Why does my dog scoot his bottom along the floor?
‘It can be caused by allergies’
Often when an owner brings in their pet pooch for their annual vaccination, towards the end of the consultation they will mention that their dog has been ‘scooting’ or ‘shuffling’ their bottom along the ground and ask why they are doing this. A dog will carry out this odd ritual when they are experiencing irritation or itchiness. You may also notice that they quickly glance behind themselves for no apparent reason, or chew at their flanks in an attempt to get some relief. While many owners are quick to assume that worms are the cause of the irritation, this is not often the case – though it can easily be ruled out by ensuring their parasite prevention is up to date. In my experience, the issue tends to be caused by impacted anal sacs, or itchy skin due to allergies. Once the sacs have been emptied by the vet, and any allergy brought under control, your dog will be much more comfortable.