Invariably, your darling dog will drag his/her bottom across your favorite/most expensive rug/carpet. And your dog often chooses to do this in front of guests, which is embarrassing for not but certainly not for your dog. It’s not deliberate and a dog will scoot outdoors as well, especially on soft grass.
Scooting usually means that the dog’s backside is itchy or irritated. It’s unusual for the cause to be worms.
Sometimes irritation is caused by diarrhea or a yeast infection in the area. Most often the cause is anal gland impaction or inflammation. (See our article about Anal Gland Impaction).
Pressure of the stool cause the anal glands to secrete a smelly fluid when the dog poops. If the dog has loose movements/diarrhea, not enough pressure is exerted to release the fluid. If muscle tone is poor, the same problem occurs.
Usually, anal gland problems are caused by diet, trauma or the position of the glands.
Changing the diet should include eliminating all grains and choosing a different protein other than beef or chicken. Add probiotics to help firm stools.
Groomers often express anal glands as an “extra service.” It’s not necessary and can cause further problems. Please tell your groomer to keep hands off the anal sacs as regular squeezing is not a service you’re interested in.
Have your vet check the position of the anal glands. If the glands are not situated where the greatest amount of pressure is applied, allowing them to release the fluid, surgery to correct the problem may be necessary.
A dog’s anal sacs may not work properly due to impaction, infection, abscess or tumor. Tumors are called adenocarcinoma (see our article on Anal Gland Cancer) and are usually malignant. If your dog is having problems, a vet examination without delay is necessary to determine the cause.
