Rump Scooting is not a new trick, it is a serious problem

When little Fido slides across the living room rug in the middle of Mall Cop on TV, the first reaction that comes from the children’s section is hysterical laughter, even more so than watching the movie. But moving the rump is not a new trick. It’s a serious problem for Fido that most inexperienced dog owners don’t yet recognize.

There are only two things that can come from most dogs rump crawling: (1) worms or (2) clogged anal glands. Determining which one it is will require a trip to the family veterinarian. But if you’re an experienced dog owner and have your dog on a routine deworming program, you’ll know instantly that he probably has clogged anal glands. If you just took your dog to the vet and had his anal glands “squeezed” and you don’t have your dog on a deworming regimen, you can bet your boots it’s probably worms.

But before you get too excited, simple little problems can be ruled out before you rush to the vet and take care of the poor dog’s rectum in a not-so-pleasant way. Dried feces in the anal area, or even a small grass or twig lodged in the fur in the rectal area can drive a dog crazy. They are known to cause the animal to slither all over the carpet as if in a dead run, trying to dislodge these itchy and annoying elements. This area should be checked manually before you get too excited about serious rump problems like plugged anal sacs, rectal conditions, or worms.

Anal Scooting on the Rump: Signs and Treatments

The anal sacs are placed on either side of the dog’s anus, located at the 5 and 7 o’clock positions. When they are covered, the dog will slide on the floor while he tries to dislodge this strange and uncomfortable feeling. At this point, the pet owner can easily insert his index finger into the rectum while he keeps his thumb outside, forcibly squeezing the plugged secrets to remove them.

Known as “expressing” the anal sacs, these clogged sacs must be emptied before they become impacted and eventually progress to an abscess and rupture. When this occurs they will need to be removed by a vet as the area is extremely tender with the pouches uncomfortably distended. As the secrets from the anal sacs are discharged, their color will be thick and dark or grayish brown.

If the secretions are not completely emptied due to insufficient pressure on the sacs, they will become impacted, a situation known to occur primarily in small breed dogs. This will require minor surgery of the anus. Such dogs with routine anal problems should be fed a high-fiber diet or given a bulk laxative.

Worms: signs and treatments

Rump movement may indicate that the dog simply has worms, which are easily seen as small white rice-like grains crawling around the rectal area. This will irritate the dog and cause itching, relieved by the dog moving. Rice segments are nothing more than broken mobile segments about 1/4 inch long from a long tapeworm located in the small intestine. Dogs should be checked for this type of worm twice a year, since they originate from fleas and lice, which are common in dogs and difficult to eliminate.

If the dog is thought to have worms, the vet will need to examine the dog by taking a stool sample. Some veterinarians insert a tool such as a large cotton swab into the rectum to check for blood in the stool and to see what type of worms the dog has. An appropriate deworming regimen will be given, depending on the type of worm the dog has, and an antibiotic if the dog has become anemic.