My dog has runny diarrhea with mucus and is licking his anus. Why?

Poor guy. He either has really loose stool or an anal gland issues. The anal glands are located inside the rectum and can get infected or even rupture, causing leakage of fluid that is very strong and smelly. I would definitely recommend taking him to your vet on tomorrow if possible to get this looked at. Either condition is very treatable through your vet with medications (i.e. antibiotics). For now, it is best to just wipe the area gently with a wet cloth or paper towel. If the area appears to be irriated, you can also apply a cold compress on the area if he will allow it, for 2-5 mins to help soothe the area. Also an epsom salt water solution can help clean the area and provide additional relief. I hope that Frankie's rear end improves soon! Best wishes and take care. : )

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He may be licking due to allergies. Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Jameson evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. You can use an e-collar in the meantime to prevent further self-trauma. 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!

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.

It sounds like Benji need to be seen by a veterinarian. The diarrhea may be causing the external irriation around his rectum or he may have an anal gland infection or impaction. Your veterinarian will be able to determine the issue and address it appropriately. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

That could be either coming from the anal glands (most likely) or the rectum. In the first case anal glands impaction or infection are the most common causes, in the second cases a colitis is possible but usually diarrhea is present as well. A veterinary check up would be needed to check and confirm this suspicion (the anal gland problem).

I'm sorry to hear Colonial Rhett is having trouble. He could have an anal gland abscess, colitis, intestinal parasites, or even a tumor causing him to bleed from his rectum. A warm compress and bland diet will not hurt, but I would take him in to your vet to have him examined. If he has an anal gland abscess, he likely needs the area flushed and treated with an antibiotic and pain medication. If he has colitis, he may need a diet change and different antibiotics. Your vet will be able to determine the best course of treatment after checking out the area and possibly doing a fecal test on him.

Diarrhea can be caused by a food sensitivity, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, an intestinal blockage, bacterial infection, viral infection, the weather, food change, stress, etc. Drooling is usually a sign of nausea, but can also involve bad teeth or an injury or tumor in the mouth. I would fast Jacob for 24 hours and then put him on bland food for two days, such as boiled white rice and boiled white boneless chicken meat, fed in small quantities over several feeds and then transition back to regular food slowly over a few days. If this does not clear up the diarrhea or if your dog gets lethargic, heneeds to see a veterinarian for an exam as there may be something more serious such as an infection going on.