I always find it a really uncomfortable experience when taking our dog, Coco, to the vets to have her anal glands ‘expressed’, so goodness only knows how she feels. And I don’t suppose it’s the vet’s favourite job either! But as with many dogs, this can be a fairly regular occurrence so, like many pet parents, I wanted to find something that would alleviate, or even prevent the problem in the first place.
Consequently, I was very happy when Omni offered to send me their latest product for Coco to try. And Coco is pretty happy too because she hasn’t required any more, erm…manual intervention since taking it. Read my Omni anal glands supplement review below to find out more.
Pros
- Fewer vet visits
- Appetising
- Plant-based ingredients
- Competitively priced
Cons
- Plastic container
Omni Discount Code: VEGANMUM
Does my dog need an anal gland supplement?
Well, your dog may never need one, although blocked anal glands are quite a common problem. And they can be more frequent in a dog that’s overweight, or one that regularly has softer poos (because the glands need firm, bulky poos that will naturally ‘milk’ them on exit). Symptoms of a blockage can include:
- ‘scooting’ along the floor on their bottom
- foul, fishy smell and possible leakage from around their backside
- looking suddenly around at their bottom (I know, sounds ridiculous)
- licking and biting their bum excessively
Anyway, you can try consistently adding more fibre to your dog’s diet but this isn’t always easy and straightforward – particularly if your dog dislikes eating fresh vegetables regularly for example – and so that’s when this anal gland supplement can be helpful.
You can read this useful PDSA article for more information.
The positives
These palatable dog supplements are fully plant-based, their cost is competitive when compared to similar products on the market (although not cheap), and best of all, they seem to work which means we get to see less of the vet.
Fewer vet visits
We seemed to be in a never-ending cycle of Coco paying more attention than she should to her rear end, sometimes shooting her head round to look at it as if she’d had an electric shock, and all with an occasional leak of a very, very whiffy substance from under the tail area.
Then, off to the vets for an uncomfortable (for Coco) consultation, and problem solved…until the next time. And according to the vet, some dogs need their anal glands expressed on a monthly basis! Thankfully, it wasn’t that frequent for Coco, but still often enough to make me think there must be another way to help.
Consequently, we started her on these anal gland supplements for dogs and after a few weeks, saw a distinct improvement. Some months in, and Coco has still not had to go to the vets to chivvy the process along which is a result in her book!
Appetising
These vet-formulated dog supplements have been designed to appeal to even the fussiest canines (of which I have one) and Coco happily chews her way through this pleasant-smelling daily treat. Her pal, Doris the labradoodle, also thinks they’re yummy, although she is a little less fussy than Coco as you can see in this Omni Irritated Skin supplement review.
But ultimately, if your dog really doesn’t like it, you can simply crumble it up and add it to their food, although I’ve not known anyone using these supplements that has needed to do that.
Plant-based ingredients
Yep, that’s right, there are no animal products used in any part of Omni’s range. Many dog supplements will still contain animal-derived ingredients, so this is important for me. And according to Omni, the ingredients are evidence-based too, suggesting there is scientific research to back up the use of ingredients like psyllium husk, inulin, toasted pumpkin seeds, and pectin. These are certainly all good sources of fibre that I have also seen in other vegan dog products.
Competitively priced
When I have searched for other dog supplements formulated to treat blocked anal glands, they tend to be priced at a similar level, or higher. Consequently, I believe that Omni’s product is competitively priced, particularly when you also look at the subscription savings and discounts they offer, together with the add-on services like free online vet consultations for subscribers. Personally, I also factor into the cost that I’m paying less money out in vet fees.
Don’t forget to use 50% discount code VEGANMUM at checkout
The negatives
Of course I’d still like to see a cheaper product, but I believe it to be of good quality and it is priced competitively, so it would be unfair to single out cost as a negative. But, I do consider over-sized plastic pots as a negative, so…
Plastic container
Please reconsider the packaging of your dog supplements, Omni. You have put so much thought to the paper bags you use for your dried dog food – see my Omni dog food review for more on that – and surely there has been enough innovation in the wider world of supplementation, including human-grade products, to do this differently? I really hope this is on their to-do list because although they have reduced the size of the pot recently, it still feels a bit wasteful even though it is recyclable.
My thoughts on Omni Anal Glands Supplements
I get to learn a lot as a result of the research I carry out for my articles, and I’ve certainly become quite knowledgeable about the workings of a dog’s rear end for this one! I hadn’t originally realised that Coco’s ‘scooting’ – where a dog shuffles about on their bottom – was part of her anal gland issue and had always assumed it was worm-related, although I’ve no idea why I thought that.
Anyway, I mentioned the scooting, bum-biting, and how Coco kept glaring at her own backside to the vet and hey presto, they knew immediately what it was. I think if Coco had known what was going to happen next she might have beaten a hasty retreat back into the waiting room, and the snapping on of the rubber gloves should have given her an inkling.
Suffice to say it’s a pretty undignified procedure, and Coco certainly began to eye the vet with a little more suspicion afterwards. But it is effective, and saves your dog from a lot of discomfort as well as potentially more serious conditions. However, if it were me (and thankfully it’s not!) I would prefer to find a preventative measure instead. And that’s what these anal glands supplements are.
And whilst it is not always possible to tell if some nutritional supplements are working, it is a different story with these. You can actually see the results and over time, Coco’s poos became firmer, bulkier, a bit more frequent, and she stopped displaying the symptoms previously associated with her glands becoming blocked.
So actually, this has been a pretty easy review to write because the results of using the product are very visible, although it does take some weeks before they have a significant impact. So if your dog suffers from this condition, then Omni’s Anal Glands supplements might be just what their bottom needs. And if Coco could speak, I suspect she’d second that!
Omni Discount Code
Omni 50% Discount code: VEGANMUM
Valid for first purchase. Ts & Cs apply – see Omni’s website for full details.
Please note that Omni gifted me these supplements. However, this Omni anal glands supplement review is based on our experience of using the product and is factual and honest.
More Dog Supplement reviews
I hope you have found this Omni anal glands supplement review helpful. Omni have several other effective dog supplements, many of which I have reviewed below. But if you’d like to see more, go to Omni’s online store to find their full range.
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