Why is my dog's anal area red and irritated from matted poop?

Question

My dog had huge globbs of poop matted in his fur. When I cut them aaway his anal area looked red and irritated. What would cause this?

Sabina Snyder, Specialty Surgery Technician · Accepted Answer

Having the fecal matter stuck to the skin can actually cause the skin to become very irritated and red. It can actually cause the skin to become infected as well. Because the fecal matter (and probably urine) was sticking to the skin and had no where to go, it was making the skin painful and red. In the future, you should not cut the hair away with scissors because you are likely to cut the actual skin itself. You should have the fur shaved by a professional groomer or the vet and keep the area clean and the hair short to prevent this in the future. It is very common for dogs with long hair to have poo stick in this area, so it is important to keep the hair groomed short for that reason.

Why is my dog's anal area red and irritated from matted poop?

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