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

I have an update to another post about this issue. To date, I have been giving my poor old dog 1/4 large carrot chopped up over his dry dog food, a half tsp. of this glucosamine powder with Omega 3 6 9 also.

No anal gland stop ups ever so far on this routine every day!!!

As I read through the article on anal gland issues and then comments, I didn't notice anything on probiotics. My dog had several instances with impacted anal glands including them getting infected. The vet prescribed an antibiotic. But the second time he prescribed an antibiotic, the infection went away but came right back (like a child's ear infection would). So I thought about my kids and decided to try a probiotic. It worked great. In fact, it worked faster than the antibiotic. And now I add it to his food about once a week. He was already getting a healthy Merrick brand food, carrots and a little olive and or coconut oil. I have to be careful with olive oil and coconut oil. More than just a little and they will actually cause the impaction. My dog also can't have any steak fat or too much apple.

I am having the same issues. My maltese (only about 6lbs) has a burst anal gland. Does he have to be on an antibiotic? I have been giving him royal jelly and raw garlic and keeping the sore clean.

I am here to correct you all, as you have it all so wrong! I am qualified in animal care, canine nutrition and have worked with dogs for 11 years.

It is a total housewives tale that dogs cannot have avocados!! There has been no proof of toxicity for dogs at all, the pip is to be kept away from them purely for choking reasons, avocado however is really rich so it should be given in tiny amounts and gradually to most dogs. Some dogs may always get an upset tummy on it due to its richness.

Coconut and coconut oil again are NOT toxic but they are a natural laxative so it should be avoided for this reason only with dogs.

Turkey skin, meat skins in general in itself CANNOT cause pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is either commonly specific in some breeds, like spaniels are prone or can be caused by food intolerances/ allergies, or thirdly by feeding FAT trimmings, a little bit of fat that marbles in meat is good, but giving dogs lots of fat scraps/trimmings will cause pancreatitis is most. Dogs shouldn't be fed skin on a regular basis as it is simply a little too fatty for a regular EVERYDAY diet.

It is high time people stop spreading these ill advised rumors about. My dog is currently under a holistic vet who specialises in canine nutrition too, together we are making a great team! He confirms everything I say here today, and on the case of advocado he suggested I try my dog on a little for his dry skin problem, however in my dog's case it was too rich for him even in a spoonful quantity!

Dogs are like people, some foods will just not get on with them for whatever reasons, my dog has colitis, a severe chicken allergy and is allergic to beef, pork and most farm animals! He has low B12 levels and hayfever as well as other allergies. Which is why I am working wit a holistic vet. We do not put pharmaceuticals and toxic things like flea sprays in my dogs system due to their cancer causing chemicals. Also over vaccinating has been proven to cause many conditions like colitis. A vaccination these days stays in their system for up to 3 years.

While you are all worrying about silly little foods, the SLS and sles chemicals in your dogs shampoo and chemicals in flea sprays and household cleaners are the real things to worry about!

The main foods to avoid in dogs are;
- Chocolate (DEADLY ESPECIALLY DARK, theobromine in the chocolate can cause death)
- Macadamia nuts (no one knows why)
- Onions (highly toxic)
- wild growing mushrooms (toxicity levels vary)
- grapes (highly toxic)
- Alcohol
- caffeine
- marijuana!
- De icer- MASSIVELY TOXIC

Again to the people who argue that their dogs have had the above and been okay, all these items have been proven to definitely be toxic AT SOME LEVEL to dogs, like anything or anyone you occasionally have a dog lucky enough to have eaten these items and been okay, also it varies due to the quantity eaten, if a tiny chihuhua eats just one small square of chocolate it will most likely die. If a great Dane did then he probably won't even get a bad belly. My dad told me when he was a kid they gave their dog chocolate ALL the time! Yet I witnessed a small spaniel die from eating half a box of maltesers last year.

My old beagle mix dog would get this all the time. Drove me crazy. What works finally is always give him 1/2 of a chopped up carrot over his food. I also give a squirt of the salmon oil so he won't scratch anymore. I had tried apple for many eyars but noticed his glands would always get blocked anyway. Switched to carrot and it has been much much better! Let us reduce the vet's salary:).

