Loose Stool and bum scooting

[ellebelli]

Hi, Just asking to see if anyone on here has any ideas.
My 9mth old Cocker typically has soft stools, he does produce a solid one but over the course of the day it becomes more loose.
He also drags his bottom a lot.
He is up to date with worming
We have slightly reduced his food in case he was being over fed.
I am wondering if he needs his anal glands emptying?
Or could it be a sensitivity to something?
We will go to the Vets if things do not improve, but thought some advice on things to try first would be good

Anal gland issues are by far the commonest cause of sudden bottom scooting, although it can also be caused by a sore anus, for example following diarrhoea or in hairy dogs when faeces gets trapped in hair, or dogs with allergies. Worms are not a common cause at all in my 30 years as a vet, in animals that have been wormed with modern drugs. Sometimes dogs will have a sudden bout of AG problems. I’d definitely get him checked for this if there’s no visible cause.

Thank you for your message.
would you say the looser stools are a cause for concern? He does do "normal" ones also.

Loose poo can mean the anal glands aren't emptying properly, which causes the dog to scoot.

The fact that his poo starts "normal" and gets progressively softer could be a sign that he's being over fed.

My pup did this and after 2 years have worked out he is allergic to chicken. Its in most dog food/treats so you have to actively avoid it - might be worth a try?

It can be a sensitivity to the food he's on. Might be worth switching to a gastro intestinal/sensitive one.