Scooting

It is a silly sight, but it serves a practical purpose. "Most often, a pet scooting along on his bottom is trying to relieve an itch," says Terri McGinnis, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in the San Francisco area and author of The Well Cat Book and The Well Dog Book.

An itch where your pet sits is usually caused by blocked anal sacs, Dr. McGinnis says. These two sacs, which are located on either side of the anus, contain a strong-smelling fluid that dogs and cats use to mark where they have been. The scent is unique, which is why pets -- especially dogs -- sniff rear ends when they meet.

When the sacs are functioning normally, a little bit of the fluid is released during each bowel movement. But sometimes the opening to one or both sacs gets blocked. When the fluid can't get out, the sacs swell, becoming itchy and uncomfortable, says Dr. McGinnis.

Blocked anal sacs aren't the only cause of scooting. Tapeworms, intestinal parasites that sometimes attach themselves to the anal area, can also cause that region to be very itchy, says Lori A. Wise, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Tapeworms are easy to spot, she adds. Just lift your pet's tail. If you see white particles around the anus that resemble white rice, your pet has tapeworms and will need medications to knock them out. You can also see tapeworm segments in the stool, she adds.

Scooting isn't always a sign of problems, especially when your pet only does it now and then, adds Dr. McGinnis. After using the litter box or making a stop in the yard, for example, some pets will scoot simply to clean themselves. In addition, dogs that have recently chomped bones and then passed hard little fragments in their stools may rub their bottoms to relieve the irritation. "Fairly large bone fragments can pass all the way through the intestine without too much trouble but then become lodged in the rectum," says Dr. McGinnis.

See Your Vet If...

• Your pet is scooting at least once a day
  
• There are white specks in his stool or around his anus
  
• Your pet scoots only after using the litter box or making a pit stop in the yard
  
• Your pet's tail is limp
  
• A discharge from the anus, penis, or vagina has lasted two days or more
  
• Your pet is constantly licking his back end
  
• The vagina or anal area is red and swollen
  
• There is a growth on the anus or genitals
  
• Urine is dribbling while your pet sleeps
  
• There has been a change in your pet's urinating habits, or he is unable to urinate
  
• There is blood in the urine
  
• He's lost fur on the top or base of the tail
  
• The tail is greasy or infected, or it is getting thicker
  
• The anal opening stays open
  
• Your pet has been scooting for two days or more

Next Steps:

• What you can do for your pet
  
• What your vet can do
  
• Find out other causes of scooting

Copyright 1999 Rodale Press, Inc. All rights reserved.