Butt Seriously: Why Anal Gland Care Matters (with Recipe)

Welcome to the Wednesday Dogs of Dogster! Every Wednesday, we share a story from one of our Dogsters. This week is about Meagan and her dynamic duo of dachshunds, Draper and Rue.

I wish I didn’t have to write about this topic and I could be blissfully unaware of the issue that is doggie anal glands like some lucky pet parents. But, alas here we are and here I am unpacking Draper’s stinky secrets for the world to read…

By now, you all know Draper, our cuddly, bossy, snoozy, yappy firstborn child—but one thing I haven’t confessed about our sausage-shaped bundle of joy is his backside bothers, and what we like to eloquently call his derrière dilemma, aka his bum that, just like him, occasionally demands center stage. Most days, he’s a dapper little gentleman, trotting around with his tiny legs and oversized personality. But every so often, his anal glands throw a wrench (or a whiff) into our idyllic routine. It’s a quirky tale of canine anatomy, fresh food experiments, and the unmistakable signs that something’s amiss in Draper’s booty region.

Tasty Wins, Tushy Woes

The first time this issue unfolded was about three years ago, back in 2022. We’d been trialing some different foods for our picky eater. We’d gone from kibble to raw food, to wet, and then back to kibble before making the switch to fresh using Kabo, a Canadian human-grade fresh dog food delivery service that promised to elevate his dining experience. And oh, did he love it! Finally! A food we didn’t have to force him to eat! His tail wagged overtime, and he dove into those bowls of gourmet goodness with the enthusiasm of a food critic at a Michelin-starred restaurant. For the first time ever, Draper was waking us up in the morning asking for his breakfast, and eagerly lurking at our feet in the kitchen when he sensed dinnertime was approaching. For a few weeks, life was grand—until it wasn’t.

Sniff, Scoot, Stink: Draper’s Distress Signals

The signs crept up subtly at first, a few odd behaviors we thought nothing of. Draper started sitting funny on the floor, his bum flat on the ground as if something was making his backside uncomfortable. Then came the sniffing—oh, the sniffing! He’d pause mid-stride, crane his long neck backward, and give his backside a thorough investigation as if to say, “What is that?” He’d almost sometimes seem a little embarrassed because obviously, he was starting to get the first notes of what was to come… the pièce de résistance: a foul odor that could only be described as a pungent love letter from his glands to our unsuspecting noses. If you’ve never smelt a dog post-expression or one with gland issues, I will spare you the details of the odor, but rest assured that once you smell it…you will know. And we knew then that Draper’s little body was sending an SOS.

Our vet confirmed it—his anal glands were full. For the uninitiated, Dachshunds (and many small breeds) have these pesky little sacs near their rear that can get clogged or overfull, leading to discomfort and that signature stench. The switch to Kabo, while a hit with Draper’s taste buds, might have altered his digestion just enough to tip the scales. Fresher food, softer, smaller stools, and a long-bodied pup apparently equaled a recipe for gland grumbles. Who knew that “human-grade” could lead to such a canine-grade conundrum? The solution was simple: the vet did a manual expression (I will also save you the details on that), and at-home care consisted of high fiber and a 50/50 blend of kibble and Kabo.

Rear Rearrangements & Creative Solutions

Now, we’ve become pros at spotting the signs. When Draper starts scooting his tush across the carpet like he’s auditioning for a low-budget dance troupe, or when he gives his rear a sniff that lasts longer than his usual neighborhood patrol, we know it’s time for action. As we’ve read that frequent manual expression can sometimes lead to more harm than good, we generally aim to take matters into our own hands by adding pumpkin puree, wheat germ, or ground flax seed to his food and will give him a couple of “kibble-only” meals to bulk up his BMs.

We’ve also gotten a bit creative and come up with a treat recipe we can pull out of the freezer in a pinch whenever the signs of discomfort start creeping in. For anyone who may be struggling with adding more fiber into their dog’s diet or worried about their pups' buttholes, these high-fiber & butt-friendly pumpkin-oat muffins may do the trick!!

By the way, if your dog is showing any signs of booty problems or you have questions about what to feed them, our telehealth vets may be able to help.

Draper’s Booty Duty Muffins

Bottoms Up: A Farewell to Booty Blues

Draper’s butt-scapades have taught us patience, a bit of biology, and the art of laughing when life starts to stink. We’ve come to accept that some things in life are quite literally a pain in the butt—but not worth losing sleep over.