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My dog growls when I touch his tail or butt. Is he angry or hurt?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 1 year and 2 months old | 13 lbs

Mars has been growling when I pet him close to his butt/base of tail. He has never done this before. Does this mean he’s angry with me or is there something wrong?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on October 1st, 2017

This could be that area is painful to Mars, and he doesn't like you touching it. His growling is his way of letting you know that this area is off limits for some reason. It could be that his anal sacs are impacted or he could be suffering from back pain. I would have him seen by a vet for it in the next couple of days. I hope this helps!

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5Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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