Persistant Anal Licking

[jason_els]

Hi all!

I've two dogs, both a year and a half old. They've both developed a problem where they're licking their anuses nearly all the time. This began a few weeks ago and has steadily become worse. They play and swim in the stream frequently and this has caused some very bad matting and one dog developed a hot spot, so I had them shaved down yesterday.

They had their annual check-up with stool sample a month ago and both samples were negative for worms. On occasion the dogs eat rabbit or deer poop which these animals leave on the lawn. Could the dogs have become infected with roundworm since their checkup in May?

Whatever it is, it's very irritating. Boomer is worse than Tweeter. He does not scoot, but he will sit whenever he's not moving and licks more frequently. When walking, they both will suddenly and quickly stop to lick their anuses.

I've checked both their anal glands and I can't even feel them. Attempts to express them resulted in nothing coming out. They were groomed yesterday and I don't know if the groomer expressed the glands (I'll call them tomorrow). Their stools are usually solid. The anus of each dog does not appear to be protruding or red. The only other treatment I've tried was a little dab of Preparation H on each of them. This does not seem to have offered any relief.

I'm at a loss and wondering what might be the problem. Both dogs appear to be in continual discomfort and it will be a few days before the vet can see them. They are both on Interceptor. Is there any relief I can offer them until Monday or Tuesday? Any problem other than worms or infected/impacted glands I'm not considering?

Thanks very much!

Jason_Els

 

[lizzybeth727]

Sometimes this can be caused by a yeast infection.... I'm not sure what kind of immediate treatment to give them, but I've had a lot of luck with giving some yogurt in their food every day or two to keep the infection from coming back (also helps if they are having persistent ear infections.... Might want to smell their ears to see if they're "yeasty"). My dog does scoot a lot, and it's not worms or the anal glands, and yogurt is the only thing I've found that solves the problem.

 

[jason_els]

Sometimes this can be caused by a yeast infection.... I'm not sure what kind of immediate treatment to give them, but I've had a lot of luck with giving some yogurt in their food every day or two to keep the infection from coming back (also helps if they are having persistent ear infections.... Might want to smell their ears to see if they're "yeasty"). My dog does scoot a lot, and it's not worms or the anal glands, and yogurt is the only thing I've found that solves the problem.

The ears seem OK. I don't smell anything foul. I'll try the yogurt though. I'm willing to try anything at this point. Thank you very much for the reply!:hail:

 

[PWCorgi]

Hey Jason, when are we gonna get some new pics of your little guys?!

And there's a thread title you don't see every day

 

[jason_els]

Hey Jason, when are we gonna get some new pics of your little guys?!

And there's a thread title you don't see every day

I should. Newly shaved they look VERY different!

The title.... well.... this is a medically-oriented forum. No need for embarrassment.

 

[Zoom]

LOL, I couldn't read this thread earlier because it triggered the parental blocks on the computer I was using.

They could just have itchy bums and if they've been to the groomers, then they might have a little bit of irritation, not enough to see, but just enough to feel. My dogs have been licking themselves a lot more lately as well.

 

[CharlieDog]

Could be allergies. Oz is licking more as well, and I noticed he started when all this pollen started. On days when the pollen count is low and we stay mostly inside, he doesnt have a problem as much.

 

[lizzybeth727]

LOL, I couldn't read this thread earlier because it triggered the parental blocks on the computer I was using.

:rofl1:

 

[jason_els]

Hi all,

Today he's not eating and won't walk. I have to drag him to walk anywhere. Without pressure on the leash he'll sit. I have a vet appointment in an hour so we'll see what happens. He had a small bowel movement this afternoon and I've got that in the fridge to take with me just in case.

Thanks to everyone and I'll update when I know more!

 

[jason_els]

Went to the vet. Fecal and Lyme were negative. He's got a slight fever though and his anal sacs were slightly full. The vet expressed them and Boomer seems livelier but he's still favoring his butt. We're just going to monitor the fever and see. If it's not gone by Monday we'll do antibiotics. I'll let everyone know.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

jason--good to see you back here--even with the thread title! LOL!
Umm...if you have the backside issue licked.. ( ) then some pictures are in order to make up for your looooong absence!

 

[jason_els]

jason--good to see you back here--even with the thread title! LOL!
Umm...if you have the backside issue licked.. ( ) then some pictures are in order to make up for your looooong absence!

Thanks!

The fever is down, but he still doesn't stand much. He will play with Tweeter but frequently stops everything and then lightning quick reaches back to lick or bite at his anus like there's an itch or biting irritation. Might he have injured something internally or sat on a nettle? What am I missing? This is so **** frustrating because I don't like to see him in this state.

I did feel around the sides of his anus and when I pressed gently on one particular spot at about 11 o'clock he reached around and snapped at me. Perhaps he fractured a bone in his tail? I'd imagine if a solid object pierced his rectum I'd see blood but I've never seen any and the stool sample didn't show blood either.

I think I'll take him back later today or Wednesday and see if they can take an X ray or do other tests.

I'm mystified.

 

[lizzybeth727]

Yeah, if he snapped at you he's probably in some pain, I think definately take him back to the vet.

 

[borzoimom]

Went to the vet. Fecal and Lyme were negative. He's got a slight fever though and his anal sacs were slightly full. The vet expressed them and Boomer seems livelier but he's still favoring his butt. We're just going to monitor the fever and see. If it's not gone by Monday we'll do antibiotics. I'll let everyone know.

