Why do dogs scoot their bottom across the floor? I was told once that this means they have worms, but I am not sure about that. If you aren't sure what I am referring to, remember the commercial where the lady just cleaned her carpet and then their dog comes in and scoots across the floor? Can this behavior be stopped?
By Connie Henry from Smithville, TN
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There can be many, many explanations for this behavior. If your dog only does it every once in a while, it may just be an itch (don't you ever get an itch on your behind? LOL) But if it does it more and more you need to have the dog checked by a vet. It could be something easy to treat or it could be something more serious. But you need to find out.
I was watching a dog for a family that did this. Dogs can get a build of of fecis in their bottom which makes their bottom itch.
You stop the behavior by taking your dog(s) to the vet. Sounds like he/she needs to have their anal glands expressed.
The safest place for your pet, and for your wallet, is away from a Veterinarian.
Yeah, "Cricketnc" my family hates it when I scoot MY but along the floor ;) Ha ha ha.
Was going to say the same thing as Cricket that even we humans get an itchy behind ;-) My cat even does 'the scoot' now and then ;-) I also agree if it's more than occasionally to take your baby to the vet.
I have a T-cup chihuahua and she does this, too. We had her anal glands checked by the vet and everything was ok there. The answer? She has allergies. We have a lot of different weeds around our area and since she's so low to the ground, she gets itchy.
Please contact your vet asap. If you have kids and the dog has worms. Need I say more?
Amandablue has a very good point but you don't have to take your dog to the vet to check for worms, just a fresh stool sample in a plastic baggy and it will save you the extra 'vet visit' charge doing it that way ;-)
Small dogs usually have problems with their anal glands - which you can empty your self ( not a pleasant job). I had my vet show me how to do this for my Chihuahua but you can also check out videos on how to do this on line.
You can check your dog for tape worms yourself very easily.
Go out with the dog after he has eaten and you know he is going to have a bowel movement, immediately after the dog goes just examine the sample, if you see anything that looks like "rice" whether it is moving or not, you will know the dog has tapes.
If your dog has fleas you can almost be certain it has tapes. The life cycle: fleas ingest the tapeworm eggs, you dog bites to scratch the flea bite itch and swallows the tapeworm eggs.
You didn't mention what kind of dog you have, if it is long haired or has a lot of hair around the anal opening it is possible that the hair is catching some of the fecal matter and your dog is using the carpet for tp!! Look at the dog's bottom and see if there is anything stuck on him. If there is a lot of hair in the area you {or a groomer} can simply clip a "potty path" so it doesn't happen again.
Tip: don't shave the hair in that area to the skin, just short. It itches when it grows back in so "to the skin" shaving doesn't cure the problem unless it is so matted you have no choice.
If you clip the hair yourself try this: use a comb between the skin and the hair to be cut and just clip it off at the comb, no accidental cuts to sensitive skin.
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