Why is my older dog scooting, struggling to poop, and has a dark anus?

Question

My Chihuahua is older 9+ years old, her anus has become darker in color and she's in some discomfort. She has a difficult time pooping and has had problems expressing her anal glass in the past. I haven't seen any blood, but she has been scooting a lot. The soonest vet appt I could get is for 2 days away. Is it possible she has perianal fistula? And will she be ok for 2 days until the vet can see her? Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | spayed | 9 years and 10 months old | 11 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

Poor Willow! Some dogs can experience pigment changes over time or with chronic inflammation. It's quite possible that the darkening of Willow's anus is a relatively normal change. As you've mentioned, scooting commonly occurs with full anal glands. I'm glad that you have a vet appointment scheduled for her. Your vet will be able to perform a rectal exam to be sure that everything feels normal, as well as empty her anal glands. It should be ok to wait 2 days since that's the next appointment. Full anal glands certainly aren't an emergency, but sometimes the anal glands can become impacted, infected or rupture, which would be a more urgent problem. If you notice any significant swelling or redness on her hind end, I would try to have her checked out sooner. I suppose that it's possible that she could have a perianal fistula, but these occur most commonly in intact male dogs and are often quite red and oozy. It's far more likely that her anal glands are simply bothering her. I hope that all goes well for Willow!

Why is my older dog scooting, struggling to poop, and has a dark anus?

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