"Scooting" --Picture now available of Lola

[LGahr]

I have always had dogs but this one has me bewildered. Am not a novice in this area at all...but, geez--

I got a little tiny and I do mean "tiny" female Chihuahua two weeks ago. she is cute and all that but she scoots her

butt on the carpet. I was reading the forum as I noticed and decided to ask....is this a common trait with chihuahuas or something?

My other dogs never did this. I took her to vet last week about 3 days after bringing her home....she got a clean bill of health and I mentioned it to him. She seems so young to do such a thing......he said not to worry if any worms they would be gone in no time and he wormed her. I am wondering if maybe she has impacted anal glands at ten weeks but am hesitant to express them at such a young age. So, here I am at 5 am asking this silly question at this silly hour but maybe someone out there has a chihuahua or knows the breed and can give me some insight. Has been a long long time since I was raising a puppy and maybe I am missing something. Am feeding her about five times a day. She only eats six or so pieces of dry food with1 teaspoon of "wet" food and usually does not clean it up. she has dry food available 24/7 but does not show any interest in it. Of course, fresh water alway, and when not right with me she is in a pack and play so she can't get lost or stepped on.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I do not want this to become a habitual learned behavior....my husband will have a hissy if he sees her.

(like I really need to worry about this, too! omg.....what was I thinking????)

 

[Connie P]

My first thought was the anal gland. I think we need to see pictures of this little cutie!

 

[Kendra]

My chihuahua scoots his butt regularly, way more often than any other dog we've had. The vets always give him a clean bill of health.

Our big dog, who does get impacted anal glands, never scoots. Go figure.

 

[funnybunny]

Here are some reasons a dog scoots:

Anal glands need evacuating

Groomer has clipped hair around anus and new hair growth "tickles"

Dog is a bit constipated

Worms are tickling

Habit

 

[LGahr]

Thank you all for your help. I am warming the canned food now instead of adding warm water when I mix it with the dry-- if anything her stools are too moist. Not constipated that is for sure..... She has never had her butt clipped so no tickling.....oh please, no, do not let this become a habit!!!!

Am wiping her little fanny now with cotton ball when I take her out of pack and play and everytime she goes on the pee pads. I never thought I would spend my time wiping an 18 ounce dog's butt.....but whatever works. Nothing was achieved by attempting to express anal gland but I was real cautious trying to do it.....so, now I will wait and see.

I will post a picture tonite when things are calmer. thanks again....

 

[jbrat]

Poor Lola, I sure hope she doesn't have any problems. And that it is a habit she'll out grow????

She soooooooo Cute and very Tiny.

Here's a couple pics.

all snuggled in her bed.

this pic. was taken by the breeder

 

[picasso]

Absolutely precious. Looks like a toy.

 

[Leeana]

Wow....well she is the cutest little thing i've ever seen

 

[RallyZ]

Ohhhhh sooooo cute.

If her stools are too soft they may not be expressing the anal glands when she eliminates. Have you changed her food since you got her? I would be trying to get her stools firmed up before manually expressing the glands.

 

[Connie P]

Now those pictures brought a HUGE smile to my face. She is an absolutel doll baby!

 

[ruffian]

I "Roomed" with a chihuahua at Nationals, and she was just a sweetheart! She would bounce onto my bed, and cuddle up, and I couldn't even feel her!

 

[Leeana]

I "Roomed" with a chihuahua at Nationals, and she was just a sweetheart! She would bounce onto my bed, and cuddle up, and I couldn't even feel her!

I roomed with that same chihuahua too...she slept on me one night actually

, they are such good dogs

 

[barefoot]

I have a Chi too. She is my baby. NOthing like them. I have joined a forum http://www.chihuahua-people.com/ Lots of good info.

The other possiblity for the scooting is allergies to her food. I guess Chi's are prone to it. It also shows up as tear stains under the eyes. My little girl was 5 when we got her and she had terrible stains. It is yeast over load I guess

Her undereye is super clean now.

You can find names of grain free dog foods at. www.dogfoodanalysis.com Under reviews ANything with a rating of a 5 or 6 is good. We have used Wellness Core with good results. A raw diet is awesome too.

 

[barefoot]

Here is a good discussion on tear staining

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread...ght=tear+stains

Here's one on the scooting

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread...hlight=scooting

 

[BigDogs & LittleHorses]

Thank God my Saint Bernards have never done that. OH!

Daryl

 

[LGahr]

Here is a good discussion on tear staining
http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread...ght=tear+stains

Here's one on the scooting

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread...hlight=scooting

thank you for the links am going to see what I can find. I never considered a food allergy. She does not have excess water in her eyes at this point but I will watch it carefully. Her breeder said use Diamond or Canidea -- I am using Canidea because that is what I found locally but maybe her breeder fed Diamond and that might account for a change in feed. I will see what I can learn this morning............thanks again.

I really appreciate your help!

 

[barefoot]

I think Canidea is a grain free dog food. So that is good.

The tear staining isn't exactly watering but reddish tear stains under the eyes. From natural/normal tearing.

 

[barefoot]

Correct myself, I looked it up. Canidea makes a grain free food. Their others have some good grains in them. They are rated a 5 which is good.

Alot of the Chi people like Origen dog food. I think that most of our dogs have an allergy to grains.

 

[barefoot]

I really like this site. See if the link comes up. http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

 

[Shauna]

Hi, i'm a new Chi owner too. I am having such a fun time with her. My little Phoebe is 5 1/2 mo. old and 2 1/2 lbs. of snuggle bunny. She also did the scooting thing, but it has finally simmered down to very little now. I had a terrible time trying to find food that she would eat, and that didn't give her the squirts, which probably made her do the scooting. Maybe some of them are a little prone to sensitive digestive systems?

Any way, I am currently feeding a partial raw diet with kibble as a backup. The kibble is Dick VanPatton's Natural Balance Ultra. She is doing great now, but has to be coaxed to eat the kibble regular.

My vet has assured me that a lot of Chi's are like that, and to just keep doing what i'm doing.

Have fun with your little girl.