My dog keeps looking at his butt. Is it anal glands or constipation?

This sounds like Riley may be in pain on his hind end. He may have an anal sac problem such as an anal sac impaction or infection or abscess. Another problem could be that his hips are hurting, a sprain or other trauma to his hind end. I suggest you take him to a veterinarian for an exam. An anal sac problem (which is very painful) can be easily treated, whereas a musculo-skeletal problem may need x-rays to determine the condition and treatment.

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She may be experiencing pain or discomfort while defecating and this can occur for a variety of reasons. Swelling around the anal region could be an indication of an impacted or infected anal gland. The constipation you describe could be due to lack of fiber in the diet, eating something out of the ordinary, or perhaps an infectious cause such as an intestinal worm infection. If Mila has not seen her veterinarian for this yet, I would recommend this happen soon. Her veterinarian may recommend an exam, anal gland expression, and fecal test to help determine a cause so she can be treated appropriately. I hope this helps!

Your pup could have impacted anal sacs, intestinal worms, back pain, or hip pain among other causes leading to these symptoms. He does sound very uncomfortable based on your description, and based on that, I would have him seen by an ER vet or find a vet on call to see him right away. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms, and can treat him for them.

Hi there. This behavior is actually a common compulsive behavior in Miniature Schauzers, and is thought to have a genetic basis in some affected dogs. It sounds like your veterinarian has done a good job of ruling out an obvious medical issue that could be contributing, such as constipation, spinal pain, dermatitis, anal gland issues, etc. You might consider talking to your vet about a trial course of an anti-inflammatory medication such as prednisone and/or a medication for neuropathic pain such as gabapentin if these things have not been tried yet - some dogs will respond favorably to these meds, even without a specific diagnosis. If there is no response to medical therapy and no evidence of a physical problem can be found, then the problem is likely behavioral. In that case, I would recommend seeing a veterinary behaviorist for a full evaluation and treatment plan, as these issues can be challenging to treat without expert help. Most dogs with compulsive behavior issues will require a detailed training and management plan as well as medication to see significant improvement. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

It could be his anal glands, he could have an infection or an impaction, i would recommend taking him to your vet to get it checked ASAP. if the anal glands are infected he will need a course of antibiotics, if they are impacted they will need to be manually emptied.

I recommend bringing him to your vet ASAP to have his anal glands expressed. Full anal gland can be extremely uncomfortable or even painful for dogs and can even lead to perianal fistula (ruptured anal glands) if not expressed in a timely fashion. Many vets hospitals will do anal gland expressions without charging an office visit/exam fee. However if the anal glands are not full, a full exam by your veterinarian to determine if there is any obvious lesion in either Gunner’s perianal region or musculoskeletal pain would be helpful.

Have him seen by your veterinarian. The most common, and easiest to treat, cause is full or impacted anal glands. Normally, the anal glands are emptied during the act of defecation. In some dogs, this doesn't happen and the glands fill up, become impacted and could abscess. This would result in the symptoms described. Your veterinarian can Express the glands manually, flush them and instill medication if necessary. Antibiotics and pain medications are also sometimes dispensed. If Scooby is licking back there, place an e-collar (cone) on him until he sees the doctor.