Diet for puppy with anal gland problems

[capella008]

For a deeper history of my 6 month old pup, please see my other thread. I felt I wasn't as direct with my question (we were leaving the vets office as I typed it, so I was a little overwhelmed).

Basically Kora has been having anal gland problems for the past few months. She has had her glands be full and infected twice in the past 2 months. Took her to the vet yesterday and they were very full again. We are feeding Fromm Gold LBP and vet recommended more fiber, so for the past month or so she has been getting 1/4 c canned pumpkin with each meal.

Because her glands were full again yesterday (but not infected), the vet wants to put her on Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Puppy food. At Petsmart, this food runs about $38 for an 8.8lb bag. We would probably need 3 of these to last us a month, and frankly it is going to be very difficult for my fiance and I to afford $120 a month for food for one dog.

Is there any other kind of diet/food that we could put her on that would help with her issues and not break the bank? Would it be a possibility to try adding more fiber (wheat bran, Metamucil) to her diet and having her glands expressed regularly so they don't infect?

I should also add that the vet's main concern is that our dog may have some kind of food allergy and that she may develop anal fistulas in the future.

[qbchottu]

If you suspect food allergies, try the Natural Balance line. Select a novel protein like Fish, Venison or Bison. Add pumpkin to each meal to bulk up her stools. I also really like Olewo carrots and beets. They add great fiber along with a whole list of other benefits like skin, coat, allergies etc. www.olewousa.com

I don't think you need to spend that much on RC food. Sounds scammy.

Join the perianal fistulas group and take a look at the nutrition regimen most of them have their dogs on. That might help. Good ideas for home cooked foods also. PF-L : PF-L

Look into removing the anal glands if they continue to be a problem. You do not want to continuously let them fill, burst or get infected. Speaking from experience, it's terrible.

[Jax08]

Original thread

Alternatives to special gastrointestinal foods

I still recommend RAW. You can easily rule out protein allergies with raw by starting with one protein and adding one every couple weeks. I've read that RAW fed dogs have less issues with anal glands because the stool is harder which helps to keep the glands cleaned out.

[BowWowMeow]

I would think that you would want a diet high in moisture and fiber without grains or potatoes (which are binders). Kibble is none of those things. Honestly, if this were my dog I would do a home prepared diet for him. Can you afford a consultation with Monica Segal? She will develop a home-cooked diet for your dog's specific medical condition. If you can't afford the consultation you can join the yahoo group and get help there. They are very nice, knowledgeable people.

Monica Segal's website

K9 kitchen yahoo group

ETA: Just saw Michelle's advice. I do feed raw and it works well for Rafi but have had other dogs who did better on home cooked. I did read the stuff about the raw diet helping with anal glands.

[GatorBytes]

B.A.R.F.

Holistic approach to anal gland problems in dogs

short term try in powder form to bulk stool to naturally put pressure on gland to excrete during regular bowel movements...slippery elm too

Psyllium seed husks also known as ispaghula, isabgol, or psyllium, are portions of the seeds of the plant Plantago ovata, (genus Plantago), a native of India. They are hygroscopic, expanding and become mucilaginous. Ayurveda recommends its use for colon cleansing/ bowel regulation as well as for better blood circulation.

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by BowWowMeow

ETA: Just saw Michelle's advice. I do feed raw and it works well for Rafi but have had other dogs who did better on home cooked. I did read the stuff about the raw diet helping with anal glands.

Ruth - Am I wrong in assuming the only thing different between RAW and home cooked is that when the meat is cooked it kills some of the natural enzymes? And the calcium source is different unless the bones are ground in order to cook them?

If that is true, then adding an enzyme source should fix that. Yes?

[BowWowMeow]

Well, yes and no. Because even with an enzyme my dogs poop more on home-cooked diets than they do on raw. I was thinking that the really hard poops that dogs get on raw would irritate the anal glands but that website is saying that it's the opposite--it helps to keep them empty.

The trick would be finding the right bone ratio so that the dog doesn't get constipated.