Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

288 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
Dogs with pseudoconstipation are restless and bite and lick at the anus.
Other signs are scooting, whining, and attempting to defecate while standing.
There is an extremely offensive odor.
Treatment: Clip away the matted hair to remove the cause of the blockage.
If the area is painful, this is best done under a general anesthetic by your
veterinarian. Keep the area clean and apply a topical ointment such as triple
antibiotic or Cortaid to the inflamed skin.
If the dog strains and does not eliminate easily, see Constipation (page 280).
Dogs who are prone to pseudoconstipation should have the hair around the
anus regularly trimmed or clipped short.
PROCTITIS (INFLAMED ANUS AND RECTUM)
Inflammation of the anal skin can be caused by pseudoconstipation. Repeated
bouts of diarrhea, especially in puppies, can cause an inflamed anus. Other
causes are insect bites and worms. Irritation of the anal canal is caused by the
passage of bone chips and hard stools.
Straining is a common sign of proctitis. Other signs are scooting, licking,
and biting at the rear.
Treatment: Irritated anal skin can be soothed by applying an ointment
such as that described for pseudoconstipation (see page 287). Clean the area
thoroughly first with warm water and a mild soap. Treat constipation and
diarrhea as described earlier in this chapter.
ANORECTAL PROLAPSE (PROTRUSION OF ANAL TISSUE)
Anorectal prolapse is the protrusion of rectal tissue through the anus. It
occurs after forceful and prolonged straining. Conditions associated with
forceful straining include severe constipation, fecal impaction, diarrhea, an
anorectal obstruction, labor and delivery, an obstructed bladder, and heavy
parasite loads, especially in puppies.
A mucosal prolapse is confined to the lining of the anal canal. It appears as
a red, swollen, doughnut-shaped ring of tissue. This might be mistaken for
prolapsed hemorrhoids, but dogs don’t get hemorrhoids. In a complete rectal
prolapse, a segment of rectum several inches long protrudes through the anus,
appearing as a pink or red cylindrical mass.
Treatment: A mucosal prolapse disappears spontaneously when the underlying
cause of straining is corrected. The dog should be placed on a stool softener
such as Colace and fed a highly digestible, low-residue diet until
symptoms resolve.
A rectal prolapse requires veterinary management to reduce the prolapse.
A temporary purse-string suture may be made around the anal opening to prevent
immediate recurrence. If the prolapsed bowel is necrotic (the tissue is