I know you have probably seen it and thought it’s a very comical or an embarrassing behavior. You may have noticed it and thought of punishing your dog thinking that he’s doing it for pleasure, or trying to save you on toilet paper in the pandemic. Though, a dog dragging his bottom across the carpet is a detailed concept that picks from different dimensions.
In reality, there are several reasons why your dog would choose to do something like this. Its actually an indication that their bottom is irritated, his anal glands need to be expressed and/or the dog is uncomfortable. So, dragging he bottom across the carpet is a way of soothing the irritation. So why does your dog do that? Are there some justifiable reasons why you should put up with such actions?
Many dog guardians are in a mistaken impression that worms in dog stool are the only justifiable reason why the dog should drag the bottom across the carpet. Here are all the other reasons for such a behavior with your best friend.
Anal sac problems
Dogs usually communicate with their rear ends. Verily, they are likely to communicate with the smelly fatty substance that comes from the anal sacs. These anal sacs are located internally on both sides of their anus. In case these sucks are blocked, inflamed or abscessed, the dog would choose to relieve the pain and discomfort through dragging their bottom across the carpets.
Fecal contamination
When your dog is vomiting and has diarrhea https://bestvetonline.com/dogs/dog-vomiting-and-diarrhea/, there are chances that it will leave the dog dehydrate, and messy at the bottom. This is enough to leave the dog feeling weak and fighting with discomfort. In this case, the dog will try to get some comfort by scooting. Although this is an ordinary case, most people would consider to check whether there are any cases of infection. Dog owners also have many questions regarding the diarrhea and when they should opt to see a vet. For all your questions and inquiries, you can consider an online vet.
Worms
Worms can also be a common cause of this behavior. However, pinworms are not the main issue here. In most cases, the dog anal part will get irritated when they have a tapeworm infestation. The tapeworm segments can cause irritation at the bottom of the dog. In this case, the dog will; try to get relieve by dragging the bottom through the carpet.
Allergies
Allergy can also lead to skin irritations. The irritations can lead to itching at the bottom. The dog will eventually find relief from the irritation by dragging the bottom across the carpet. If this is the case, you should be in a position to determine the kind of the allergy and the leading factor.
Rectal prolapse
This is a condition where the final portion of the large intestine is protruding through the anus. This usually happens after a severe diarrhea or from constipation. To find relief, the dog might choose to drag the bottom.
For all the above conditions, you should get in touch with your vet right away to determine the underlying cause and eventually come up with a solution.
At home solutions
Did you know that blueberries will naturally help the dog express their glands on their own over time? Be sure to incorporate a blueberry or two several times a week to help with this smoother elimination process. You can also teach yourself how to express your dogs anal glands by watching a how to video on youtube. Be sure not to apply too much pressure and do it in a tub/wash basin as the fecal matter can go flying.
Consulting with the professionals
If this is not something that works for you, then go ahead and be sure to ask your groomer or vet to express their glands every couple of months or check at least. A conversation with your vet or groomer can help you sort out this issue quite quickly. Be sure to communicate if your dog has sensitive glands or to request when you want the glands to be expressed (or not) as some groomers will do this automatically as part of the grooming service while for others its an add on service.
