How To Stop My Dog From Scooting
So you’ve got a scooting pooch and you’re not sure what to do to stop them? Let us give you a hand! If your dog is scooting, a common reason is due to blocked anal glands. It’s important to get that addressed in order to stop your dog from scooting and to avoid them experiencing any pain!
Why does my dog keep scooting his bum?
Your dog has anal glands located on either side of their anus, and these may become blocked. This is more likely to occur among overweight and small dogs, but can happen to any breed at any time! When the anal glands become blocked they can cause irritation and your dog will often scoot in order to relieve this!
How do I know if my dogs glands are blocked?
While scooting is a very common problem behaviour for dogs with blocked anal glands there are other things to look out for! Loose stools often lead to blocked anal glands, because their poop cannot push the secretions from the anal glands naturally. You may also notice that your dog is biting and chewing at the base of their tail, they may be doing this to relieve irritation! Another thing that you may spot is a very foul smell coming from your pooch if their anal glands are blocked. The secretions from dogs’ anal glands may smell foul to us but dogs actually use them to mark territories and communicate with each other!
Does dog scooting go away on its own?
While scooting can be a way of removing objects stuck to the fur around the anal area, consistent scooting will not go away on its own. It is important to treat scooting problems as soon as possible as it can cause a lot of stress and discomfort to your pooch.
Is it normal for dogs to scoot after pooping?
Scooting after pooping should not happen consistently. It is possible that some faeces has not been passed properly or has caught hold of the fur around the area which has caused discomfort to the dog. This can indeed lead to scooting however this is not something that should happen regularly. If you begin to notice scooting happening after pooping, you should bring your dog to the vet for a check-up.
Ways to stop your dog from scooting
In order to stop your dog from scooting, it’s important to address the cause of the issue. Blocked anal glands normally needed to be treated by a vet. Your doggo should normally feel relief almost immediately after having their glands expressed by a vet. It’s important that you must never try to express them yourself without prior instruction from your vet. Manual expression without instrustion can cause damage or injury.
In order to address the cause of your scooting dog, we must look at what caused the glands to become blocked. A lack of fibre is a common cause for blocked anal glands. This is because are less able to express the glands naturally when pooping. Therefore, upping your pooch’s fiber intake will help to stop your dog from scooting. Most commercial brand dog foods have a startling lack of fibre! Look into adding a fibre supplement to your dog’s meals to increase their intake.
As we mentioned before, overweight dogs are more likely to suffer from blocked anal glands! This is because their muscles are not strong enough to express them naturally. Keep your dog at a healthy weight to avoid pain for your pooch!
It’s also important to ensure your dog is drinking plenty of water! This will help promote digestion and movement for your pup! For a quick tip, try adding water to your dog’s kibble to encourage them to drink more!
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