Top 5 Best Digestive Aids for Dogs with GI and Anal Gland Problems in 2023

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

– There are lots of digestive aids available in the market that contain natural ingredients beneficial to dogs

– Dogs should be able to produce the enzymes and healthy bacteria that naturally help their gut health

– Do not self-medicate your dog; consult with your veterinarian or a trained canine nutritionist before giving the best digestive aids for dogs

Dogs sniff and explore and often eat whatever they find—dirt, paper, stone, grass, dead animals, spoiled food, poop, or anything else.

If your dog habitually does this, your shopping list may need to include the best digestive aids for dogs to solve your pet's tummy issues.

Digestive aids for dogs have become very popular among pet owners, and there are many to choose from on the market.

They've been used and vet-recommended for GI issues, sensitive stomach, dietary problems, and anal glands in dogs.

But a word of caution: don't just give these to your dog without your vet's approval.

Dr. Hannah Godfrey, BVetMed, MRCVS, says, “Your dog’s body should produce everything that they need in the right amounts, and supplementing with extra enzymes could cause a stomach upset or even ulceration of the mouth. If you’re concerned that your dog isn’t digesting their food well, or they have any symptoms, speak to your veterinarian for advice.”

Self-medicating may just do more harm than good so let's not go down that route!

In this article, we've listed 5 of the best digestive aids you can ask your vet to give Fido when he has upset stomach.

We've also included a short buying guide as to how you can choose the right one for him.

Without further ado, let's get started!

Quick glance at the Best Digestive Aids for Dogs in this article:

1. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Fortiflora
2. Diggin' Your Dog Firm Up! Pumpkin Supplement
3. Vetnique Labs Glandex Anal Gland Fiber, Probiotic Supplement
4. The Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form Digestive Supplement for Dogs
5. NaturVet No Scoot Plus Pumpkin Soft Chews

Choosing the Right Digestive Aid for Your Dog

Dietary indiscretion (aka feeding on unusual items like garbage, poop, etc.) is not only gross, but it can also harm your dog.

Remember that a dog can only be as healthy as the food that goes into his mouth.

What a dog eats is what nourishes his body.

The opposite can also be true, that is, you can tell how healthy a dog is by what comes out his other end.

Dog stool should be firm but not hard, moist but never loose.

They need digestive support to make their guts healthier, help their system process food and absorb nutrients from them better, in order to pass healthier-looking stool.

And as pet owners, it's important that we do the research to find healthy and safe products for our pooch.

Supplements made with artificial ingredients and chemicals may help improve digestion in the short term, but they could also have harmful effects on your dog's health in the long run.

So the digestive aids I've included on this list are made with natural ingredients that have been proven to be effective at aiding digestion.

For example, pumpkin has been shown to be a natural remedy for upset stomach, diarrhea, and constipation.

Adding additional sources of natural fiber to your dog's diet is another way to improve his digestion.

Some include beneficial microorganisms and probiotics (which stimulate the growth of these microorganisms).

Research has proven that these microorganisms are imperative to healthy digestion.

And again, before adding any dog supplements to your pet’s diet, be sure to consult your veterinarian or a trained canine nutritionist!

A holistic veterinarian may be especially helpful when it comes to recommending the best digestive aids for dogs.

Top 5 Best Digestive Aids for Dogs

1Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Fortiflora
by Purina FortiFlora

• Find it on Amazon

Purina is one of the most popular pet food brands on the market, and they have created Fortiflora to add to their extensive canine nutrition line.

It is a patent-pending probiotic supplement made specifically for canine gut and immune system health.

This product also contains high levels of antioxidants and vitamins A, E, and C.

Pet owners were so happy to find out about Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Fortiflora.

It contains live beneficial microorganisms that help normalize the gut flora.

This counters the effects of bad bacteria brought about by this unhealthy habit.

Dogs that underwent a long course of antibiotic medication, and understandably had weakened gut conditions, also benefited from this digestive remedy.

Ingredients: Animal digest, Enterococcus faecium, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), brewers dried yeast, Vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, beta-Carotene, salt, manganese proteinate, ferrous sulfate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite

Fortiflora contains vitamins and antioxidants, improves the taste of dog food, enhances the immune system, restores the natural gut flora, and addresses tummy disorders, such as diarrhea, foul-smelling gas, bacterial growth, colitis, and other digestive problems.

Getting your dog on track again is a lot easier, faster, and healthier with Purina’s FortiFlora.

