Why does my dog keep scooting along on her behind?

If your dog sits on her behind and then drags her rear across the floor, she is probably itchy, and one of two things may be going on.

The most common cause of itchy bottoms in dogs is clogged anal glands. When your dog defecates, her anal glands, or sacs as they sometimes are called, deposit secretions on the stool. These secretions help other dogs recognize who your dog is, her age, and her gender. But sometimes those glands get clogged and need to be expressed by a veterinarian.

Another possible reason for bottom-scooting dogs is tapeworm. If you notice worm segments that look like small grains of rice in your dog’s feces, bring a stool sample to your veterinarian for testing.

– Dr. Larry McDaniel, DVM for the “Purina® Animal Instincts” Podcast Series

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