My dog's anus is bleeding and raw, but she seems fine. What to do?

Red’s anus does look irritated and I can see some redness on the underside of his tail as well. He might be licking due to irritation from full anal glands, parasites or allergies. I would recommend having your vet examine him and check his anal glands. They may want to check a stool sample as well. Oral or topical medications might help. I would recommend putting an e-collar on to prevent licking until you can get to the vet.

That does look odd. As a guess, I would suspect an infection or perhaps a prolapse. I recommend to discuss with the veterinarian some type of anti-inflammatory or even an antibiotic. The vet should also preform a rectal exam to get a better idea of the anatomy of the anus. Make sure to keep the area from trauma so She may need to wear an elizabethan collar at all times. She should also not drag her rectum on the ground (and if she does, keep her off rough surfaces). An omega 3 fatty acid supplement will not correct the problem but it may help to decrease inflammation and condition the skin. Prolapses sometimes require surgical correction. Have your pup examined again to discuss options. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

That is likely to be caused by a colitis which is an inflammation of the last part of the intestine. Most of the times these episodes are dietary related but secondary bacterial infections are common and can perpetuate clinical signs. I would recommend a check up to confirm this clinical suspicion and give appropriate treatment. Antibiotics are required together with probiotic and dietary change.. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Based on the location, I am concerned that the left anal sac may be the cause for the bleeding. Dogs can develop anal sac abscesses, which is an infection of the anal sac (there are two located at the margin of the anus) that can rupture to the outside. These can be painful and will often require antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication to manage pain and allow healing. The other potential is an anal sac mass. Due to Ben's age I would be very concerned for this. Unfortunately there is not much that can be done from home for either of these conditions. It would be recommended to try to find the closest veterinarian to you and have Ben seen. If it is an anal sac mass, these often require surgery and have the potential to be malignant cancers.

She may have an infected anal sac or the mucous membrane of the rectum may be injured or she may have a rectal tumor. If the bleeding does not stop you will need to take her to a veterinarian or pet ER for an exam.

Poor Scarlet. If the wound is mild (the bleeding is stopping on its won, there is no muscle or deep tissue exposure, etc), you can apply pressure to stop the bleeding and clean the wound with saline rinse and apply triple antibiotic ointment. An E-collar or "cone" can prevent licking/biting and further trauma as the wound heals. However, if the bleeding does not stop on it's own, Scarlet appears to be in pain, or the wound is very deep, Scarlet should be seen by a vet right away, as she may need sutures, antibiotics, and pain medication. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The signs you are describing can be related to your dog's anal glands - these are structures that create lubrication for the feces and can become impacted or infected. You may be seeing redness around the anus because your dog has been scooting or licking/chewing the area. Another cause can be a bacterial or fungal infection. I recommend having your dog seen by a vet as soon as possible, they can perform a rectal exam to determine if there are any anal gland issues. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!