hmm well,from what I know and was told,it is correct that when dog doesnt have firm stool,gland doesnt get cleaned up natural way,and dogs usually have problem then – usually one of first simptoms is scratching and paws licking. They tend to drag their bottom on ground as well when its really bothering them. My late dog used to have lots of digestion problems and soft stool as a result so he had to get his glands expressed by vet quite often. On other hand they say when you start doing it manually they tend to fill up more quickly and have to do it more often,so is much better way if they can clean naturaly,but if your boy is suffering from soft stool too often then I guess is better vet takes care of it then to make it bothering him. My new pup seems to have problems with it already,cause he is a little garbage boy so spoils his digestion often and after few days of soft stool his gland can be scented,and it sometimes even drips out a little on bed or floor. But as he is just a pup yet I dont want to start taking him to vet yet for it,and he told me that is good thing to give him a cooked baby beef or veal bone to chew – it apperantly cleans teeth very nicely and makes stool quite firm so is perfect for anal gland cleaning.

Well,good luck,hope you will manage to solve the problem,and Boomie wont have problems with it again :)

  Daniela, Angle Don's Mum

My parent's dog Rocket drags her butt on everything, but she doesn't have soft stool?  Could she have gland problems? Hmm, will go do some online research on that… Luckily Chloe has never had that problem as a tripawd. She is a rear amp like Wyatt Ray.

-Chloe's mom