Ongoing Anal Gland Problems

I have a 6 year old Bull Mastiff x Ridgeback bitch who we rehomed nearly 2 years ago. During those two years she has gone through flits and flurries of getting full anal glands, 2 or 3 times they have become infected. Last time I visited the vets, they said she had very thick passages(?) and it always seemed to be one anal gland that gets full more than the other.

I have tried her on the sensitive foods, and different feeding regimes but she can go 3 or 4 months being absolutely fine, and then will have a slightly loose stool and have problems again.

I have heard that adding Bran to her food will help, can anybody advise on amounts/frequency or another alternative?

Also, is there anything that can done veterinary wise to prevent this problem from re-occurring because she gets really grumpy about it, and gets increasingly uncomfortable every time it happens.

Poor wee lady

Thanks in advance for any answers x x

Tonks has this problem for a long time as part of her Atopy. We tried a dietary supplement which was supposed to help but didn't, raw veg in her food but that didn't help. She's on atopica, a very low dose of steroid every other day and twice daily antihistamines...but none of that stopped the bottom scratching and the needing to have her glands emptied. I the end we decided it was kinder to her to have them removed. The op went well and it relieved 80% of her itchy bottom problems. Cutting out chicken and putting her on wafcol salmon and potato took away almost all of the rest of the itching. She very very occasional skoots now but I think that's if she has managed to get hold of some of Remus' team which has chicken in it.

My male poodle has anal glands that are full frequently so I just learned how to empty them myself. I usually have to do it about every 3 to 4 weeks. Perhaps you could ask your vet to show you how to do it. It's not as bad as it seems

When my cocker spaniel started suffering with his anal glands I used Hepar Sulphur and Silicea. He went from having to have his anal glands emptied once a week to having nothing every again.