Why is my dog scooting on the floor? What are the causes and fixes?

Question

My Maltese is scooting his hindquarters on floor a lot - how should I treat this? Pet's info: Dog | Maltese | Male | neutered | 10 years and 8 months old | 8 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

The top two reasons for scooting include full anal glands or intestinal parasites. Anal glands are scent glands that normally empty during a bowel movement, but sometimes they don't due to softer stool, thick anal gland discharge, inflammation of the ducts, etc. Once you learn how to empty anal glands, it's pretty straightforward to do at home since some dogs need to have them emptied regularly. If this is Pooky's first time scooting, it would be best to take him to his vet for an exam and to have his anal glands checked. Your vet will be able to empty them during the exam, which typically provides instantaneous relief. Left untreated, overly full anal glands can become impacted, infected, or can rupture, so it's best to have this issue addressed in the next few days. Your vet may also recommend check a stool sample for microscopic evidence of parasites. I hope that everything goes well! https://www.petcoach.co/article/anal-glands-anal-sacs-impaction-abscesses-in-cats/

Why is my dog scooting on the floor? What are the causes and fixes?

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