anal sacs

Is there something that can relieve the discomfort from clogged anal sacs other than expressing them?  Our dog seems to have a frequent problem with this.  I am assuming that is the problem because she scoots on her rear a lot and she doesn't have worms.  Would something like Preparation H wipes help or is there some herb that we could put in her food?  We can't afford to take her to the vet every time this happens.  Thanks.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

Why don't you learn how to do it (a veterinary nurse or technician could show you how to do it from the outside)?  Or have a breeder do it (it is less expensive that way).  

Impacted anal glands have been linked to food allergies and yeast infections.  Therefore,  putting your dog on a hypoallergenic diet (and no cheating) may help over time.  It takes 8 weeks or so to make a difference.  

There are several Chinese herbal formula that are indicated for anal sac problems as follows:

Hoxsey-Like Formula
Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Qing Ying Tang
San Ren Tang

With out actually seeing your dog it is hard to determine which herbal formula would be best.  Choose one formula that I have listed and give it 3 weeks or so to gauge it's effectiveness.  If the formula has not worked in that time you can try another one.  

Also please add a probiotic supplement to your dog's diet.  Probiotics are supplements containing acidophilus and other "good digestive bacteria" available over the counter in health food stores and some markets and drug stores.  Some brand names include: Culterelle, I-Flora, or Rx-Biotic.       Good Luck!