Can you tell me how much you give daily? I have a 20 pound pug.

Could someone please tell me how much coconut oil you give to your dog along wilth pumpkin and how often??? Also for how long (days/weeks/months) do they need to take this for their anal gland problems? Also do we give our dog this pumpkin/coconut instead of her food or mixed in with her food? All answers gratefully received.

I don't think avocadoes are toxic to dogs, and here is why:

One of my family members has an avocado tree in the backyard (It's huge and produces masses of fruit). As soon as those avos are ripe, the dogs (5) will swipe those avocadoes the minute they hit the ground and eat them totally, leaving nothing behind. They wait for them and love them. These dogs have done this for many years, we all have sat and laughed about how they love those avocadoes, and how one has to act fast if you want to get any from that tree.

They eat the skin, the meat, the pit, the whole thing. Entirely. No sign left that there was ever an avocado there.

PS: These are Organically grown avocadoes and are unsprayed with any pesticide nor chemical fertilizers. That may have something to do with it.

Namaste, Linda

Hi folks, im letting you all know about my 4 1/2 yr old german shepherd who was having big problems with anal glands, vet was reluctant to operate as she said her glands where normal and changed her diet with a medication, royal canine is one of the top foods but alas was not getting rid of the problem and I was squeezing her glands for her on a regular basis.

But this time I came across this site and altho I couldnt get a hold of pumpkin flesh I did get the ground pumpkin seed along with coconut oil in a health food shop and started feeding her with the blended mixture of both and hey presto, a week has past, gone is the offensive dark brown smelly liquid that usually was excreted from her glands and she doesnt seem soo down anymore, loves the taste and will look for more although I think maybe I will decrease the amount I was giving her, this bitch is much happier as well as she isnt smelling the home anymore and this way she doesnt have to endure an operation that may change her character, so people dont knock it till you have tried it, your dogs will thankyou for it xxx

ps thankyou very much for the idea, I very much appreciate your help and ideas.

My Toy Fox Terrier has the same anal glad problem and I switched her food to Science Diet WD which is a precription diet food from her vet. She no longer has any problems. I did try switching her to an organic dog food and her glands flared up a few months after the change. Went back to Science Diet and not messing with her food again!

In response to...."Lorayne from Sun City, Az

I disagree with some of your foods listed. Actually Garlic is not only SAFE for dogs it is good for them. It helps repel fleas, mosquitos and clean the intestinal tract of parasites (worms HATE garlic) We give all three of our pitties one 1000mg liquid-gel every day (regular human vitamins) They love it and actually beg for it. My girlfriend has to sprinkle powdered capsules on her dogs food and some people chop raw cloves for thier dogs. We give the pills to ours straight and can hear them pop the pill and chew it up! Also walnuts are not toxic either. You just limit them because of fat. We give these on occasion when we are snacking on them.

Avocado is controversial, from my research the skin and the pit are toxic, the meat is the controversial part... Some authorites say its perectly safe and even nutritious and others say it is also toxic. There is even a dog food that contains avocado. So to err on the side of safety our family has decided not to give avocados to our dogs. There are too many other options that are known as safe.

I have also given our dogs coconut oil but I suspect a link between it and nail fungus in dogs with a weaker immune system. They get it very rarely as a treat for example with thier monthly worming which is 1 can of tuna fish (if packed in oil I don't add extra oil) 1 capsule of Black Walnut Hulls - Heart Worm prevention (found at health food store or cheaper online) 1 tsp finely chopped raw green pumpkin seed - Intestinal wormer (found at grocery store, health food store or online) 1 capsule of echinacea, 1 capsule acidopholis and 1 capsule of ginger. It does not look appetizing but they gobble it up.

Tuna fish or canned chicken has been the best thing I have found to get anything in them, they always lick their bowl clean. I have three larger dogs weighing an average of 60lbs so adjust to your dogs weight. I learned all of this right here on EarthClinic.com. Thank you to everyone who contributes!

