My dog is scooting, eating grass, and very hungry. Is it urgent?

Anal gland discomfort from impaction or infection could also cause scooting, but I would not expect to see coughing or a decrease in appetite. The coughing could be a sign of a respiratory infection like kennel cough, other respiratory disease or heart disease. Heartworm is another relatively common cause of coughing if Ferdinand is not on a preventative. If his decrease in appetite continues for more than 24 hours I would recommend seeing a veterinarian (on an emergency basis if necessary). They can examine him and recommend tests for the cough and check his anal glands.

I'm quite worried about Apollo from your description of what's happening. The most common reason a dog will squat as if to defecate and not have anything come out, is actually if the dog has diarrhea. Diarrhea causes inflammation in the intestines, which tends to give the sensation of needing to defecate, even if there's nothing left to pass! I agree, Apollo's rectum appears quite swollen and inflamed. The swollen appearance could be partially due to the fact that he's not neutered, but it could also indicate a chronic problem with his GI tract or anal glands. However, the most alarming symptom to me is that he is now refusing food and water and appears weak. These are very worrying symptoms, and if he's not eating or drinking, and likely has diarrhea, he can become dehydrated very quickly. I recommend a vet visit as soon as possible! Hope this helps and I hope Apollo feels better soon.

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.

The worms can be tapeworms and they often look like small pieces of rice. They get these from eating a flea. It can cause itching and irritation around there anus. However an infectedcor impacted anal gland can also cause the same symptoms and can rupture if untreated. I would take him to the vet to have the worms confirmed and get medicine for that. They can also chechnyhebgkabds to make sure antibiotics aren't needed to help. This does not have to be as an emergency thiugh, if he is eating and drinking well you can schedule an appointment for tomorrow

Garling noises are called borborygmi and this can be normal stomach noises, but when heard along with lack of appetite this suggests gastritis (inflamed stomach). Gastritis can be cause by many things including dietary indiscretion (eating something he shouldn't have), FB ingestion, and many organ malfunctions. The rubbing of the side of his butt on things is also a sign that his anal glands (two sacs located on the inside of his rectum at the 4 o'clock and 10 o'clock position) are possibly full and irritating him. Anal glands are suspected to be caused by allergies and also often get full when pets go through bouts of diarrhea, because normally they are expressed when hard feces push past them. Because of the multiple factors that are affecting your pet, and the possible need for him to get his anal glands manually expressed to reduce discomfort, I am recommending taking him into your vet for a good exam. If he is found to have some GI upset then an appropriate antibiotics can be prescribed to help him. I would also recommend a probiotic, such as Culturelle over the counter or one from your vet, and a bland diet of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese to help settle the stomach over the next 4-7 days, then slowly transition him back to his normal diet if all goes well.

Poor Duke! Yes, this certainly could be an issue with his anal sacs, and that would be very itchy to him. They may be impacted and need to be expressed. It could also be caused by intestinal worms, and he may need a deworming treatment such as Panacur if he isn't up to date on that medication. I would take him into the vet on Monday, as he sounds very uncomfortable. Bring along a sample of his feces for the vet to look for worm eggs in it. The vet can also check his anal sacs and express them as needed. I hope this helps!

I’m sorry Winston isn’t feeling well. The little growth on the leg should be looked at at some point but I don’t think it is associated with what you describe. You don’t mention how long these symptoms have been occurring . There are multiple possibilities, but some top concerns would be megaesophagus, kidney disease, pancreatitis, and aspiration pneumonia. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you can record any of the “events” and take the videos with you to the appointment that is always helpful. They may want to do some blood work and possibly take an x-ray to help with a diagnosis. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.