PROS: Contains live beneficial microorganisms that help normalize the gut flora Promotes a healthy immune system Formulated with high levels of antioxidants, vitamins A, E, and C Contains a guaranteed amount of live active cultures

CONS: This product is much more expensive than other best digestive aids for dogs Some buyers were disappointed that the dosage instructions were not clear

 

2Diggin' Your Dog Firm Up! Pumpkin Supplement
by Diggin' Your Dog

• Find it on Amazon

Diarrhea and constipation are among the most common digestive issues in dogs.

Fortunately, nature has provided them with a superfood that helps them firm up and be more regular, and that’s pumpkin.

This fruit is rich in alpha and beta carotene and is naturally loaded with fiber which does a lot for the digestive system.

Firm Up! Pumpkin Super Supplement from Diggin' Your Dog is the easiest way to include pumpkin in your dog’s diet.

A pack of Firm Up! contains 16 oz of dehydrated pumpkin and apples – a bagful of fiber, vitamins, minerals, omega 3 and omega 6, antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenols.

All ingredients are sourced from the USA and preserved by dehydration.

Diggin' Your Dog Firm Up! Pumpkin Bulk Super Supplement keeps well on the shelf for up to 24 months.

Dog owners find this more economical than canned pumpkins are and more convenient to prepare than the fresh ones.

You just need to pour 1 part of water into 1 part of this supplement, and it’s ready for feeding.

Since it’s in dry form and packed in a resealable bag, it’s convenient to bring along when traveling or camping with pets.

Ingredients: Pumpkin and Apple Pectin

Firm Up promotes a healthy digestive system in dogs, helps them transition better to a new diet, and aids in making their bowel movement more regular.

Dogs with more complicated and, well, more stinky issues such as anal gland problems also benefit from this remedy.

Pumpkin has long been touted as a good remedy for this particular issue, but Firm Up has by far been the more preferred preparation over canned or home-cooked styles of pumpkin.

PROS: Each bag contains 16-ounces of dehydrated pumpkin and apples All ingredients are sourced and packaged in the USA All-natural Shelf-stable for up to 24 months

CONS: Unsatisfied reviewers say they did not notice any change in their dog's digestive troubles after feeding this supplement There are multiple reviews from pet parents who said this product gave their dog terrible diarrhea

 

3Glandex Anal Gland Fiber, Probiotic Supplement
by Vetnique Labs

• Find it on Amazon

We’ve mentioned anal gland problems in dogs, and we’re giving it more attention here.

It’s a rather common problem that causes not only smelly odor but also discomfort and the risk of infection in dogs, so much so that there has to be a solution to it.

You have to feed your dog food that has a good amount of fiber in it.

Glandex soft chews are a supplement made from pumpkin seed, apple pectin cellulose, digestive enzymes, and probiotics that help to bulk up stools.

This, in effect, expands the anal area during defecation and helps empty the anal glands.

Used regularly, Glandex Anal Gland Fiber & Probiotic Digestive Supplement for Dogs may help resolve pain issues in your dog’s butt, especially those associated with loose stool and anal gland inflammation.

Dog owners who have previously resorted to manually expressing their dog’s anal glands are very happy to do away with such a gross chore and instead give their pets these best digestive aids for dogs.

Dogs think it’s their usual peanut butter treats, while their owners think it’s the next best thing since sliced bread.

Ingredients: Pumpkin Seed, Quercetin Dihyrdate, Apple Pectin Cellulose, Bromelain 600 GDU/gram, Lactobacillus acidophilus

Some dogs with this problem had to have their anal glands manually expressed at least twice a month by the vet.

For others dogs, their anal gland problems recurred too frequently that their vets eventually recommended anal gland removal.

As a last-ditch effort, their owners tried Glandex, and were they surprised! Their problems were resolved so quickly that they found it almost incredible.

PROS: Formulated to bulk up stool, which expands the anal area during defecation and helps empty the anal glands Made with all-natural ingredients Available in a convenient soft chew form, which is easy to administer Enticing peanut butter flavor

CONS: Some buyers claim this product caused severe constipation in their dog There are reviews stating some dogs did not like the peanut butter flavor of these chews and refused to eat them

 

4Perfect Form Digestive Supplement for Dogs
by The Honest Kitchen

• Find it on Amazon

The Honest Kitchen is known in the pet food industry as a leader in providing high-quality nutrition.

They take pride in offering pet owners products made with natural, human-grade ingredients, and this supplement is no different.

