My dog has red bumps and chews her anus. How to relieve until vet?

It could be an [anal gland abscess](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anal-glands-sacs-impactions-infections-abscesses-in-dogs). This occurs when the anal glands do not fully empty during the act of defecation resulting in inflammation, impaction and infection. Have her examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. This may include sedation followed by lancing, draining and flushing the abscess. Antibiotics and pain management will likely be indicated. Topical treatment may not be sufficient. An e-collar (cone) can be used to prevent licking until she sees the doctor. Afterwards, you can have her glands expressed (emptied) regularly and add additional [fiber](https://www.petcoach.co/article/high-fiber-diets-anal-gland-disease-in-dogs/) to her diet to[ prevent recurrence](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-prevent-impacted-dog-anal-glands).

Red’s anus does look irritated and I can see some redness on the underside of his tail as well. He might be licking due to irritation from full anal glands, parasites or allergies. I would recommend having your vet examine him and check his anal glands. They may want to check a stool sample as well. Oral or topical medications might help. I would recommend putting an e-collar on to prevent licking until you can get to the vet.

Hi there and thanks for posting. Certain shampoos or sprays may irritate the skin and anus especially if she has a history of sensitive skin. Sometimes the groomers will express the anal glands as part of their grooming routine. If that was the case, sometimes there can be a small amount of inflammation afterwards especially if the anal sacs were very full. She may also have a skin infection or infection of the anal sacs as well which may be unrelated to the grooming. Feel free to send along pictures or you can also request a consult with me to share pictures and I can provide additional feedback. I hope this helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The signs you are describing can be related to your dog's anal glands - these are structures that create lubrication for the feces and can become impacted or infected. You may be seeing redness around the anus because your dog has been scooting or licking/chewing the area. Another cause can be a bacterial or fungal infection. I recommend having your dog seen by a vet as soon as possible, they can perform a rectal exam to determine if there are any anal gland issues. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

It's a little difficult to tell from your picture alone - being able to examine and touch a lump in person makes it much easier to determine what it is. This could be a skin tumor, a small abscess or inflammatory nodule, or a lesion from something like contact hypersensitivity. I would recommend having this lump examined by your veterinarian since it looks red and possibly like there is discharge. If he is licking or chewing at the lump you should put an e-collar on him until you can see a veterinarian. They may know what it is after being able to examine it or may recommend taking an aspirate sample using a small needle to look for cells under the microscope.

Oh dear, poor Sadie! Her skin issues coupled with the redness and swelling of her anus and vulva could be due to underlying allergies to fleas, food or the environment. I see that she has not been spayed, so it is also possible that her vulva is red and swollen if she is going into heat. The anus can be red and irritated from parasites or anal gland issues, as well. At this point, I recommend assuring that Sadie is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or K9 Advantix II). You can try bathing her in a gentle oatmeal shampoo or antimicrobial shampoo, but she will likely need to go to her vet for an exam. The vet will be able to assess her changes and determine if a skin infection is present as a result of her ongoing itching. She may need to have a course of antibiotics and anti-itch medications to help resolve this issue. I hope that all goes well!

Honestly, it could be either from these photographs. If she's not scratching or dragging her bottom and the puffiness is the only symptom at this time, I would keep an eye on it. If it doesn't improve or resolve in a couple of days, I recommend getting her seen by your vet for an exam.