Lorayne your post about dogs developing Pancreatitis from high fat foods has one error with regard to Coconut Oil. CO is different, it is a healer and likely the best oil on the planet. On The Whole Dog Journal website in an article from Nov 2008, Mary Straus details about Canine Pancreatitis. In the article she discusses how to heal naturally and one snippet is about Coconut oil where she says: "Dogs fed a very low-fat diet may become deficient in the fat-soluble vitamins A and E. Adding fish oil and coconut oil to the diet can help with this. Dogs with damage to the pancreas may also suffer from vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency" Coconut oil has been misunderstood for many years.

For others petalive.com has an herbal formula for topical application with many testimonies. I have it now and am using it with my dog (GSP).

Hi, could the lady that treated her dog for the absessed anal gland that ruptured let me know if it cleared up on its own. My little chi has a ruptured one as well and I am just bathing it with warm salty water to keep it clean. Did she have to get an antibotic as well.

I started with 2 prunes for my Beagle. I now give her one prune daily and no scooting. I have to try to figure out how to get my cat to eat them since she has a scooting problem now.

I have a 3 year old Beagle who has a problem with his anal glands. We have to keep getting them expressed on an average every 2 weeks. I have learned how to do this to cut the cost. I have started him on canned pumpkin. This has been going on for close to 3-4 months.

My vet has talked to me about surgically removing these glands, but surgery is so scary, and I have read about nasty side effects. Does anyone have any suggestions? We would really appreciate them very much.

I am new to this blog. I was just reading your situations with your dogs. I am also having an anal gland problem with my little guy. He is a 3 year old Beagle mix. I have been having to express his anal glands nearly every 2-3 weeks, sometimes weekly. This has been going on for the past 4 months. I started him on canned pumkin and that seemed to be working, but lately we're back to having his glands expressed weekly. My vet has talked to me about surgery. I really hate to go tht way if there are other alternatives to try. I would really love any and all help. Thanks.

Dogs can develop pancreatitis from high fat foods. That's why they shouldn't be given turkey skin or avocado for example. I would be very careful with the coconut and coconut oil. Other things that are poisonous to dogs are: onion, garlic, walnuts, macadamia nuts, chocolate, avocado, turkey skin, grapes, raisins, xylitol, any sugar alcohol, artificial sweetners. Almonds and brazil nuts are O.K. in extremely small quantities as they too are high in fat and can cause pancreatitis.

The pumpkin is working for the most part, I've only seen my dog scoot his bottom a few times. It really has worked, but what I'm wondering is should I continue to give it to him everyday, and I have, but only about a tablespoonful. Do you think this is all right? I welcome the feed back!

I have the same problem with my dog. He is a fairly big male (70)pds. He seems to have anal gland problems often. He has expressed them on my bed a couple times.. Puhhhhh!!! I feed him "Halo" dog food and put some brown rice in it as well, but it doesn't seem to be helping him! So, I thought of going online to enquire about.. Here I am! I will try these (coconut & pumpkin) and see how it goes. I'm so glad I found this page, thank you!

Raisins are dried grapes, grapes can ferment into wine that is why they are toxic.

Prunes are from prune plums when dried they are prunes and not related to the grape family.

It sounds like pumpkin is the best remedy for this issue, but my cat is on urinary s/o food from the vet. Does anybody know anything about giving pumpkin for this issue to cats with dietary restrictions? I don't want it to make her block...

Elaine, did you have to take your pet to the vet to be diagnosed with anal gland issues? I am using the coconut oil with my biggest dog whose had some problems with her AG. The vet wants her shots updated before seeing her. I do not want her to, so I'm trying to take care of things myself. The "perfume" smell she emits lets me know it's these glands. She loved the coconut oil and I even glazed the pan with it before baking her yam treats. I realize it's been a few years since your post but I'm hoping like me you check back here often. :)

Will sweet potoatoes work as well-my dog likes them and they are included in a lot of dry dog food?

