Have you ever witnessed how a dog drags his butt on the floor, on the bed or wherever it can find it? It's a funny sight, but not so funny for the poor animal. We invite you to discover the reasons why he does this so that you can understand why we say it is not at all pleasant for him.
Why is my dog rubbing his bum on the ground?
When we see a dog dragging his butt on the floor, we must be clear that he is not doing it for fun, to get our attention or because he now wants to walk like that. He does it out of discomfort and we will explain the main causes later, but first let's be specific.
To be more precise, what your dog is dragging on the floor are the anal glands. He does this because at that moment he is feeling some discomfort or it itches a lot.
That is a very uncomfortable situation for him, as well as unpleasant and desperate, since the only way he has to relieve that itching is dragging the area on the floor.
But what is it that causes such itching and leads the dog to behave in this way? Let's take a look at the main reasons.
What causes a dog to drag his bottom on the ground?
There are three main reasons why a dog drags his bottom on the floor and ends up moving like a penguin: the anal glands are full, it has internal parasites or diarrhea.
But, first of all: what are anal glands?
Anal glands are a kind of pouches that some mammals, including dogs and cats, have around the anus and whose function is to secrete a substance when they defecate.
This substance serves to leave a unique odor in each animal. It is a unique odor in each case, like a personal mark that allows them to differentiate and indicate whose feces they are. In addition, the secreted substance also serves to lubricate the anus so that the act of expulsion is not uncomfortable.
This is the first reason why a dog drags his bum:
The anal glands are full.
It is normal for dogs to empty this substance when defecating. It is a natural process that happens from time to time. However, it can happen that they do not do it at all or as it should be and, in such cases, the dog will suffer a very annoying itching.
When the glands are not drained properly, the substance that should have been secreted becomes very thick and plugs the orifice of the gland, which will eventually lead to more serious problems, such as abscesses or inflammation of the anal glands. In these cases, veterinary attention will be necessary.
Diarrhea
When a dog suffers from diarrhea, it may happen that the dog starts to drag his bum on the floor, grass, carpet or wherever it can find it. This is because they simply feel that some residue is stuck to them and they want to eliminate it at all costs.
If you don't want your pet to leave a "trail", you will have to help him. You can moisten a cloth or toilet paper with warm water and wipe the sore spot, or use a wet wipe for dogs or a baby wipe.
Internal parasites
Internal parasites are another of the most common reasons why the animal drags the anus on the floor. Especially if they are dogs that spend a lot of time outside or are not afraid of anything when it comes to sniffing or licking, it is very normal for parasites to appear inside them sometime in their life.
This will cause a lot of itching, as well as other quite considerable problems. That is why internal deworming is as important as external deworming.
If you want to be sure that this is the problem, just look at the dog's feces, as they are usually full of parasites, such as white worms.
What do I do if my dog drags his bum on the ground?
When you see a dog scoot his ass on the ground, the first thing to do is to observe the area to check if there is anything stuck or hanging. It could be the remains of diarrhea, something that got stuck (for example, a bit of loose grass) when he sat down or a small piece of feces that did not end up falling.
In these cases, you should remove whatever is bothering him as we indicated before: with a wet wipe or a damp cloth or paper.
If this is not the reason, it is best to see a veterinarian to find the cause. Sometimes the glands will have to be emptied manually. It is best to go to a professional for this, although the procedure is not complicated.
If parasites are found in the dog's feces, an antiparasitic tablet should be requested at the veterinary center. This is usually administered to the animal every 3 months.
On the other hand, increasing the fiber in the dog's diet will increase the amount of feces, so the pressure applied on the anal glands will also increase and this will favor its emptying. In this way, obstructions are prevented.
Finally, it is important to take care of the hygiene of the area, but not only when we detect dirt because we have seen the dog dragging his bum. The normal thing to do is to keep the area free of impurities of any kind and hair. If you usually take your pet to a dog groomer, it is quite common that in the haircut and bath, they include the cleaning of the glands.