7 Best High-Fiber Dog Food For Anal Gland Problems in 2024
QUICK COMPARISON: Our Top 3 Picks For High-Fiber Dog Food For Anal Gland Problems
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Your dog’s anal glands can produce some terrible odors, a fact well known to those who have owned dogs for a while. A lot of pet parents are unaware of the significance of choosing the best high-fiber dog foods for anal gland issues. Such high-fiber diets play a crucial role in mitigating these odors and ensuring the healthy function of your dog’s anal glands.
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Fiber is an essential part of a balanced diet for dogs and a crucial part of managing anal gland issues for your dog. Feeding your dog high-fiber dog foods will help regulate their bowel movements and keep their poo the consistency it should be whenever they defecate.
There is much more to the anal gland than simple defecating. You have seen dogs sniff each other; that is because they each have a unique scent. It seems odd to us, but this is how they get to know each other. Other times, you might notice your dog scooting across the ground. This is typically because they are experiencing anal gland problems.
How to Get the Best High-Fiber Dog Foods For Anal Gland Problems
Before anything else, here’s what ingredients you need to know to get the quality dog food that will solve your dog’s anal gland issues.
Fiber Content
For a normal and healthy diet, the recommended fiber content ranges from 5% to 10% in the guaranteed analysis.
Natural Ingredients
Stay away from processed ingredients or foods to ensure that the dog food your buying has quality fiber content. Instead, look for dog foods with natural ingredients because these are the ones that are rich in fiber. Some of these natural ingredients are:
- Real meat from an animal-specified source (chicken, turkey, or beef)
- Whole grains (oats, brown rice, or barley)
- Ground Flaxseed
- Fruits and Vegetables (apples, carrots, or pumpkin)
Prebiotics and Probiotics
Prebiotics feeds good bacteria in the intestines. By feeding these good or beneficial bacterias, nutrients are easily absorbed by your dog’s body because of the improved digestion. This means that prebiotics provides support to your dog’s immune system.
Once you’ve fed your dog with prebiotics, the prebiotics now helps feed your dog with probiotics by producing more beneficial bacterias. Probiotics are needed to aid your dog’s digestion, allowing for a healthy and balanced digestive system. This is highly required in your dog’s diet because probiotics are responsible for making sure your pup is digesting their food smoothly.
Ingredients From Trusted Sources
Ingredient source is always an issue for most pet owners. This is because, as a concerned paw-rent, you want to make sure that your pooch is getting quality ingredients from trusted sources. That’s why we recommend looking for dog foods that are sourced or made from the USA, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
Free From Corn, Wheat, or Soy
Most dog foods listed here are free from corn, wheat, or soy because these are the common food allergens that affect most dogs. Avoiding these ingredients helps in preventing anal gland problems for your beloved pup.
Table of Contents
Now that you know the secret to getting the best high-fiber dog foods to solve anal gland problems. Our team has spent hours researching top picks for high-fiber dog foods that could go a long way to alleviate these problems. Read our in-depth reviews below. Learn more about our 10 point inspection checklist.
Let’s take a look!
Best High-Fiber Dog Food for Anal Gland Problems
1. Hills Science Diet Adult Small Paws Light Dry Dog Food
The Hills Science Diet Adult Small Paws Dog Food comes from a brand that has been highly recommended by veterinarians for years. Hills Science food is made in the USA, and it contains wholesome grains like brown rice. This high-fiber food is adult dry dog food designed for small dogs.
Hills Science small paws help to maintain a healthy weight. Chicken is the number one ingredient as an animal protein. There is no use of by-products like chicken meal, which can help to reduce build-up in the digestive system that leads to anal gland issues.
This small kibble has valuable vitamins and minerals, a perfect choice for small dogs with anal gland problems. It boosts and supports the immune system with the help of Hills Science special Small & Mini antioxidant blend. The low calories and l carnitine and perfect for a pup diet and small dog breeds that need to maintain a healthy weight.
