My dog won't stop licking her rear end. What's causing this behavior?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is difficult to know without an exam. However, this is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Full or impacted anal glands are one possibility, especially if she is scooting her back end on the floor. Your veterinarian or groomer can express (empty) them if necessary. Other causes would be allergies, parasites or discomfort around the area. Ideally, Ruby should be seen by your veterinarian to diagnose and address the underlying cause. Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent excessive licking until she sees the doctor.

She may be coming into heat which could be causing her to feel irritated down there, making her scratch which damages tge skin barrier and can cause skin infection. Or alternatively she has simply got a skin infection. The skin does look inflamed and the dark pigment could just be natural colour change or it could caused by yeast. She looks sore so I would have the vet examine her and determine exactly what microbes ate present in the area and then decide how best to treat. She may just need an antinflammatory or antihistamine but I suspect she will also require an antimicrobial.

Livi could be suffering from skin allergy or it could be that her anal glands are full and annoying her. I would visit the vet and have them check her glands, they can be expressed if full. Whilst there the vet can examine her skin for any signs of a problem.

Poor pup! It sounds like he may have some irritation in this area. This can sometimes happen due to skin irritation from the clippers (if his rear end was shaved), a local allergic reaction to the shampoo or other grooming products, or possibly even an anal gland problem since this often causes dogs to act this way. I would recommend getting a topical hydrocortisone spray or ointment labeled for dogs (you can get this at Walmart or most pet stores) and apply to the area to help soothe it. You can also get him a plastic e-collar if needed to keep him from continuing to lick the area and make it more irritated. If he's still acting uncomfortable after 24 hours, I would recommend having him seen by a vet to determine the problem and get him prescription medication to relieve the discomfort.

Hello, thank you for your question about Jamar. Chewing/licking/itching can be signs of underlying skin disease in addition to fleas. I would recommend having Jamar evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can examine his skin and discuss the need for skin testing such as an impression smear or gentle skin scrape. This will look for signs of infection or allergies. Depending on the results of these tests your veterinarian can discuss treatment options with you. Hope this helps, good luck!

There can be several possible causes of Riley's abnormal behaviors, including irritation from full anal glands, parasites or seizure activity. That said, if Riley is aware and responsive to you at all times, seizures seem less likely. Anal glands are scent glands that typically empty with a bowel movement, but sometimes they need to be manually emptied. If this continues, Riley should be seen by her vet to express/empty her anal glands and check a stool sample for the presence of parasites.