If you see your Border Collie scooting across the floor or grass on its bottom then check to see why.
There are lots of reasons a dogs scoots including a painful, itchy or dirty anus. Scooting is not healthy and may be a sign of other issues but it also sends dirt into the anal area to cause infections in the anal glands.
The two most common causes of scooting are an inflamed anal sac and food allergies. Your Border Collie’s entire bottom may become infected and painful....
What is Scooting?
Some people may think it is amusing seeing a dog drag its bottom around the floor or grass. It is not. A dog does not scoot around unless it is distressed.
When a dog scoots its bottom it is usually itchy or trying to remove something stuck under its tail. Scooting can only make things worse and cause bacteria to enter the anus and, consequently, infection of the anal glands results.
There are lots of things that can irritate your dog including fleas, food allergies, soaps and sprays, worms, yeast, and ringworm.
What is an Inflamed Anal Sac?
The anal sac is just inside the dog’s anus and excretes a smelly, brown liquid as the dog defecates. When the anal sacs are infected or irritated, blood flow increases and the whole area becomes hot and swollen. It is painful and irritating for the dog.
Infection causes the tiny ducts used to empty the anal sacs to close and dry out. At first it dries into a paste and if left untreated, it dries into a hard material that bursts open to leave lesions in the skin. The anal ducts then need clearing manually or your vet may have to do it surgically.
When is Anal Sac Inflammation Common?
There are lots of reasons and situations anal sac inflammation occurs including:
Border Collie’s eating a low fibre diet to create small stools as the dog’s anal sacs are not emptying when the dog defecates.
Border Collie’s that are regularly clipped may get clipper burn which may cause them pain and to scoot.
Food allergies make a dog’s bottom itchy and they scoot to scratch which causes bacteria to enter the anus and inflammation results.
Dehydrated, older Border Collies with kidney disease produce dry stools which leads to constipation.
Lack of exercise.
Dogs that have their anal glands regularly emptied, but residue is left behind.
When is a Dirty Bottom Common?
Many Border Collies get a dirty bottom when they have diarrhea and it gets caught in their dense coat. When this happens your dog will scoot to try and clean it.
Other reasons your Border Collie may have trouble include:
older dogs with stiff joints that have trouble reaching to clean themselves
longhaired dogs
overweight dogs that cannot reach to clean themselves
It is a simple problem to avoid. If your dog has diarrhea keep an eye out when it defecates.
Check its bottom and give it a wash of you need to.
If you find that your dogs anal glands may need to be emptied and if you have never been shown how to empty your dogs anal glands you may have to see your vet for treatment.
Mind you its a smelly job and I for one am keen to leave this one for the vet.
Those of you who maybe on a tight budget either be very observant at the vets or maybe ask your vet to show you how it is done. They may be happy to guide you through the process so you can do this for your dog on a regular basis or when you can see this issue need to be addressed.