Why We Like It – This recipe supports lean muscle mass and a healthy weight diet for your pup. It offers a high-fiber diet that makes it an excellent choice for foods for anal gland support for your dog’s diet.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 297 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 20.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 5.5% min |
| Crude Fiber | 14.0% max |
| Moisture | 10.5% max |
Pros:
+ High-quality protein for healthy weight support
+ With natural fibers to facilitate smooth bowel movement
+ L-Carnitine for healthy metabolism and great weight management
+ Includes valuable vitamins and minerals
+ Vitamin E and Omega 6 fatty acid blend for skin and coat nutrition
+ Contains absolutely no by-products
Cons:
– Not recommended for puppies, mature adult dogs greater than 6 years of age, pregnant, or nursing pups
– Not suitable for dogs with grain allergies
2. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food
Next, we have another healthy weight formula dog food for anal gland issues that offers a high-fiber diet. The Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula offers a fiber diet for your adult dogs that supports lean muscle mass and weight with high-fiber and fatty acids. This dry dog food focuses on wholesome grains for dietary fiber. Blue Buffalo is one of the best dog food options out there, and this one is ideal for anal gland problems.
Blue Buffalo also contains added Life Source bits packed full of vitamins and minerals for antioxidants and overall health for your dog. This is a natural food for dogs with a high-fiber dog food approach for your pup.
This formula is packed with deboned chicken as the first ingredient. There is no additive chicken fat or various meat meal by-products to worry about. This brand is also made in the USA. It supports the digestive system and contains essential fatty acids as well as 10% max fiber content.
Why We Like It – Blue Buffalo is a trusted brand and with this high-fiber dog food, anal gland problems are nothing but history. It pulls in Omega 6 fatty acids and muscle mass ingredients without using things like beet pulp or whole-grain sorghum but brown rice instead, and we like that change here.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,251 kcal/kg, 326 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 20.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 9.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 10.0% max |
| Moisture | 10.0% max |
Pros:
+ High-quality protein for lean muscle development
+ Ideally designed with a balanced diet for your pup
+ Wholesome grains and high-fiber to help relieve anal gland problems
+ Balanced level of Omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat
+ Analysis of Life Source bit offers valuable immune support and antioxidants
+ NO poultry by-product meals, NO corn, wheat, or soy, and NO artificial preservatives
Cons:
– Not gluten-free
– Not recommended for dogs with food allergies because of grain content
3. Solid Gold Fit & Fabulous Low Fat / Low Calorie Adult Dry Dog Food
This option from Solid Gold Fit & Fabulous will give your pup a small taste of the wild that they can enjoy with their fresh-caught Alaskan Pollock formula. It focuses on weight control while also supporting your dog’s lean muscle mass and providing them with essential vitamins and minerals.
This food supports a high-fiber diet that uses whole grains and stays away from potatoes and unhealthy grains. The food is rich in dietary fiber and is a great option for dog foods for anal gland solutions.
Solid Gold takes a holistic approach. This company actually offered the first holistic pet food in the USA and has been operating since 1974. They use wholesome, natural ingredients that are focused on cleaning, balance, and fuel.
Why We Like It – We love this option because it takes a new approach to your dog’s diet. It uses freshly caught pollock and provides resourceful fiber that is healthy for your dog’s digestive system and will support the anal glands appropriately for your pet.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,240 kcal/kg, 330 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 26.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 6.5% min |
| Crude Fiber | 9.5% max |
| Moisture | 10.0% max |
Pros:
+ Contains little chicken fat and focuses on the meat for dogs diet
+ With fiber-rich prebiotics for optimal digestive and gut health
+ Supports healthy weight management with low fat and low-calorie formula
+ Ideal solution for dogs with anal gland problems
+ High dietary fiber diet with natural ingredients
+ Rich with Omega-3 fatty acids, real meat, and whole grains
Cons:
– Not recommended for picky eaters
– Has fishy smell your dog may not like
4. Hills Prescription Diet with Multi-Benefit Digestive Management
This Prescription Diet Dog Food from Hills is perfect for multiple benefits like support anal gland problems and providing one of the best high-fiber solutions for your dog. This is not a grain-free blend, but the dog food focuses on high-fiber for your pet.
