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Did your dog ever do the "boot scoot" across the floor? Aside from just cleaning themselves (on your carpet or rug), the scooting could be an indication that there is another issue brewing.
Their anal glands could be full and need to be emptied.
Normally, the emptying of the glands happens naturally each time your pet has a bowel movement but sometimes the glands get 'stuck' or become impacted.
This calls for the helping hand of the vet or a groomer willing to expel the glands.
I was talking with a co-worker friend who was telling me how their golden Lab always needs help having his anal glands expressed. Some dogs do.
My friend then learned from his vet of a product called Glandex soft chews, or "boot the scoot," anal gland support for dogs. He said the product has been a saving grace and has eliminated the need for trips to the vet to have the glands expressed.
Apparently, Glandex is "made from all natural ingredients including pumpkin seed, enzymes and probiotics."
They work from the "inside out to support healthy anal gland function. The chews contain fiber to help bulk and firm stools to promote natural emptying of the anal glands," according to Glandex.com.
Let's review anal sacs, often called anal glands. Technically they are not truly glandular in structure, according to PetMD.com. These two small repositories of foul smelling material are small pouches lined with cells whose job it is to continually produce an oily semi-liquid substance that is stored within the sac.
All dogs have small sacs on either side of their anus that have unknown functions but probably play a role in marking territory. Another theory, according to PetMD.com, states that the anal sac material lubricates hard stool, which makes passage easier.
Humans do not have anal sacs (FYI). It's bad enough that some humans get hemorrhoids (dilated, irritated blood vessels). Luckily, dogs do not get hemorrhoids. However, I bet the irritation is similar for them, although I'm not a canine.
Usually, a dog's anal sacs are easy to empty, or "express." I could never get the hang of this task.
Ordinarily, these sacs empty when a dog has a bowel movement. If they fail to empty they can become impacted and inflamed and even infected.
Often dogs scoot to try and empty these sacs or soothe the discomfort. Left untreated, they can pose a bigger problem.
Beyond the innocent itch or impacted sac, there are other reasons that could cause a dog to scoot across the floor including messy, matted fur, tapeworms and allergies, all of which can pose a serious issue.
If your dog does the boot scoot all too frequently, perhaps it's time to run it past the vet and see what the issue might be or if they too recommend a product such as Glandex.
Amy is the author of the new children's book, "Oakley's Great Cape Escape," as well as, "Have Dog Will Blog," editor of the Central PA Pets magazine, and director of the Central PA Pet Expo. She can be contacted at ahanna
@altoonamirror.com or by mail: Paws and Reflect, c/o Amy J. Hanna-Eckenrode, Altoona Mirror, 301 Cayuga Ave., Altoona, PA 16602.