I am also interested in finding out the name of the inexpensive over the counter drug used to cure the perianal fistules. Sue from Otago, New Zealand, I hope you are still checking in and will send the info.

SUE! Please do let us know what is the name of the drugs I initially used to HALT and SHRINK the fistula, I will find out for you.

My understanding in treatment of anal gland abcess is to give low potency hepar sulph first up to 3 x daily until the abcess breaks, then use Silicea to clear it away. I also use a cue tip to keep the hole open until all the pus drains away. In addition I use a warm water and natural soap compress several times a day. This procedure works very well.

I've dealt with anal gland issues in cats & dogs. I have a little puppy mill dog & we don't know what she is, but is a dog that looks like a cat & licks herself like a long haired kitty. Pumpkin works great for releasing hair balls. She sometimes pucks them or pass it in her stool. Hence the AG problem I think.

I also add coconut oil & coconut flacks for AG abscesses. Coconut oil & flakes also guards against all kinds of ailments, tumors, arthritis, tooth problems & so forth. Check the coconut oil remedies section on EC for people & what you find will also work for your animals! Remember you are working with natural/pure substances, so it is very hard to over dose. Just get close in measurements which a lot of people will post dosages they use. Using common sense should be enough & because it is a natural substance, the most you might have to deal with would be diarrhea if you use too much. Then lower the dosage.

I wanted to add, if you are dealing with an abscess, there are other things you can do. I will put my pet in a sitz bath of Epsom salts to start drawing the infection out & soaking in the warm water brings them relief. Once again check the abscess section on EC for people. Adding Turmeric to food also is a good idea if it is a chronic problem. I picked up a great tip there about telling the difference between boil, abscess, zit, ingrown hair duct, etc. Just put a cotton ball soaked in peroxide. If a boil, it won't do anything, but abscess, or zit or such, it will bring it to a head & drain the pus or infection in the area. I keep peroxide soak going for about 20-30 minutes. By the time I remove the soaked cotton, it will usually drain the infection immediately, or let you know what you are dealing with! Depending on size & length of infection, I may have to add another 20-30 minute soak before it drains, but it will drain & black colored abscesses will turn back to white/natural color. You could also make solution of peroxide, & Epsom in warm water & keep applying with a cloth, if they will let you because it is very painful for them. I like the idea of sea salt solution injection to kill infection, but I would think you would want swelling down before trying to administer. Ouch! Good luck & Many Blessing to You & Your Little Ones!

P. S. Some cures for people are posted in the animal section not posted for people & vise-a-versa. Use common sense as Mother Earth has given us everything we need to heal!

So glad to read this- we have the same issue... How heavy is your dog? And did you feed the pumpkin once or twice a day? Thank you!

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!

Yes you can use pumpkin on a cat 1-2 tablespoons for 15 pounds I use it daily with my cats. One is diabetic/with anal gland problems and the other had constipation issues. They will get the same issues as a gerartic human as they age. . . Chicken Gizzards (RAW)(store bought from your butcher or at the grocery store safe as it's sold to humans - (egg whites will help to strengthen the kidneys), ground up and add to the wet food is a great source of nutrition as they age. . Make sure to add pumpkin daily! Good Luck with your furry friend please give his tail a tug for me. :)

Oh gosh, Linda, I didn't think of the antibiotics causing the anal sac situation, but you are probably right. And to think I gave him another course of them out of desperation.

For your dog, since he's already on a raw meat diet, I would suggest that you see if you can find a classical homeopathic vet, or just a homeopath. Lots of homeopaths will take dogs as patients. You could even try an online homeopath since we have Skype these days. My advice: only deal with homeopaths that deal with the whole constitution of the dog. You can tell if he/she is a good homeopath because they will ask all sorts of questions about the character of your dog. Pray it all works out...

You said that you used Belladonna. What symptoms did your dog have that had you decide that?

I only had Silica 30C and it seem to make it worse, so I went back to Heper Sulf. From what I've read, the Silica pushes stuff outside of the body and the HS makes it go away.

My dog has been getting better with HS 30C three times a day.

