When a dog drags their rear across the carpet, spins to lick their butt, or leaves that unmistakable fishy smell on the sofa, they are not being silly or stubborn. Their back end is bothering them.

Most of the time, the problem is the dog’s anal glands.

This article explains in simple terms what your dog’s anal glands are, why they cause trouble, what your veterinarian actually does, and how food, fiber, and supplements can help support them over time.

What Are Dog’s Anal Glands?

Dogs have two tiny scent pouches just inside the anus, one on each side. They are like small “smell pockets” that hold a strong, skunky liquid. When a dog has a normal, firm bowel movement, the pressure of the stool usually squeezes a little of that liquid out. In the wild, this helped dogs leave a personal scent behind.

In a healthy dog, you never see or smell any of this. It all happens quietly during a normal poop.

What Happens When Anal Glands Go Wrong

Problems start when those pouches do not empty properly. The fluid can get thick and pasty, the glands fill up, and the lining becomes sore. Bacteria can move in and cause an infection. In some cases, pressure builds up so much that the gland bursts under the skin or to the outside, forming a painful, messy abscess.

Owners often notice that their dog is scooting their rear on carpet, grass, or pavement, licking or chewing under the tail, or suddenly smelling fishy or metallic. Some dogs seem uncomfortable when they sit, jump, or try to poop. Others may have swelling or a squishy lump beside the anus, and in more serious cases you might see a raw or oozing sore near the anus.

Worms can cause irritation in some dogs, but in everyday practice anal gland trouble and allergies are much more common reasons for scooting.

What Your Veterinarian Actually Does

From the outside, it can look like the vet “just squeezed the glands,” but a good anal gland visit is more than that.

A typical visit starts with questions about how long the scooting and licking have been going on, what your dog eats, how their stool looks, and whether there are any allergy or skin issues. Your veterinarian will then look under the tail for redness, swelling, discharge, or wounds and gently feel inside the rectum with a gloved, lubricated finger. This allows them to check how full and how painful each gland is, empty the contents, and feel for any unusual lumps or thickened areas.

Depending on what is found, treatment may include emptying and flushing the glands, placing medication directly into the glands if they are inflamed or infected, and prescribing pain relief and sometimes antibiotics if there is a bad infection or abscess. Your veterinarian may also talk with you about diet, allergies, weight, and stool quality, because all of these can play a role in recurring anal gland issues.

A small number of dogs with constant, severe problems may eventually be candidates for surgery to remove the glands, but most dogs never need that level of intervention.

What You Should Not Do At Home

There are a few important “don’ts” for anal glands. Do not try to learn anal gland expression from videos and do it yourself; it is easy to hurt your dog, miss a serious problem, or make the glands more irritated. Do not ask for the glands to be emptied at every grooming appointment if your dog has no symptoms. Routine squeezing “just in case” can irritate the area and may make some dogs more prone to issues. Do not assume scooting is always worms and keep giving over-the-counter dewormers without an exam, as that can delay proper treatment and upset the gut further.

Any dog that is scooting, licking the rear, swollen, smelly, bleeding, or clearly uncomfortable should be examined.

Everyday Support At Home

Once your dog has been examined and treated, there are ways to support more natural anal gland emptying at home.

The main goal is simple: good, well-formed, easy-to-pick-up stools. When stool is too soft, it does not press on the glands well. When stool is too hard, pooping can be painful. Many owners like to start with things they can add to the regular diet, under guidance from their veterinarian.

Plain, unsweetened canned pumpkin (not pie filling) is a gentle way to add fiber. Mixed into food in the right amount, it can help some dogs produce better-formed stools, and most dogs enjoy the taste. It is mild and easy, but the exact fiber amount in a spoonful of pumpkin can vary, so results can be hit-or-miss if the dose is not tailored to your dog.

Psyllium husk is a more concentrated fiber source. It absorbs water, forms a gel, and can bulk and firm the stool more strongly than pumpkin. Because it is powerful, it needs to be introduced slowly and adjusted carefully. Too much psyllium can lead to gas, bloating, or very bulky stools, which is why the amount should be set with help from your veterinarian.

Dog-specific probiotics are designed to support healthy gut bacteria. A healthier gut can lead to more consistent stool, which can indirectly help the anal glands empty more naturally. Different products use different strains and doses, and not all probiotics are the same, so it is sensible to ask which products your veterinarian trusts.

All of these options are reasonable tools, but they are still “DIY” in the sense that the amount of pumpkin, psyllium, or probiotic that actually makes sense for your dog depends on body weight, stool pattern, and overall health. At your next visit, ask whether these DIY options make sense for your dog, how much of each is appropriate, and how to adjust the amount if stool becomes too soft or too firm. Having your veterinarian involved keeps them up to date on what you are giving and how your dog is doing, so they can connect the dots if other health issues show up.

Pre-Measured Anal Gland Supplements

There are also supplements made specifically with anal glands in mind, such as Glandex and similar products. These usually combine a measured blend of fibers to bulk and firm stool with selected probiotic strains and sometimes prebiotics, digestive enzymes, or other gut- or skin-support ingredients like pumpkin seed or omega oils.

The main difference from DIY approaches is that each chew or scoop is pre-measured. You know how much fiber and probiotic you are giving, and dosing is usually based on your dog’s weight. For some owners, this makes it easier to be consistent day after day.

From a practical standpoint, DIY options and pre-measured supplements are both trying to do the same thing: improve stool quality and gut health so the anal glands can empty more normally. The best choice often comes down to what your dog tolerates, what fits your routine, and what your veterinarian recommends after examining your dog.

The key point is that neither a homemade mixture nor a store-bought product replaces a proper exam. They are support tools, not stand-alone fixes.

The Bottom Line

If your dog is scooting, licking their rear, or suddenly smelling fishy, it is their way of saying that something at the back end does not feel right. Anal glands are a very common reason, and the solution is usually straightforward once a veterinarian has checked them.

After the immediate problem is treated, supporting good stool and gut health can make a real difference. You can use everyday foods like pumpkin and carefully dosed psyllium, dog probiotics, or a pre-measured anal gland supplement. Whichever route you choose, involve your veterinarian. Ask at your next visit how much of any DIY fiber or probiotic is right for your dog, whether an anal gland supplement makes sense, and how to tell if things are getting better or worse. That way, your vet always has a clear picture of your dog’s health and can adjust the plan as your dog’s needs change.