Dog licking bum - Answered by Dr. Van Lienden

[GsdDiamond]

Hi all,
I have an appointment to bring Diamond to the Vet's today, to look at her bum, and a small bump on her side (I'm thinking cyst or fatty deposit...but we'll see).

My real concern is her bum. She's been licking it an awful lot...to the point that the only way to stop her is to tap her back or head to get her attention. It must be very itchy!!!
When she first started licking it, I looked at it and it seemed irritated, but nothing overly worrysome. Well, I guess she's been licking it at night, and when we can't watch her, because....boy oh boy....is her bum red!!!! Thank goodness she has a Vet appointment today after work. I made the appt on Friday, and it didn't look nearly this bad. I looked again last night....man oh man.

I was thinking her glands were bothering her, but she's not scooting....just licking. What are the normal causes of an inflamed bum? She's pooping normally. She doesn't yelp or cry when she's pooping, so I'm thinking it's itchy rather than sore. (but I still feel so sorry for her!!!!)

Any suggestions on what I may want to bring up to the Vet?

[Copper'sMom]

I'm thinking anal glands. My dog's anal glands act up once in a while and he licks and licks! He has never scooted his bum on carpet though! They say that is a for sure sign, but my dog has never done it! Good luck at the vet today! Keep us posted!!

[sunflower2004]

Could it be possible she has worms?

[GsdDiamond]

Thanks for the replies!
I'm going with anal glands as a probable cause.
I doubt if it's worms as she doesn't eat anythng that could cause them. Besides, her poops are well formed, she's not eating an overly large amount of food, and she's not losing weight. But, you never know! We'll have to wait and see what her Dr. says.

I'll keep you all posted as to the results.

[LL1]

I'd ask the vet about perianal fistulas as well.Not as common in a younger dog but it does happen,and is common in your breed.

[GsdDiamond]

Hi kids!
Well, Diamond's Vet visit went well. It was her glands....which he emptied for us. The only thing we have to watch for is the fact she's been licking an awful lot. He says it may turn into a problem of it's own. If it does....elizabethan collar for her!

The little bump on her side is a little fat pustule. He says its like a person having a boil. Unless she fusses over it... there's no need to do anything about it. Of course, if it gets bigger we'll have it drained. Otherwise...no worries.

Thanks to all who answered my plea for answers! I was hoping it was something fairly easy to fix....and I wan't disappointed!!

Thanks again for listening.

[Copper'sMom]

Glad to hear everything was fine! When my dog starts licking his butt, I usually tell him no-no and he stops as yes it could turn into a problem in itself! Most of the time, this happens after he has been sleeping! I always keep a close eye on it to make sure he gets to the vet when he needs it! One dog we used to have (american eskimo) she had problems with her glands when she got old. They literally bursted from the inside out! It looked like someone slit her rear end! This is what you have to watch for!!

[GsdDiamond]

I hear ya! I'm going to be watching her bum....not THAT closely.....for any changes. She doesn't seem to be as bothered by it now that her glands were emptied.

You should have seen her face though.... "Hi Doc! You gonna pet me? I love....wait....what are you doing back there? Oh....that's not nice! Must you? MOM....MAKE HIM STOP!"

That pretty much covers it!

[Trinitie]

Closed upon request.

[petdr]

A good physical should reveal the answer, but if the irritation is substantial, then heavy sedation may be required to minimize patient discomfort.

Frequently an anal sac abscess or perforation is found to have caused the inordinate attention. Treatment is straight forward. Rectal pruritus (itching) may be a minor source of this problem, and there can be a number of causes, such as allergies, intestinal parasitism, ecto-parasites such as fleas/mites, contact dermatitis, etc.

Have a visit with your favorite veterinarian and get to the bottom of this problem.

Dr. Van Lienden

Dr. Raymond Van Lienden DVM
The Animal Clinic of Clifton
12702 Chapel Road, Clifton
Virginia, U.S.A. 20124
703-802-0490