From what I have learned in Classical Homeopathy, I don't give a "course of treatment," but I observe the symptoms and that rule what I do.

Oh, and I had my dog on heavy antibiotics and they were no miracle cure for this.

The Silica 6x is supposed to be good for pushing stuff out of the body. I need to get some and try it. It would be good to hear experiences that people have treating the anal sacs. I could see that you might need to alternate them. Of course again, we go by the symptoms. Also, a trained homeopath would go by more than just the problem with the anal sacs and look at the dog as a whole.

Another thing, I feed my dog only raw meat and meaty bones. This is the first time he has ever had this problem in six years. I had to leave him for two weeks just after he was bitten and getting rabies shots. Google the raw meat diet and that might be something you want to consider.

wow, I love earth clinic...big time...everyone is evolving, I'm so glad doctors and vets are loosing their so called power over us.....My dog is having his first ag experience and I think I now can prevent so much discomfort.

My 9yo German Shepherd has severe perianal fistulas. Atopica (cyclosporin) helped at first but it came back. Now it is really bad, he is on Protopic (topical immuno-suppressant?) and it doesn't look like the fistulas are healing. The treatment is very expensive!

For Sue from Otago, New Zealand: Could you please give the name of the drug you used? Thank you!!!

Girl, I know your issue was what the dog ate. I just wanted to add something. About 20 years ago I had a Samoyed, he got very stinky, we really didnt know what the probelm was. This went on for almost a week, when I noticed his glands all red and swollen. The vet put him on antibiotics, 2 rounds, the infection came back. We ended up having to have the glands removed. This was long before I was intune with natural remedies and healing!

What made me comment was the smell, it was like a fishy stinky, that wouldnt go away. The dogs odor was so awful we made him stay in the kitchen on the tile floor. Easy to clean. This dog was about 100 pounds and he would stink up a room, while his infectin was active.

I now have an 8 pound chi, he has to have his glands expressed by the groomer every time he has his nails done. I would like to do it myself but am afraid of injuring him. Seems his stool is hard and normal most of the time. This is fairly common with small dogs.

Hi,

I have a great dane with anal glands that need to be expressed quite regularly. because he stays indoors i can normally tell early on that he is developing a problem due to the odour and call in the vet. but it is a painful process for him and i want to avoid it if i can by starting a herbal remedy. i would like to start the pumpkin regime but have a silly question to ask. do i skin the pumpkin before i boil it? and for a great dane how much should i give him to begin with?

would really appreciate it if someone would please help me. i would like to start as soon as possible.

thank you.

My question regarding the pumpkin cure for anal gland problems, having a 20lb Cavalier, what dosage should be given and how often, and for how long? thank you so much for the great solution, as she is having an anal gland rupture today and we cannot see Vet for 2 days, he's out of town, so we are looking for any good help

ZOE

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!

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.

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.

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.

Hi Kim: How is you doggy doing with his anal sac problems. I am going through the same thing with my choc lab. I have to get them emptied every two weeks. He is on a high fiber diet, coconut and coconut oil I HAVE TRIED BRAN CARROT AND PUMPKIN. i AM THINKING ABOUT ADDING ENZYMES TO HIS DIET. hAVE YOU EVER TRIED ENZYMES. hAS YOU DOG EVER BEEN ON HIGH DOSES OF ANTI BIOTICS. I THINK THIS HAS CAUSED ALL OUR PROBLEMS BUT THAT IS JUST MY UNEDUCATED OPINION. i WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IF YOU ARE HAVING ANY SUCCESS.

Dear Evelyn from Tampa; How much pumpkin & coconut did you feed your pom? I have a pug who is having the same problem. I remembered hearing about this so I looked it up, but now I need to know "exactly" how much you use... Thanks, Terri from Ohio

One of my dogs (I have 2) has had problems with her anal glands since she was a puppy so, I learned to empty her glands myself. I can't afford relaying on Vets and their assistants for that. They just look after money: Veterinary is a big business. Just that.

