Thanks, Dee!
That was very interesting . . . Mom was giving the dog yogurt for the probiotic value, not long after he joined the family, because he tended to have loose stools. Lately he hasn't been eating it, though, or not much of it.
He also, not long after he came home, broke free from his chain and ran into the road. A car was coming, and he turned sideways and hit the car with his back or hip (I wasn't there and didn't see it, so I can only go off of what my dad told me since he witnessed it). The dog then came back to the house, and I don't think he was taken to a vet.
(Believe me, there are sooooo many things I wish my parents had done differently with this dog). Anyway, he's had hip issues since then, and as he's gotten older, he's less active and now he's having a hard time with the stairs. After reading this article, I'm wondering if that injury is also contributing to the anal gland issue.
I also found it interesting that Dr. Dobias recommended bone. I would have thought that less bone would be needed. My logic being that if the glands aren't expressing, then he's slightly constipated and adding bone would only make it worse.
But I guess adding the bone would add more "bulk" and help? Sort of like MC's suggestion about adding psyllium?