This high-fiber best dog food offers a multi-benefit approach ideal for the digestive system and anal gland problems. The high-fiber pet dog food can also provide your pet with weight control, glucose management, and improved bladder function.
This comes in a chicken flavor that provides the best clinical nutrition available for dog food for anal problems. Support your dog’s diet with necessary nutrition and high fiber. This mix does contain beet pulp and chicken meal to support the fiber diet needs that anal glands rely on.
Why We Like It – We love that this pet food offers a high-fiber approach without forcing a grain-free diet. It uses wholesome ingredients to help your dog manage anal glands problems as well as glucose, bladder, and weight.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,100 kcal/kg, 255 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 15.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 6.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 20.0% max |
| Sodium | 0.33% max |
| Magnesium | 0.12% max |
| Carnitine | 200 ppm min |
Pros:
+ Improve digestive health
+ With L-Carnitine to metabolize fat and maintain healthy muscles
+ Optimal blend of soluble and insoluble fiber with low-fat calories to promote healthy weight management
+ Protect and manage your dog’s anal glands effectively
+ One of the best clinical dog food choices for anal problems
+ High-fiber from beet pulp, chicken meal, and reliable sources
Cons:
– Not recommended for grain-allergic dogs
– Some pet owners are not happy with the change in the formula
5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Variety Instinct for Dogs Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dog Food
This Blue Buffalo Wilderness recipe caters to a high-fiber solution that will help your dog with their anal gland problems. This is defined as nature’s evolutionary diet that takes a high protein and grain-free approach in the food recipe.
Your dog will find high-quality protein as well as healthy complex carbohydrates and rich fruits and vegetables. This dog food also contains Blue Buffalo’s unique Life Source Bits that provide additional immune support for your pet.
This is made with quality ingredients with 30% protein, made with real chicken as the first ingredient. Fiber content is high, which is ideal for dog food support for anal glands. It does include a chicken meal, and most dogs really benefit from the natural nutrition this food provides.
Why We Like It – While the fiber here is not as high as some other foods for dogs, the intentions remain the same. The fiber supports the anal glands of your dog without putting nutrition on the back burner. This food is reliable and tasty and offers all of the positive marks with a wilderness approach.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,599 kcal/kg, 409 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 34.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 15.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 6.0% max |
| Moisture | 10.0% max |
Pros:
+ Supports dogs anal glands with high-fiber content
+ High in protein with real chicken as the first ingredient
+ Wilderness recipe dog food with quality anal glands and digestive control
+ Includes Life Source Bits for additional nutrition for dogs
+ Balanced levels of Omega fatty acids for skin and coat nutrition
+ NO chicken by-product meals, NO corn, wheat, or soy, and NO artificial preservatives
Cons:
– Not suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs
– Has Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Fiber, and Pea Starch which may be a product of ingredient splitting
6. Nutrisca Salmon & Chickpea Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Finally, this dog food from Nutrisca Grain-Free Salmon & Chickpea is another positive fiber solution for dogs. This food will support the anal glands of your dog, much like the other options we’ve shared. We love that this food uses real salmon first and chickpeas that add fiber and additional nutrition for your dogs’ glands.
You won’t find any grains like potatoes, soy, wheat, and corn. These things tend to block dogs’ glands and have little nutritional value for dogs. This food was crafted with nutrition for glands and your dogs’ total needs in mind.
The fiber is not as high as some options but is sufficient for dogs that need glands support. This particular option is free of chicken so you have a high-fiber dog food with a different source of meat and protein for dogs.
