My dog scoots, but anal glands don't help. What else could it be?

Question

My Jack Russell Terrrier scoots his butt a few times a day. He has had his anal glands expressed on a regular basis, he does no have parasites. The scooting does not get better after his anal glands are expressed. What else could be causing this? His BMs are normal. Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | neutered | 12 years and 2 months old | 13.5 lbs

Christie Long, DVM · Accepted Answer

Sometimes I find that food allergies are at the root of anal gland issues. The food incites a sensitivity in the rectum and anal region, and makes the dog itchy, and thus the scooting. You might consider a trial of a hypoallergenic diet to see if this resolves the problem. I'll also add that tapeworms, which are the parasite that often causes scooting, typically do not show up on fecal exams, so with chronic scooting I always recommend deworming for tapeworms anyways, just to be sure.

My dog scoots, but anal glands don't help. What else could it be?

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