My dog has anal gland issues, is uncomfortable, and won't eat.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Anal glands are sometimes difficult to determine what causes them to fill up quickly and why they don't empty on their own. What we typically recommend is switching the diet completely to a different brand / formula and adding in supplementation for the anal glands such as Glandex (which can be purchased online). I've known Glandex to reduce the time between anal gland expressions by months and sometimes the diet switch alone makes a big difference. Try this for a few months and if the problem persists after, I would speak with your veterinarian about other options. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I suspect that this has nothing to do with the anal gland expression. Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Sonu evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

It could be an [anal gland abscess](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anal-glands-sacs-impactions-infections-abscesses-in-dogs). This occurs when the anal glands do not fully empty during the act of defecation resulting in inflammation, impaction and infection. Have her examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. This may include sedation followed by lancing, draining and flushing the abscess. Antibiotics and pain management will likely be indicated. Topical treatment may not be sufficient. An e-collar (cone) can be used to prevent licking until she sees the doctor. Afterwards, you can have her glands expressed (emptied) regularly and add additional [fiber](https://www.petcoach.co/article/high-fiber-diets-anal-gland-disease-in-dogs/) to her diet to[ prevent recurrence](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-prevent-impacted-dog-anal-glands).

Sorry to hear about Panda. The anal gland inflammation / impaction can definitely cause significant discomfort, and thus, anorexia. I think a course of anti inflammatory medication and/or pain medication would probably help considerably if this is the case. If the new diet also does not appear to be to Panda's liking, you might consider switching back to something he was more successful with and something that resulted in more regular bowel movements. Hope this helps.

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She may be experiencing pain or discomfort while defecating and this can occur for a variety of reasons. Swelling around the anal region could be an indication of an impacted or infected anal gland. The constipation you describe could be due to lack of fiber in the diet, eating something out of the ordinary, or perhaps an infectious cause such as an intestinal worm infection. If Mila has not seen her veterinarian for this yet, I would recommend this happen soon. Her veterinarian may recommend an exam, anal gland expression, and fecal test to help determine a cause so she can be treated appropriately. I hope this helps!

Oh my. Poor girl. This is either a hernia or a really badly infected anal gland. I would highly recommend taking her to your vet asap to have this evaluated. I am leaning more towards a hernia as the cause, and she needs to get medical attention for this soon if this is the case. I wish you all the best moving fowrad with your pet Baby girl! Best wishes and take care!

Your pet may have an inflamed or infected [anal gland](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/conditions-of-the-anal-glands). [Impacted or abscessed anal glands](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anal-glands-sacs-impactions-infections-abscesses-in-dogs) are very painful and makes it difficult to defecate or even move. Without treatment, an impacted gland may abscess and rupture, causing a open wound on your pet's rear that will require wound care, antibiotics and pain relief. I recommend getting your pet seen by your vet. He or she will express (empty) the anal glands, clean her up and possibly start her on antibiotics and pain medication if indicated. You can ask to be shown how to express the anal glands yourself at home so you can avoid impaction or infection in the future. Increased dietary fiber or supplements, such as [Glandex](), may help prevent anal gland issues as well.