My dog is scooting, straining, weak, and won't eat. What's happening?

This small red bulge is likely his rectum, and he is clearly pushing very hard if that is appearing. He will be in discomfort if he's straining that hard to poop, and I would have Koda seen by a vet today. It's not normal to have his rectum bulge out when he's trying to pass feces, and he may need medications to stop this.

What I am understanding from your question is that Oso is walking fine, and he can stand without a problem. However, he isn't eating much and he's more lethargic. (he isn't getting up and barking). His anus is going in and out as well. Is he straining to defecate? Ideally take him to your vet for an exam. Decreased appetite and lethargy are very non specific symptoms that we can see with a wide range of conditions. It would be best to have him evaluated by a vet so that the appropriate treatment can be started. I wish I had more to offer for you to try at home, but its all very non -specific, so you do need to get him in to see a vet when you can. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.

There could be a couple of reasons why Samson has diarrhea including intestinal worms, a GI illness, a sudden change in diet, or eating something rotten. If he isn't up to date on his deworming treatments, I would give him one now. Scooting could also be caused by intestinal worms, or it could be due to impacted anal sacs. If the deworming treatment doesn't help with his diarrhea or he's up to date on them, I would take him into the vet for a check up. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Your dog needs to be seen by your vet as soon as possible. Any abrupt change in behavior or attitude is a sign he's not feeling well, and without an exam from a vet there's no real way to know what's going on and therefore, how to treat it. He could have eaten something he shouldn't have that's causing an obstruction or irritation, he could have been exposed to something toxic that you weren't aware of, there's a number of possibilities. Your vet will do an exam, lab work, possibly x-rays if indicated, and based on these results, your vet will be better able to understand what is going on with your dog and how best to treat him.

Winston may possibly be working on an anal gland abscess, which is very painful and can make dogs scoot on the rear to relieve the pressure/itching. This doesn't likely have anything to do with his improved appetite recently. If he is eating more grass lately he may have some digestive upset, especially if it is combined with vomiting. Nothing you describe sounds especially urgent today, so if you want to wait to have him seen this shouldn't be a problem. It is possible Winston may have some allergy issues which can cause both anorectal itching/anal gland impactions as well as digestive concerns. He may benefit from a food allergy diet trial or allergy medication like Apoquel. If there is an abscess, he needs to be on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication. Hope that helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Shiva! The swelling around his anus is very unusual for a dog this young. It appears to be in the tissue around his anus. This can be seen in older intact male dogs and is called a perineal hernia. Stool, bladder and other abdominal contents can get stuck in the hernia. The swelling around his anus is very concerning for a puppy this young and I highly recommend having a Vet examined him as soon as possible. The vomiting may or may not be related. If he is straining to urinate or defecate then the vomiting is likely related. Other causes of vomiting/not eating are: intestinal parasites, viral (especially parvo) and bacterial infections, he ate something that is stuck and causing a blockage, ate something outside that is upsetting his stomach, food allergy/intolerance, reaction to a new food/treat/table food. I wish you and Shiva the best!