Best Anal Gland Supplements for Dogs: 6 Picks for Scooting (2026)

If your dog keeps dragging their bottom across the carpet and you're tired of paying for gland expressions, an anal gland supplement for dogs is worth a look. These products aren't medicine. They're mostly fiber, often with a probiotic and enzyme, and they make your dog's poop bulkier and firmer so the glands get squeezed empty naturally. For the right dog that helps; for a dog with an impacted or infected gland it won't.

The short answer: the best anal gland supplement for most dogs is Vetnique Glandex Anal Gland Soft Chews, a pumpkin-seed and apple-pectin fiber chew with a probiotic and digestive enzyme. If your dog won't eat chews, the Glandex powder does the same job on food, and PetHonesty Scoot Stopper is a good-value alternative. Start at half the dose, give it two to four weeks, and see a vet if your dog is in pain, swollen or bleeding.

How anal glands empty on their own (and why stool firmness matters)

Dogs have two small sacs just inside the anus, at roughly the 4 and 8 o'clock positions, filled with a strong-smelling, oily scent fluid. In most dogs they empty without help: a firm stool presses on both sacs on its way out and pushes a little fluid through each duct. We explain the anatomy in can a dog express their own glands.

Problems start when that pressure is missing. Soft stool or diarrhea slides past without squeezing the sacs, the fluid builds up and thickens, and your dog starts scooting, licking or turning to look at their tail. Left too long, a full gland can become impacted, infected or abscessed.

That's the logic of an anal gland supplement: bulk up the stool to restore that pressure. It's the same idea as the fiber-rich foods that help a dog express glands naturally, in a more convenient, measured form.

Which dogs benefit from an anal gland supplement?

A supplement is most worth trying if your dog is one of these:

• Small and toy breeds. Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, Bichons and Dachshunds are over-represented in gland trouble. See our list of dog breeds that need their glands expressed.
• Overweight dogs. Extra fat around the rear reduces pressure on the sacs. A supplement helps; weight loss helps more.
• Dogs with soft or inconsistent stool. If the poop is regularly too soft to pick up cleanly, fiber is the most direct fix.
• Dogs with recurring scooting once your vet has ruled out infection and other causes.

If your dog's stools are already firm and they've never had gland problems, there's no reason to add one.

When a supplement is not the answer

Fiber supports stool bulk and firmness. It does not treat impaction, infection or an abscess, and waiting a month to see if a chew works can let a simple problem become a painful one. See your vet first if you notice:

• Scooting that's frequent, persistent, or doesn't settle after the glands are emptied
• Swelling, redness or a lump beside the anus
• Blood or pus around the bottom or where your dog lies
• Pain when sitting, straining to poop, or a tail they won't let you touch
• An open wound near the anus (often a burst abscess)

Our vet-written guide to dog anal gland problems explains the treatment. Once the glands are healthy, a supplement can help prevent the next episode. Worms, allergies and fleas also cause scooting, and fiber won't fix those.

Fiber, probiotics and enzymes: what each ingredient does

Most anal gland supplements combine the same building blocks.

Fiber does the real work. Common sources:

• Pumpkin and pumpkin seed. The classic. Pumpkin flesh mixes soluble and insoluble fiber, and the seed adds bulk. If you use it from the kitchen, it must be plain canned pumpkin, not pie filling.
• Psyllium husk. A soluble fiber that absorbs water and forms a gel, very effective at firming loose stool and common in vet fiber products.
• Beet pulp. A moderately fermentable fiber found mostly in dog foods rather than supplements.
• Apple pectin, miscanthus grass, flaxseed, inulin. Other fibers you'll see on labels. Miscanthus grass is especially bulky.

Probiotics such as Lactobacillus acidophilus may help when soft stools come from a digestive imbalance. They don't add bulk, so treat them as a supporting ingredient.

Digestive enzymes like bromelain help break down food. A nice extra, but the least important part for the glands.

A word on evidence. Adding fiber to help the glands empty naturally is widely recommended by vets and makes mechanical sense, but formal studies on anal gland supplements are limited. Most of what we know comes from clinical experience and owner reports, so think of these as a low-risk thing worth trying, not a guaranteed fix.

What to look for in a dog anal gland supplement

1. Fiber near the top of the ingredient list. Pumpkin, pumpkin seed or psyllium should come first or second.
2. A format your dog will eat every day. Chews suit snack-lovers; powders suit picky eaters and tiny dogs.
3. Weight-based dosing, so a Chihuahua doesn't get a Labrador's dose.
4. Flavors that suit your dog. Many chews use chicken, beef liver or cheese, which matters for allergic dogs.
5. An NASC seal signals good manufacturing standards, though not proof the product works.

The 6 best anal gland supplements for dogs

We picked these based on ingredient lists, label dosing, format and patterns in owner feedback. We haven't run our own trials.