Why We Like It – We love that this dog food takes a different approach but still provides the fiber needed to support your dog’s glands. The dog food is nutritional and made with quality ingredients with chickpeas for an added fiber source.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3,680 Kcal/kg, 390 Kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 30.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 16.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 6.0% max |
| Moisture | 10.0% max |
Pros:
+ Ideal nutritional support for dog’s anal glands
+ Protein with DHA to support brain development
+ Balanced nutrition with real fruits and vegetables
+ High-quality food with no fillers or unhealthy grains
+ High-fiber solution dog food with natural ingredients
+ A simple recipe that uses salmon as the primary protein
Cons:
– Not all vitamins and minerals are sourced from the United States
– Has high carb content
7. Wild Earth Clean Protein Formula Vegan Dry Adult Dog Food
The Wild Earth Clean Protein blend is a high-fiber dog food among some of the best anal gland problem brands. This particular dry dog food is a vegan blend that is ideal for an adult pet. Dog owners seem to rave because this food is made with superfood ingredients to give your dog valuable nutrition and food for anal gland problems.
This high-fiber dog food is ideal for all dog breeds. It is made up of 31% natural, clean protein and was designed to be ideal for digestion support and anal gland support. All of the ingredients are plant-based, and your dog will get an appropriate amount of fiber intake.
There are no animal ingredients in this dog food for anal gland support. There are also no preservatives, no flavors, and no artificial colors. Additionally, this is a grain-free mix with no corn, soy, or rice added to the ingredients and no hormones or antibiotics. You will find prebiotic fiber for a high-fiber diet to really support a dog’s anal gland.
Why We Like It – This is one of the best high-fiber dog food for anal gland problems options on the market. It contains fatty acids and provides a high-fiber diet without any additives, chicken fat, or other ingredients that sometimes challenge your dog’s diet. It’s a perfect solution food for anal gland problems for your pup.
Nutrition Information:
| Caloric Content | 3557 kcal/kg 333 kcal/cup |
| Crude Protein | 31% min |
| Crude Fat | 10.5% min |
| Crude Fiber | 5.0% max |
| Moisture | 10.0% max |
Pros:
+ Designed to support a dog’s digestive system
+ 31% complete protein to promote strong muscles
+ With omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat
+ Includes dietary fiber and prebiotic fiber
+ Made for dogs with grain allergies
+ One of the top anal gland problems brands
Cons:
– Contains MSG from dried yeast
– A vegan diet may not suit your pup, especially if they’re already used to animal-based foods
Bonus Buys
Ventique Labs Glandex Anal Gland Support Dog Chews Supplement
Ventique Labs Glandex Soft Chews are a great bonus option to provide your dog with an additional fiber support supplement. These are like a treat, so you don’t necessarily have to change your dog food. They are great for all dogs and are peanut butter flavored.
These chews do not contain any corn, wheat, or soy that is great for dogs allergic to grains. There are no artificial ingredients or additives, and preservatives. The chews are designed to supplement and support healthy bowels. They contain probiotics and a patented formula that is intended to “boot the scoot.”
Why We Like It – These are soft and simple chews with a delicious peanut butter flavor. The company offers a satisfaction guarantee, so it’s really a win-win!
Key Features:
+ Yummy peanut butter flavor
+ Soft chews with a unique fiber blend to help dogs with anal gland problems
+ Made without fillers or unhealthy ingredients
+ Contains probiotic support
+ Veterinarian formulated
Zesty Paws Senior Scoot Away Bites Soft Chews
Another alternative to replacing dog food is the Zesty Paws Senior Scoot Away Bites. If your dog has the scoots, or you simply want to prevent them, these soft chews are really great! They are packed with fiber which you can add as a supplement to dog food, like a treat to your precious pup.
These are described as senior fiber chews, but they really are suitable for dogs of all ages. These have a simple chicken flavor but are loaded with dietary fiber as well as prebiotics. The intent is to support the digestive system, anal glands, and the immune system as a whole. They are made in the USA with all-natural ingredients.
Why We Like It – We love this because it is designed specifically to prevent the doggy scoot and really helps with fiber intake. Plus, you can’t beat a tender, tasty treat!
