My Mia is only 5 months old and today I smelled her anal gland issues. I know how to take care of the problem because I do it all the time with my 8 year old mix dog. That being said I have never had this issue with a puppy. I put Mia in the tub for a bath and checked her anal glands and yes they were and issue. I am not so sure what to do. My vet told me to up her fiber and I am doing that as of today. I just cannot imagine that with a golden and all that hair they have. Of course I will do it but not my favorite job in the world. I have been told that removing them can cause other issues.

Just up the fiber and see if that helps. Are her poops firm or soft? The natural thing is for the glands to express during defecation but if the poop is too soft it doesn't work.

I'm not a fan of expressing glands on a regular basis--it's an artificial fix for what should be a natural thing and can cause problems when not done properly. Hope the fiber helps. Nothing quite like the smell of those glands.

__________________
Kathleen, mom to one human, age 17, three canines, and a bunch of fish.

Thank you.. I just do not want to have to do this with my Mia as I have to do with Bess. Will I ??? yes and I guess I am good at the job. I have been giving Mia more fiber. Thank you so much.. What do you mean it can cause problems when not done properly.

Expressing anal glands often is not good because it will weaken the muscles and will cause lots of problems later on. The stool needs to be solid for the anal glands to express themselves naturally. If the stools are soft I would suggest feeding a little less. Another option is to buy a digestive enzyme supplement that usually helps alot with dogs that can't digest properly and have lots of soft stool problems.

__________________

I have read about doing them too often. It is strange that sometimes Bess can go a month or more with out a problem and then it starts all over. Maybe my little Mia is just teething and eating everything she can get her puppy mouth on. I will up her fiber.. God I do not want another dog with this issue. That being said if she has this issue I am a pro at dealing with it. I talked to my vet about removing the anal glands and that in itself can be an issue. I will love her no matter what. MORE FIBER FOR MIA..