Wolf & I Co. Blog | Adventures Of The Wolf Pack

Wolf & I Co. have collaborated with Pet Parents Portal (a team of vets sharing vital tips to help care for your dog) and they've put together some helpful information to explain scooting in dogs. If you are a dog lover, it is very likely that at some stage of your dog parenting journey you will have seen a dog plonk their butt on their floor and drag it along the ground.

The name we give to this behaviour is "scooting" and as with most things that dogs do, the behaviour (though it may look comical) is an attempt to communicate something to us.

So what are our canine companions trying to tell us when they scoot?

Many people assume that this is caused by the dog having intestinal worms but in reality this is a very uncommon reason for scooting.

Dogs scoot for one main reason and that is that their bottoms are not comfortable.

They may be sore or itchy or both.  And in 95% of cases it is caused by anal gland problems and the associated discomfort these problems cause.

Here’s what you need to know!

What are anal glands?

Anal glands are two little sacs on the left and right side of your dog’s bottom.  If the dog is standing in front of you with its bottom facing you, the left anal gland will be in the nine o’clock position and the right one will be in a three o’clock position.

What do the anal glands do?

The cells on the inside of the anal glands produce secretions which are then stored in the anal glands until the dog passes a bowel motion.  During a bowel motion, the poo puts pressure on the glands and the contents of the glands is squirted on to the poo through little ducts that empty into the rectum.

What is the purpose of the secretions?

To humans, anal gland secretions have a characteristic disgusting smell that’s part rotten, part fishy.  But to dogs the secretions of the anal glands are a bouquet of pheromones!  These secretions are the reason that dogs are fascinated with smelling each other’s bums and poops. It is almost like the equivalent of a doggy business card and can tell dogs a lot of information about each other!

So what can go wrong?

Anything that interferes with the normal emptying of the anal glands such as:

• Obstruction of the duct through which the anal gland secretions exit the glands (usually due to allergies as these can cause swelling of the tissues surrounding the ducts).

• Intermittent diarrhoea which doesn’t exert enough pressure on the glands to empty them.

• Intermittent constipation which leads to irregular stools and irregular emptying of the glands.

The cells of the glands continue making the secretions and the glands enlarge to accommodate a higher volume of material.

This causes discomfort and/or itching.

When the glands haven’t emptied properly and/or regularly, the secretions in them not only accumulate but also start to thicken and become granular.  These thick, granular secretions further block the tiny exit ducts and a vicious cycle ensues.

Of course, as dogs don't have hands that they can use to itch and rub their uncomfortable areas, they have to resort to rubbing the glands on a rough surface like carpets, rugs, concrete and grass.

Unfortunately though, the rubbing does not relieve the blockage of the anal gland and can cause local irritation, inflammation and mini trauma to their poor bottoms that are being scooted across the floor or ground.

Manual expression is the only way to then empty the blocked glands to relieve pain, itch and discomfort.

Vets do this by popping on some gloves and internally examining one anal gland at a time and massaging the gland in order to find the right angle that will allow drainage through the duct.

The massage manually dislodges whatever is blocking the duct and moves it along to the duct opening just inside the rectum.

Unfortunately, dogs that are prone to anal gland blockages will most likely suffer a recurrence of the problem at some time after the manual expression is performed. This is because anal gland blockage is a symptom of the things we discussed above (allergies, abnormality in bowel movements) and these things need to be addressed so that recurrence can be minimised.

So how do we address the issues which are at the root cause of anal gland issues and prevent problems?

The main approaches to prevention are management of underlying allergies and maintenance of optimal gut health and regular bowel movements.

Strategies for allergy management may include a hypoallergenic diet trial, medications and supplements but your vet is the best source of advice on how to manage underlying allergies in your dog.

With regard to improving and maintaining optimal gut health, we recommend the following:

• Good quality probiotic made for dogs

• Supplementation with foods that are rich in fibre (e.g. steamed pumpkin)

• Consideration of using a fibre and prebiotic supplement such as Glandex.

Hypoallergenic dietary trials may be appropriate for this too as a food allergy may be responsible for bowel movement irregularities.

Again, your trusted vet should be the source of specific advice appropriate for your fur baby.

What can happen if anal gland health is not addressed?

The very first thing that can occur here is the physical discomfort of your fur baby. Having painful and itchy bottoms is not fun and getting them expressed may also be unpleasant in the moment (even though relief follows soon after!).

But there are some other worrying scenarios that can develop if anal glands are not attended to promptly.

Blocked anal glands are very prone to developing infections and abscesses (painful pockets of infection and pus) are not unusual. These abscesses require surgical treatment or they can rupture through the skin near the anus discharging the pus through to the outside.

Whether an abscess ruptures on its own or requires surgery, the puppy will require pain relief and antibiotics and will need to wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent licking of the area.

Chronic anal gland problems can also cause an inflammatory process in the perianal area that is known as furunculosis.

This painful condition can actually consist of a few different problems:

1) Dogs may develop lumps in their bottom area (outside and inside as well) which usually require surgery so that they do not cause rectal blockage.

2) Dogs can develop multiple sinuses (little tunnels) which travel from the anal glands to the outside skin and also cause pain and inflammation. Anal gland secretions often drain to the outside skin through these sinuses.

Anal furunculosis requires long term treatment to reduce the inflammation and try to return the tissues to their normal form and function.

What about anal gland removal?

In extreme cases, when it is not possible to successfully manage anal gland problems and/or if the dog experiences recurrent abscesses and/or furunculosis, your regular vet may recommend surgical removal of the anal glands.

As with any surgery, the benefits versus the risks need to be carefully considered in consultation with your veterinarian.

They will advise you of their experience in performing the procedure and occurrence of any consequences that you need to be aware of.

However, usually this is only considered as a last resort once the other management strategies have been attempted.

So the next time you see your fur baby scooting you will know exactly what is going on and will be armed with useful knowledge on how to manage these occurrences.

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