Canine Anal Glands and IBS

Hello,

I have a 2 yr old little MaltiPoo that seems to have IBS (canine irritable bowel syndrome). Is that possible in dogs? When she goes poop she squats, a little poop comes out and she continues to squat and takes little steps all around the yard continuing to expel little pencil poops for sometimes as long as 10 minutes. It is very hard to watch.

Something else that may have affected her is she had giardia when we got her and it was very difficult to get under control. She took meds for approx the first 6 months of her life and finally got a negative test. She continues to test negative. Could this have done something to her insides? I have tried giving her small amounts of ground flax seed and other times canned pumpkin to help bulk up her stools.

She also scoots around and her little glands are always full.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much,


Vet Suggestion Regarding Dog Digestive Problems


Hello there,

I suspect your dog’s anal gland problems are being caused by her digestive issues. The signal for the anal glands to release their contents is the passage of bulky stool through the rectum, and this is simply not occurring with your dog. If you can get her digestive system functioning normally, her anal glands may start to do so also.

In dog’s, chronic problems with Giardia often signal that there is something else that is not quite right with the digestive system. It is possible that her past bouts of Giardia caused damage to her digestive tract but even more likely that the opposite is true. It’s a chicken and egg type thing.

Has your dog had a complete,large intestinal work up including multiple fecal examinations, abdominal x-rays, rectal scrapings, and a colonoscopy? If not, this is probably the surest way to reach a diagnosis and come up with an appropriate treatment plan. In the meantime, fiber supplementation is certainly worth a try. Add psylliummucilloid (e.g., unflavored Metamucil)at one teaspoon per five pounds body weight to her food once a day for at least a week to determine its effectiveness.



Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM