Scooting is most commonly caused by anal sac inflammation or infection. Anal sacs are located on either side of the anus. They contain a very smelly, oily substance that is normally expressed (squeezed out) when the animal defecates. Sometimes the secretions can thicken or the animal gains weight and they don't get expressed properly. This can lead to impaction and ultimately infection. The condition can be irritating, itchy and extremely painful at various stages. A trip to the vet is warranted for examination and expression of these sacs.
For an excellent "tutorial" of this condition and explanation of how the sacs are emptied, please see the Cat's Guide, Franny Syufy's article, How Do I Express my Cat's Anal Glands?.
Other reasons for scooting include: skin irritation from diarrhea, razor burn (if the area was recently clipped), a "hot spot", anal tumors that have become infected, or sometimes parasites.
In any case, a trip to the vet is warranted. Infections in this area can quite quickly become painful and cause your pet to avoid defecation, leading to secondary constipation.
From the Forum Archives: "I took my Shih Tsu to the groomer yesterday and he is having a very bad time now around his anal area. She expressed his anal gland but now he is acting really weird. He won't walk far and runs to sit down on carpet. He is also paying a lot of attention to the area." TRISHAMILLAR Read more...
