Reason for Scooting/ Anal Glands Expression

It may have been funny the first time you saw your dog scooting but we at Doggie DoLittle can tell you it is no laughing matter for your dog. In many scooting cases for your dog it will only get worse. As with any behavioral change consultation with your veterinarian will help determine the proper course of action, but in many cases a visit to a professional dog groomer can help to alleviate this issue.

What’s going on here?

Scooting for the most part is not a life threatening issue and is usually not a sign of an emergency but it is also not a common behavior for your dog. Scooting though is a sign that something is wrong and it should be dealt with as soon as possible. It can be caused by several different issues like worms, constipation, diarrhea, fecal residue or tumors but the most common is an impacted anal sac. An impacted anal sac is a very uncomfortable situation for your dog and can be exacerbated if the area becomes infected or abscessed. It is also possible for the anal glands to become swollen shut which means your dog will have problems defecating. Instead a thick and pasty material builds up until the anal sacs burst which will lead to an infection.

Dogs have two anal sacs just beneath their skin located just below their anus. These sacs are barely visible but can be seen if you know where to look and are pea-sized in smaller dogs and grape-sized in larger dogs. They secrete a foul-smelling material that is dripped onto your dog’s feces when they defecate. This material provides information to other animals who smell it.

Finding the cause

Determining what is causing the scooting can be done at home and it should be treated quickly since the act exposes your dog’s anus to bacteria that it would not normally come into contact with. Your dog is not able to itch or lick its anus the way a cat is able to so this is their only means of relief. At home the owner can check under the dog’s tail to check for redness, swelling, fecal matter, blood or anything else abnormal. If the dog is scooting and none of these issues are present contact your veterinarian immediately as the issue is probably because of itching, constipation or even in rare cases it could be a tumor.

For many cases of scooting anal gland expression can relieve the issue. Pressure is applied to both sides of the anus which opens the outside of each gland. Constant pushing in and out will cause whatever material is in the sacs to be released. Once this is done most cases of scooting should be resolved but this can also become a chronic issue so it may be required in the future. Swollen anal glands can also be opened surgically but anal gland expression is much easier on the dog and should be tried first. A veterinarian can perform this as can a professional dog grooming service.

How to treat it

There are other treatments as well. Antibiotics and pain medication will be required if scooting is caused by an infection and a change in diet may be necessary to prevent a recurrence. Medication can also be applied if scooting is caused by worms. Surgery would be required if the scooting is caused by a tumor and radiation and chemotherapy could also be required if the tumor is cancerous. Scooting can also be a result of clipper burn or a reaction to grooming soaps or sprays after a grooming session where the an anal gland expression was performed. Check the skin for irritation and if it is irritated apply aloe vera gel which will soothe the skin. At Doggie DoLittle we try to prevent this is as much as possible but it can still happen.

As with many behavior changes in a dog, scooting is a sign that something is wrong. When in doubt consult your veterinarian as they will know best but it could just be time for a grooming session and if that is the case schedule a session with Doggie DoLittle and we will give your pet the royal treatment.

https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/dog-scooting
https://www.thespruce.com/dog-anal-glands-and-dog-scooting-1117847
https://www.1800petmeds.com/education/anal-sac-scooting-dogs-21.htm
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/09/16/dog-anal-gland-problem.aspx
https://blog.petmeds.com/ask-the-vet/dogs-that-scoot/
https://wagwalking.com/condition/scooting

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