Occurred twice that my dog's glands got impacted and when I pressed it, pus came out from there, she was also scooting her but a lot so... I treated her with homeopathy. On the first day: I gave Belladonna 6X , 1 pearl each 2 hours (at least 15 min. apart from meals, water or treats), direct on her mouth. She was kind of quiet but eating normally.

On the follow day I started with Silicea 6 X, 1 pearl each 2 hours again apart meals. Within 3 days she started to come back to herself and in 5 days she's good as "new" but the treatment is supposed last for total 10 days.

When they are nervous or agitated for any reason I give Flowers of Bach, which is usually the "Rescue Remedy" (3 drops on their mouth) Few hours later they're fine.

LOVE THE WEBSITE IS VERY UPLIFTING TO KNOW THERE IS A CURE FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT POOR DOGS AND CATS CAN FIND RELIEF AT LAST THROUGH THE TESTIMONY OF OTHERS IT REALLY TOUCH MY HEART BECAUSE WHEN OUR ANIMALS SUFFER WE SUFFER WITH THEM TOO I JUST STARTED TO USE THE COCONUT OIL AND PUMPKIN ON MY POMERANIAN THANK YOU FOR THE INFO

My golden's anal sac issues were solved many moons ago by switching to a raw food diet. HOWEVER, my rott mix has been having anal sac issues for about a year now, regardless of diet. We've tried herbal fixes, grain free kibbles, raw foods (several varieties) and have actually settled on a less than ideal kibble. Still corn/wheat/soy/byproduct/chemical free, but my guys generally eat grain free human grade stuff. We're in the process of switching to morning feedings of this kibble and then evening feedings of Orijen again with added pumpkin, coconut and bran. Her issues are severe, and she required expression weekly, with copious amounts of fluid. Quite frankly, I've never seen anything like it. Cross your fingers for us!

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!

Tell me about the radionic analysis....

Question on dog anal glands. I am going to try the pumpkin and coconut. My Murphy (Shi-TZU) has very small openings on his glands. I feed him raw diet meat and veggies. His stools are solid, but I'm guessing it is because of the small openings that the glans need expressing so often. Can't be expressed from the outside. Tech or vet has to go in internally. Poor little guy. Now only 3 weeks apart and had a litlte infection last time. Hoping the coconut and pumpkin work on him. He loves the pumpkin right out of the can!

My 7 year old DLH cat, Cowboy has been plagued with AG issues for a couple years now. Initially after suffering an abscess a couple years ago, my vet advised me that it was rather rare for this to be a persistent issue with cats. Being otherwise extremely healthy, I figured once the scheduled anti-biotic dosage was complete we'd be alright. She also advised me I could take him in once a month to have the sacs expressed before an infection set in. I took him back several times to have them expressed but he ended up getting another infection anyway within 6 months.

Unfortunately, it didn't end there. After the third bout of infections, I decided I had to seriously find an alternative to surgery and anti-biotics.

I started searching more diligently for a holistic approach to prevent the build up in the first place. I've always been of the mindset that dealing with the cause is a much easier than dealing the effect later on. Most have suggested that I up his fiber/carbohydrate intake which is completely contradictory to the diet I prefer to feed him.

Once I read all the success stories here @ EC I thought I'd give it a shot and went out and purchased some Organic Pumpkin last night. It was an easy sell for me to give it a try after discovering others have reaped the benefits of pumpkin for not only AG impaction, but also for hairballs.

I wasn't sure he'd even go near it so I initially just put a little dab on his nose to let him lick it off and get a taste for it. I then mixed some into his breakfast this morning thinking it would still be there waiting for me when I got back from work today to discard. Much to my surprise he ate it all. Getting him to even try it was my biggest concern.

I'll report back as soon as I get some definite feedback as to the effectiveness of this apparently miraculous remedy. I just wanted to thank the contributing members here for giving us a glimmer of hope that we can beat this awful condition naturally.

Again, I'll post back when enough time has expired to give a true Yay or Nay on the effectiveness of this remedy. I'm already convinced this will be a huge Yay for us since he's proven he'll even eat it in the first place to give it a try.

Thanks again!