Key Features:
+ Made in the USA
+ Contains gut-friendly ingredients to promote healthy digestion
+ Made with all-natural ingredients
+ Filled with fiber to support digestion, immune system, and glands
+ Simple chews that seem like a treat
Diggin’ Your Dog Firm Up! Pumpkin Super Supplement
For our final bonus buy option, we present Diggin’ Your Dog Firm Up!. These fiber-packed treats are a super pumpkin supplement for your dog. Every last part of this supplement from the growth and harvest of the pumpkins is done in the USA. This digestive supplement can actually be used for both cats and dogs.
Literally, the only thing in this supplement is pumpkin and apple fiber. There are no other ingredients or fillers included in these chews. The intent of these treats is to support healthy digestion. You just use what you need and when. This is a powder, so you can mix it with water or sprinkle it on food.
Why We Like It – We love that this option comes in powder form, so you can simply shake some over your dog’s food or mix it with water and use it as a special treat. It’s simple, natural, and quite effective for both cats and dogs!
Key Features:
+ Powder form makes this a versatile option
+ Antioxidant-rich blend of pumpkin and apple fiber
+ Maintain healthy and normal bowel movement and great as an anti-diarrhea supplement
+ Safe to use for both cats and dogs
+ Made in the USA
A Buyer’s Guide to Choosing High-Fiber Food for Dogs
If you are noticing your dog scooting or maybe they tend to have loose stool, it’s most likely time to consider taking action. When you look at dog foods, most of them don’t say “for firmer poop” on the bag. While it may not seem like loose stool is a problem, it can lead to problems because it means they are not fully emptying their anal glands when they go and this can lead to nasty build-up and other health problems.
Then, there can be problems that come from skin and food sensitivities or other infections. These foods are designed to naturally help your dog’s stool and digestive functions happen as they are intended to. Choosing the right food can reduce awful odors and keep your dog healthy overall.
We’ve put together a simple buyer’s guide to help you know what to look for and traits you may want to identify in food in order to help maintain your dog’s digestive functionality and not have to worry about your dog suffering from anal gland disfunction.
Things to Look For When Buying High-Fiber Dog Food
Fiber Content
Making sure the food you buy has the appropriate fiber is more than just reading the nutrition label. There is more than one type of fiber in dog food, and it is important to know that you are choosing fiber that will actually be beneficial. How do you know?
The good news is they both provide benefits, just in different ways.
Insoluble Dietary Fiber
Insoluble fiber means that this fiber doesn’t get digested. When your dog eats it, it comes out in the same form. You might see this with things like corn, although other types of foods are labeled as insoluble fiber that will have the same effect. It might seem like that makes insoluble fiber pointless, but it actually doesn’t.
Insoluble fiber helps to firm up your pet’s poop. It will allow dogs to have more solid poop with substance. In the end, this helps to push everything through the anal glands and keep them clean, so there isn’t backup that leads to other issues.
Insoluble fiber has been known to be healthy for losing weight or maintaining an appropriate weight as well. This is true for both dogs and humans.
Soluble Dietary Fiber:
Soluble fiber is intended to maintain gut health and healthy digestion for your little furry friend. This type of fiber works to increase good bacteria, kind of like you might expect a probiotic to do. This type actually gets fully digested when it is consumed.
Soluble fiber will help to absorb water and soften your pup’s stool enough that they CAN digest and pass the foods they consume. Soluble and insoluble work together as they balance each other out in a good way. They both provide valuable benefits for your pet’s overall health.
Food Benefits
Another important thing to consider is the overall benefit of the food. Remember that this will be the primary source of your dog’s nutrition, and they rely on this food to keep them healthy and satisfied. It’s much the same for humans, except we have further ability to choose our diets, and dogs rely on the US to determine their diets appropriately.
Take the time to read the labels and understand what benefits the foods you choose and offer for your pet. In this case, we recommend a high-fiber diet, but you may want other benefits from the food as well. Most of these types offer immune system support, digestive support, weight support, and blood sugar support.
