Why is my dog crawling on his stomach? Is it normal or a concern?

Hello. Well, it looks like your pup is having a good back rub? Is any of this behavior concerning you? Are you seeing any lesions, or is the puppy acting out in any distress? If you could supply additional information, perhaps we can be a little more specific. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would suspect that Maxie is itchy. Sometimes young dogs will drag their abdomen on the carpet as a way of scratching themselves. They can develop a rash on their abdomen and back legs that needs to be treated with either a topical medication or oral medication. I would recommend taking her in for an exam with your vet. She is very young and will need to be updated on vaccinations, so her skin can likely be addressed at the same time.

When you say scooting I am assuming you mean scooting his rear end on the floor? This is a sign that his bottom is itchy or otherwise bothering him. It can be a sign of intestinal parasites, anal gland problems, and skin irritation. If it continues I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. Be sure to take a fresh poop sample with you to your appointment. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

For whatever reason puppies just tend to be itchier and scratch more often than adult dogs. If his skin looks 100% normal where he's been itchy it may not be anything to be concerned about. If you notice him scratching his ears, if there are red spots or hair loss on his belly, or if he seems so itchy that he isn't comfortable you may want to see your vet for an exam.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the picture you provided, I suspect that Baby may be dealing with a bacterial skin infection. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Baby so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Baby will likely need to go on a course of an oral antibiotic and topical therapy such as a shampoo and spray. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to things such as an anal sac abscess, or just anal sac inflammation or impaction. Sometimes dogs can do this due to minimal impaction of the anal sacs and resolves on its own. I recommend that you continue to monitor Max for now. If this continues in the next day or two, have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

This may be normal. Bentley could have eaten more than usual. If he's otherwise acting normally, I would not worry. Scooting the butt can be due to an anal sac problem, and they may need to be expressed. Have him seen by a vet for that and while there, the vet can check out his stomach. I hope this helps!