is gum healthy for dogs?

is gum healthy for dogs?
This is quite a common problem—my two dogs had the same issue. Our Pug’s favorite method of making her presence felt was to leak fluid from her anal sacs on people’s clothes, while our old Labrador’s top trick was to lie in front of the television and fill the room with the rancid fishy odor.
Anal sacs (sometimes called glands) sit at the eight o’clock and four o’clock positions, between the internal and external anal sphincters. They contain a foul-smelling liquid—believed to be for the purpose of marking territory and identifying other canines—that secretes on feces when dogs defecate.
Emptying a pooch’s anal sacs on a regular basis is unlikely to cause problems, as long as you are gentle when doing so.
The warning about emptying anal sacs unnecessarily is probably an urban myth;
I have never seen any evidence of it in my years as a vet. If you are content to keep emptying your dog’s anal sacs as you have been, it should solve the problem. Some people recommend increasing fiber in your furkid’s diet, so that the dog defecates more frequently, thereby keeping the sacs
emptied as nature intended.
For a permanent solution, getting your pooch’s anal sacs removed surgically under general anesthesia is an option. It is a simple operation with few complications.
However, I do warn pet owners that there is a risk of permanent fecal incontinence after the surgery. Nevertheless, I consider the risk to be so low that I removed the anal sacs from both our old Labrador and our Pug. When properly performed, the surgery is safe and most dogs seem unaware that anything was done. No special aftercare is needed if all goes well.
You can continue expressing her anal glands, and combine it with added fiber in her diet. However, surgery is a relatively safe option if it gets overwhelming.
EXPERT: DR PAUL MITCHELL
BSc, BVMS, MRCVS
Senior VIP Director Veterinarian at
Animal Recovery Referral Centre