It’s always a good idea to read the labels and know and understand the benefits of the food you are giving your beloved pet. It’s also a good idea to do a bit of research and make sure the food really delivers the benefits it promises!
Ingredient List
Before you buy a specific food, always take a look at the ingredient list. We highly recommend that you look at the first ingredient and always make sure that it is real meat from a specific source of animal species. This is typically an indicator of high-quality food choices and a vital factor. Getting protein from real meat first makes a difference in the quality of the protein.
In this case, where we are looking at high-fiber solutions, you want to make sure the other ingredients on the label are high-quality ingredients. They should be things that will be digested easily. This means you should steer clear of wheat, soy, corn, tapioca, and other by-products or fillers with little nutritional value.
You really don’t want to feed your best fur baby anything unnatural or artificial if you can help it. These things are not healthy for them, and they can be hard to digest, leading to further issues of the anal glands.
Next, you want to be sure that essential vitamins and nutrients support your dog’s well-being. Things like prebiotics and probiotics are always an excellent addition to higher fiber diets. These promote gut health, anal gland health, support the digestive system and keep your dog healthy.
Keep in mind any possible allergies for your pet. If you have noticed sensitivities, sometimes it can be hard to determine just what ingredient causes the sensitivity. That’s why it’s helpful to be familiar with what is in the food and then work to eliminate anything that causes issues for your beloved pup.
Keep things in the food as natural as possible. Organic ingredients are always good, but this is not always a viable option. Just look for trustworthy food from trustworthy sources. If it comes to looking for a reliable country for production, we recommend areas like the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for the best quality. Some parts of Europe are considered safe as well for pet food production.
Anal Gland Problems Explained
Problems with the anal glands could be a variety of issues. There are a few common indicators like trouble pooping, loose stool, or doggy scoots. If you are noticing any of these, they are clear indicators that there could be issues. Probably the most common problem that you will see is impaction.
Impaction is when the anal gland is not expressing naturally or regularly on its own or perhaps with the help of a vet or groomer. This impaction causes the gland to become enlarged and thick. This leads to discomfort and irritation for your pup. It can also infections in those areas, leading to inflammation from the bacteria.
Another common struggle from the anal gland is an anal gland abscess. This means that perhaps you didn’t realize your dog had an issue. It’s okay. You would not be the first pet owner to not realize something is off here. Sometimes, you never know there is a problem until the problem escalates.
When untreated, the infected gland can accumulate pus within the gland, leading to an abscess that could rupture. This is an extreme case. Most pet owners can identify there is an issue before it reaches this stage.
The best thing you can do is be vigilant and be aware. If it is hard for your dog to defecate or they always have loose stool, it’s worth making changes and possibly having a conversation with your vet to keep your pet’s anal glands in tip-top shape!
Should I Have My Dog’s Anal Glands Expressed?
Many times, vets and groomers offer packages for the expression of the anal gland. This is essentially a process that cleanses the gland. You don’t have to use this service if things are working normally. In fact, you shouldn’t have expression completed unless your dog needs it because it can weaken their glands and muscles so that things just won’t work like they are supposed to.
Before having your dog’s glands expressed, identify that there is really an issue to be taken care of and then proceed as needed.
Conclusion
Anal gland issues can often be thwarted or avoided simply by using the right food. If you are noticing small signs like regularly loose stools or your dog scooting on the ground regularly, this is a sign that you should probably take action.
You can try chewy supplements, but we recommend that you make the switch to a high-fiber food to really get your dog’s glands functioning properly. If you suspect an issue, you should work directly with your vet and get treatment as needed. It’s important to get the glands healthy if there is a problem.
Expert Tip
Sometimes a diet that has higher fiber levels is not enough. You can always supplement with treats designed for such health, and it will typically be the icing on the cake for your dog’s anal gland health.
Did You Know?
Poor gland health does not mean you are a bad owner or that you are doing something wrong. Sometimes, it is simply a side effect of your dog’s genetics, and being aware and taking action is the best thing you can do!
