If your dog is leaving skid marks anywhere they sit or scoot, your panic and frustration are totally valid.
Not all dogs leave skid marks, and if your dog is, it can signify one of many underlying issues ranging from lack of grooming to several health issues.
While some severe cases require medical treatments and prescription medicine for the management, there are a few at-home ways you can prevent your pooch from leaving skid marks behind.
That being said, if the issue is chronic, despite proper after-toilet hygiene and grooming, please note that a vet visit is due for your pooch soon. Especially if the poop stain is often accompanied by blood, we’d recommend you make a vet appointment before you continue reading this post.
In this post, we will not only discuss why dogs leave skid marks but also on ways you can stop your pooch from doing so. If your dog is skidding across the floor alarmingly often, this post will also help you understand the underlying reasons behind the behavior. So, why is your dog leaving skid marks? Let’s find out!
Why Does My Dog Leave Skid Marks?
If your doggo doesn’t have serious rectal issues, often, skid marks left behind are due to leftover feces on a bushy bum area. Moreover, if your dog hasn’t been fed a good fiber-rich diet lately, loose stool or diarrhea can also cause your pooch to leave poop marks wherever they sit. Having said that, it is important to be mindful that your dog is not suffering from serious health conditions such as rectal incontinence or glands infection and inflammation.
If your poor doggo is suffering from diarrhea or loose bowel, it is normal for them to leave skid marks. Especially if your dog has little to no tail, the chances of the stains are even more likely. While a dog’s sphincter naturally retracts after the pooping session and thus is quite clean down there, cling-ons might be the reason for the marks if your furry friend is a little too furry.
If the condition has been chronic or is accompanied by your pooch skidding across the floor, inflammation around the bottom, or any other symptoms, the issue might be deep-rooted.
Sphincter incontinence or glands expression in dogs might lead them to drip around the house involuntarily. Likewise, parasitic worms in dogs can also lead to loose stools in your dogs and need medical attention as soon as possible.
Why Do Dogs Even Skid Across the Floor in The First Place?
If your pooch has been sliding across the floor a lot lately, it is an indication of discomfort or irritation in the bum area. More often than not, the issue is related to the problems of the rectal sac (glands located at around 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock inside the anus that secrete foul juices).
Moreover, parasitic infections can also result in a similar discomfort, which causes your pooch to squid across the floor.
Blood or pus in poop, excessive licking, biting, or scooting is some of the symptoms of rectal gland inflammation in dogs. Insufficient fibers in diet, obesity, allergies, and genetics are some of the reasons why such gland issues in dogs arrises.
Healthy dogs often express the sac juices involuntary when they poop. However, dogs who cannot do so tend to suffer from infection and abscesses that cause further discomfort, pain, and involuntary dripping wherever your pooch sits.
A vet doctor should be able to diagnose if or not your pooch is suffering from a parasitic infection. Besides scooting, other symptoms accompanying the infection are diarrhea, vomiting, inactivity, worms in the stool or bottom area, and weight loss.
Nevertheless, please note that sometimes the issue might not be as severe, and your doggo might be rubbing their bottom against the floor simply to remove any cling-on.
How Do I Stop My Dog from Leaving Skid Marks?
In order to stop your dog from leaving skid marks, it is imperative that you find the underlying cause first. If you see feces remnants, a lack of hygiene, or loose stool issues, you need to focus more on the hygiene and diet of your pooch. However, in case of inflammation, scooting, or other symptoms, it is best to consult with a veterinary expert as soon as possible.
You have most likely already started wiping your pooch’s bottom after every poop session. However, we’d also recommend getting their bottom hair groomed by a groomer to ensure that cling-ons aren’t the problem. Also, try feeding probiotic and fiber-rich dog treats and food to your poor baby if they are suffering from digestive issues.
If the issue still persists, we recommend you consult with a pet doctor for further diagnosis. They will check if your dog’s bum sacs need expression. Although the expression is completely doable at home by following proper sanitary techniques, it is recommended against until the doctor pinpoints it as the underlying problem and prescribes the pet parent to do so.
Conclusion
There can be quite a few reasons your dog is leaving skid marks behind, and being observant about their other behaviors and symptoms definitely helps a medical professional make a diagnosis sooner and better. We hope this post will help you better understand your pooch’s health issue. Our final tip would be to refrain from self-diagnosing and consult with an expert to curate a proper diet, lifestyle, and treatment plan for your adorable pooch.
