am eating with my dogs, as well they get any leftover veggies that we have from meals. Try giving some baby carrots as treats also (raw).

Does your dog get a raw marrow bone to chew on sometimes?

How much exercise is your dog getting? Dogs that don't get enough exercise often have anal gland problems also.

I also suggest you keep your 10 month old dog off of any furniture or beds....not only for the leaking anal glands, but to help show leadership, he should be on the floor or a dog bed. This is often the age when the teenage stage happens., and testing happens..and you must really be on the ball.

Gina

[Joshie'sMom]

Thanks Gina! Would the oatmeal work just as well?

Yes, he gets plenty of exercise. At least one walk a day (usually more though) plus our one-acre property to run & play with us (we never leave him alone outside).

He can't eat fruit or veggies because of his sensitive stomach. I have tried. He can't even eat the Canidae snap biscuits without being really gassy and I am assuming it is because of the fruits & veggies that are in them.

He isn't allowed on our bed. He has his own bed. He is allowed on 2 living room chairs and we keep a towel or blanket on there. I know what you mean about leadership and he is very good- he knows we are the pack leaders. He doesn't test us or try to dominate us. I know everyone is different though & some people disagree. We let him up on the furniture with us though & we have no obedience issues because of it. He knows he must get off when we say, and not jump up unless we say he can. We have all hardwood floors and I like to give him a soft comfy place to lay :)

Thanks for the advice!

[brunie's mom]

You can try the oatmeal, just throw in some raw oatmeal...try 1/4 of cup and see how it goes and how his stomach reacts. Try giving small (tiny) amounts of fruit and see how his stomach does, if he does not have a problem, try giving a bit more...one slice of banana or tiny bite of apple, or one baby carrot,etc.

Try adding some probiotics (Dogzymes) are often recommended here.

One walk, and playing in the yard are not enough for a 10 month old dog. Is he going to obedience classes, how much time per day do you spend training him?

Glad that you are not having any problems with leadership or testing yet, this may soon be coming...usually around 18 months of age or so?

Gina

[Joshie'sMom]

Thanks Gina! I'll give it a try.

Yes he has been to obedience classes & I work with him daily. I love it and so does he. He gets so excited when we "learn new tricks" and he is very eager to learn. This is probably why I don't have any leadership issues with him. I want to teach him to crawl, rollover, and high five (different from 'give me your paw' lol)

I watch Cesar Milan a lot and I like the things he says. I know that Josh needs a 45 minute walk each day. As I said sometimes he gets even more than that. The problem is that our area has no sidewalks and people book down the street waaayyy too fast, so I can only take him certain times of the day (when I know there aren't any cars). There aren't any sidewalks anywhere around here so I can't even take him to another area.

Things have been fine so far though, it is just the anal gland problem. My in-laws have a female who gets walked 3 times a day and she still needs hers expressed by the vet every six weeks (although they don't feed her the best food) but I don't put my nose where it doesn't belong. Want to keep the peace with the in-laws lol. I guess some dogs just have this problem (that is what the vet told me). I am willing to try anything though. And I know that he is healthy and not in any pain. The smell makes us gag though haha!

Thanks again!

[sweetlee]

Your pup sounds just like my Dodge.
He is 20-22 months old probably. Not sure exactly as I got him from a shelter.
He had the rankest, mushiest, yellow poo when I got him, and I went through a few foods with not much success. He also had farts that would make you run for cover, every time he ate his breakfast or dinner I would try and stay away from him for hours.
The Dogzymes from natures farmacy is what I use for probiotics, I have also heard nzymes are great. It made all the difference. Dodge is on Canidae lamb and rice formula and for treats I use the Natural Balance Potato and Duck, the small biscuits.
My vet put Dodge on a course of Flagyl, and then tried to sell me the Science Diet Z/D, which I did not do, and between the probiotics, the lamb and rice food and the dogzymes I can now pick up poop instead of hosing it down off the yard. The dogzymes make this a non issue anymore, and he can eat fruits, veggies, marrow bones, meat scraps from the table with no trouble at all. I don't let him have excessive amounts from the table because I don't want to rock the boat, but he can eat anything with no trouble now.
I am afraid that your dogs anals may have to be expressed, like I said they should not be just "leaking". Dodge did have to have his done, but I suspect until I got him, his whole life he had pudding piles of poop and they just weren't hard enough to help the things empty. At least I am hoping it doesn't become an issue again. He was not scooting either, I think by that time, they are really hurting and itching the dog. The only way I knew that his needed done is because I smelled them.
How are your boys stools? If they are soft, yellow and really stinky he may have a bacterial overgrowth and need a course of flagyl. Talk to your vet about this. I am assuming his wormings are all up to date?
I feel for your puppy, I was sick when I brought Dodge home and saw and smelled his first poop. It took some tweaking but (knock on wood) we have it figured out now and it's great to be able to give him some treats now and then. He loves veggies and fruits, NO GRAPES, they are toxic. But he dives on apples, bananas, zucchinni, cucumbers green beans, carrots the only thing I have found he really won't eat is fresh tomato.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
I think a 45 minute walk is plenty. When I can't walk the dog, I will throw the ball for him for at least a half hour, he runs the whole time.


Sharon