Why Does My Dog Scoot His Bottom Across The Floor?

“Fido, No!” “Fido, Stop It!” “Fido, Don’t!” “Fido, That’s Gross!”

Whether you have a dog or not, probably just about everyone has seen a dog scoot his/her bottom across the floor…and if its your dog, and you’re with someone, you’re probably a little embarrassed. But you shouldn’t be, you should recognize that it could indicate that your dog may have a problem.

When dogs scoot, and most of them do at one time or another, it’s because they have an irritation or an itch that they can’t scratch…oftentimes it’s due to excess fecal matter that they can’t shake, and is fairly common to long haired dogs. If that’s the cause, it shouldn’t occur all the time.

But when a dog scoots more than occasionally, there could be a health issue that needs to be addressed.

Common reasons your dog may be scooting…

• Allergies – Your dog could possibly be allergic to the food he is eating, which can cause excessive itching around his bottom…there is a saying “Food allergies hit the ear and the rear“, that really holds true. So if your dog is doing a lot of scooting and head shaking you probably need to identify which food is the problem and make a change to his diet.
  • Other things your dog might be allergic to which can cause the itching is:
    • Medication
    • Mold spores
    • Pollens
    • Cigarette smoke
    • Fleas
• Tapeworms and Ringworms – Tapeworms will exit your dog’s body via his anus, and when they do, they collect on the surrounding skin and hair, which itches and irritates your dog’s skin. Ringworm is a fungus which can cause infection around your dog’s tail that creates a terrible itch.
  • “Tapeworm segments are only passed intermittently and therefore are often not diagnosed on routine fecal examination. If you find any segments, white or golden color, bring them to your veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis. – VCA Animal Hospitals
• Anal Gland Issues – This may be the most common problem causing your pup to scoot…Anal gland (or anal sac) problems occur when the glands become infected, impacted, abscessed or have tumors.

Other symptoms to watch for are:

• Trying to lick the area all the time
• Emission of a foul odor around the tail and anus
• Swelling in the anal area
• What appears to be chasing the tail, but your dog is really trying to lick the area

Don’t punish your dog for scooting…

This may not be a behavior you are particularly fond of, but it isn’t a bad behavior that you need to correct, your dog is uncomfortable, and it’s the only thing he can do that will give him relief, even if only temporary. It may require a trip to the vet to figure out what’s going on and how you can get your best friend some real relief.

At BowWow Fun Towne, we take your dog’s safety and health seriously, and have strict guidelines for our canine guests to have the proper vaccinations