It is made with natural herbs to soothe and protect the GI tract, keep your dog's stool schedule regular, reduce gas, and firm up loose stools.

It combines all the beneficial properties of fennel, papain, papaya leaf, pectin, plantain leaf, pumpkin seed, and slippery elm to ensure a properly functioning digestive system.

The Honest Kitchen Perfect Form Herbal Digestive Supplement soothes and protects the gastrointestinal tract, especially when the dog suffers from stress or anxiety, transitions to a new diet, or engages in dietary indiscretion.

It’s a bit expensive but definitely much cheaper than frequent bouts of infection, gastrointestinal emergencies, a course of antibiotics, or visits to the vet.

Ingredients: Active Ingredients per 1 tsp: Papaya leaf, plantain leaf, slippery elm, organic pumpkin seed, pectin, papain and fennel. Inactive ingredients: None.

Pet owners trust this brand because it stands by its promise to use only the highest standards in producing dog food, not use GMO, artificial ingredients, by-products, and other ingredients of suspicious origins.

The company manufactures the product only in the USA. Dogs love the taste of Perfect Form, and their humans could only approve.

In fact, dog owners call it the perfect food for the perfect poop.

PROS: Made with all-natural ingredients Contains no salt, sugar, by-products, preservatives, GMOs, or chemicals of any kind Manufactured in the USA Meets FDA standards to be labeled ‘human grade'

CONS: While they were impressed by the quality, some buyers claim there was no improvement in their dog's GI issues after switching to this product Some reviewers were put off by the strong smell of this powder

 

5NaturVet No Scoot Plus Pumpkin Soft Chews
by NaturVet

• Find it on Amazon

Dogs scoot or drag their butt on the ground when something bothers them in their rear.

It could be extreme itching or pain, but the most common reason is anal gland infection.

NaturVet No Scoot Plus Pumpkin Soft Chews, the last of the best digestive aids for dogs on this list, can be the solution for what ails these dogs.

These good dog digestive aids contain a dandelion root, pumpkin powder, and a proprietary blend of beet pulp, flaxseed, and psyllium husk.

The combined effects of these active ingredients normalize digestion, improve digestive tract health, and enhance anal gland functioning.

Some dog owners resort to bringing their dogs to the groomer for manual expression of the glands when they notice scooting.

These glands are actually very sensitive, and manually expressing them could cause more harm than good.

The best way is to use the dietary approach, which is good but can be quite tedious if you home-cook everything.

A more convenient way is to add supplements like NaturVet No Scoot Plus Pumpkin Soft Chews to your dog’s food regimen.

Ingredients: Active Ingredients Per 2 Soft Chews: Proprietary Blend of Sugar Beet Pulp, Flaxseed and Psyllium Husk 1000 mg Dandelion Root 50 mg Pumpkin Powder 16 mg Inactive Ingredients: Brewer's dried yeast, canola oil, citric acid, deionized water, glucerine, lecithin, natural flavoring, natural mixed tocopherols, potato starch, rosemary, sorbic acid, tapioca starch, and vegetable oil

These best dog digestive aids entail no preparation time, so there’s a greater chance of sustaining them in your dog’s diet.

They must taste good, too, since they don’t fail to get the dogs’ attention whenever they see these or hear them being taken out of the box.

These chews work fast and are not as expensive as most brands, so they're not only dog-approved but they're also human-approved!

PROS: Safe for all dogs over 12 weeks of age Helps support healthy anal gland function Made in the USA Made in a convenient chew form that is easy to administer

CONS: Serving recommendations are 1 chew for every 20-pounds of body weight twice per day, which means a 60-pound dog would need to eat 6 chews per day

FAQs about Digestive Aids for Dogs

Using Digestive Aids for Dogs: Before You Go…

Know that no amount of best reviews online can replace the expert opinion of veterinarians and animal nutritionists.

Check with them first to see if digestive aids for dogs are the best solution to your Fido's individual needs.

Don't worry; stomach problems are common in dogs, which means solutions are common, too!

If you want to learn more about how the digestive system of our furry friends work, check out our recommended reads below!

Related Articles:

• 11 Dog Stomach Problems (Gastrointestinal and Digestive): Causes and Treatment
• Recipe: Homemade Dog Food for Digestive Disorders
• Dog's Digestive System Breakdown (and what dogs can and cannot digest)
• Top 5 Best Digestive Enzymes for Dogs
• 10 Most Common Dog Digestive Problems

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