Why is my dog scooting their butt on the ground?

Most likely your dog has an issue with their anal glands. There can be other causes. Such as if they've had an upset tummy, GI disease, or intestinal parasites, but for the vast majority of dogs when you see them dragging themself with their front feet and scooting their butt, it's because they have an impaction of the anal gland. Momo here is an unwilling volunteer again, but you can see by the side of the dog's anus is a small sack. Anal glands are filled with a liquid that scent marks the feces, similar to a skunk when they lift their tail and spray that scent as a defense mechanism. Dogs have a scent that may have some form of signaling others through their feces. We can remove that gland when there's a problem and it doesn't create any issues, so it may be vestigial. It may not have a function these days. It certainly creates issues for dogs when the glands fill up if the liquid becomes thick. Like toothpaste, it can be hard to express, and they can rupture. We can see draining fistulas coming through the skin where it's all infected under the tissue and it's very painful. As veterinarians, we don't necessarily automatically go and press on a dog’s anal glands. There are dogs, however, that have frequent infections and issues that we will schedule for a monthly visit to check on them. Your groomer will usually express them from the outside. If we look down here, they'll squeeze the gland through the skin. At the vet office, the vet will actually put a glove on and put a finger inside the rectum and squeeze right around the gland and get a bit more material out. This helps to check that they're not infected or full and to keep the material down, so we recommend different things on a case-by-case basis.

So, scooting or dragging the butt, what they're trying to tell you is there's a problem back there. Most likely, it's their anal glands. So dogs have scent glands down by their anus. There are two of them, right and left, and they should be able to express those glands with a bowel movement. And most owners don't even know they have these glands because they poop outside. You never smell that smell. But if they're too full, they cause pressure on the anus, and it's irritating for the dog. So the dog will drag their butt, and they'll turn around and lick. Sometimes they'll even cry out during a bowel movement because of that pressure back there. So they're trying to tell you their butt hurts, and they need to get to the vet. So, you bring them in, and we'll help express the glands and make sure everything's clean and normal back there.

When a dog scoots on its butt, it usually means they have an itchy bottom. The cause could be as simple as a dirty bottom or something more complex like allergies or issues with their anal sacs. If you're concerned about your dog's scooting behavior, consult your veterinarian for advice and potential treatment options.

If you have any questions about your dog's hygiene or tooth brushing, we recommend reaching out to your veterinarian or contacting Blue Oasis Pet Hospital if you're in the area.

Butt scooting typically indicates an anal gland issue. The anal glands may become full and uncomfortable for your pet, and might need to be emptied.