I was wondering this as well. Infected anal glands is itchy causing the desire to sooth by licking them. I would start antibiotics as well. And take a look at your food you are feeding. Foods with grains can be a problem on anal glands as it gets retained.

 

[jason_els]

I was wondering this as well. Infected anal glands is itchy causing the desire to sooth by licking them. I would start antibiotics as well. And take a look at your food you are feeding. Foods with grains can be a problem on anal glands as it gets retained.

Thanks!

It gets better......

My father took my car this morning without asking and promptly locked BOTH sets of keys in the car as well. I gave up on today, missing my train into the city and my meeting. After I managed to break into my car to retrieve the keys, I had to drive my father down to the village whereupon I mention how angry I am that the contractor threw some cooked chicken bones in the driveway (it's dirt, we live in the woods) rather than in the garbage because Boomer ate some last night. My father then admitted he threw away some chicken bones in the recycling container. My father does not understand the concept of recycling and I have repeatedly told him not to leave food in recycling. This, along with a lot of things sadly, doesn't process in his head even with little signs above the recycling bins I made to remind him. Either way, something apparently got into the recycling barrel last night and, without dumping it over, pulled out the chicken carcass and left its parts on the driveway.

As a result, I took Boomer out for a walk last night and he found the chicken parts in the driveway and promptly scarfed an entire chicken breast. It was too dark for me to see it properly and I thought he was sniffing a leaf. This morning I took Tweeter out and he nearly ate more of it until I saw what it was. So now, on top of the anal issues, Boomer's eaten an entire cooked chicken breast with the little rib bones and I'm sitting at home for the next two days to see what happens with him. This morning, after I realized what it was he ate, I fed Boomer some cotton balls soaked in cream in hopes that it will help prevent any intestinal problems but all I can really do is just wait and see if anything passes. He had a BM this morning and it was solid. No bloody or black spots on it, so I'm hopeful.

As for food, they're both on EVO small bite chicken and have been since they've been eating solid food.

 

[lizzybeth727]

This morning, after I realized what it was he ate, I fed Boomer some cotton balls soaked in cream in hopes that it will help prevent any intestinal problems.

??????? I've never heard of this....who suggested this? What kind of cream are you using??

If it was just meat, he would be perfectly fine - wild dogs scavange food all the time and much of the food they eat is already dead and rotting when they get to it. Their digestive tracts work faster than ours and the bacteria doesn't cause a problem for them like it does for us.

The bones, on the other hand, are what you'll have to watch out for.

 

[Renee750il]

Hi all,

Today he's not eating and won't walk. I have to drag him to walk anywhere. Without pressure on the leash he'll sit. I have a vet appointment in an hour so we'll see what happens. He had a small bowel movement this afternoon and I've got that in the fridge to take with me just in case.

Thanks to everyone and I'll update when I know more!

Oh my . . . . I'm imagining one of your friends coming over and looking in your fridge for something to drink . . . . :rofl1:

Now . . . if he still is acting itchy, try some Benadryl topical spray on it to see if he gets any relief. If he's gotten something like nettle in there the Benadryl should give him some help as well, and if it does give him relief, that will help you eliminate some of the possibilities of the cause of this.

 

[jason_els]

??????? I've never heard of this....who suggested this? What kind of cream are you using??

If it was just meat, he would be perfectly fine - wild dogs scavange food all the time and much of the food they eat is already dead and rotting when they get to it. Their digestive tracts work faster than ours and the bacteria doesn't cause a problem for them like it does for us.

The bones, on the other hand, are what you'll have to watch out for.

Yeah, meat or even raw chicken bones wouldn't bother me so much. I'm just furious. I'm all but positive my father lied to me. I figure he went to throw away the container and remembered he wasn't supposed to put food in the recycling so he just tossed the bones onto the driveway. I checked the barrel and it still had the lid on and nothing else was disturbed. I've never seen a raccoon open a garbage barrel, put the lid aside, open a container, take food, close the container, and then replace the lid. My father was simply feeling too guilty to tell the truth. And that pisses me off more.

I found it on a website and confirmed it with my vet. You can use sticky rice as well, but cotton balls work better. The cream is just to get the dog to want to eat it though my dogs will eat just about anything anyway. As the bone passes through the digestive tract they move more slowly than the cotton. As the cotton passes it attaches itself to the bones to pad them to some degree. It can help to prevent the bones piercing the organs. It doesn't always work, but Boomer just had a bowel movement and fortunately there is still no signs of blood in the stools. It should take about two days for everything to pass through though you have to watch the dog. He's going bananas being confined indoors. I can't wait for this to be over. Grrrrrr.

 

[jason_els]

Oh my . . . . I'm imagining one of your friends coming over and looking in your fridge for something to drink . . . . :rofl1:

Now . . . if he still is acting itchy, try some Benadryl topical spray on it to see if he gets any relief. If he's gotten something like nettle in there the Benadryl should give him some help as well, and if it does give him relief, that will help you eliminate some of the possibilities of the cause of this.

It was very discreetly sealed in a plastic baggie and then placed in a paper bag. Nobody should be too shocked if they open the door.opcorn:

Yes, he's still itchy too. I'm going to get some yogurt tomorrow as well but don't want to give him some just yet as that might cause diarrhea. I will try the Benadryl. I'm at a loss at this point. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[doglover83]

It's okay if your dog is licking the area, but if he's spending a lot of time doing it, that's not normal. I don't imagine that it's a really serious problem, but it's probably uncomfortable for your dog, so I would take her to the vet. he may have a small infection or the area may just be inflamed.