Anal Irritation

My dog is 8 and of undetermined pedigree. Recently has begun to lick his anal area and i'm wondering what to do about this?

[AireScottie]

This often means the anal glands are full and need to be expressed.  It's something that needs to be done by a vet unless you've been trained.  Has he been suddenly sitting or scooting his rear end across the ground?  These are also things they do when the anal glands are full.

[Jaybay]

Definitely have your vet check out the anal glands.  It's a common problem in dogs, but you don't want to let it go as an impacted anal gland can turn into a nasty abscess if not expressed.  No worries at all as long as it's treated.  :-)

[M_Celeste]

I concur with the two previous posters - it sounds like an anal gland problem.  Is it every accompanied by a fishy kind of odor?  I've noticed when my mini schuanzer's anal glands sometimes "act up" they give off that sort of smell.  You can just take him to a vet or groomer & ask them to express his anal glands.  And yes, they can get impacted.  And when they do, it's not pretty.  I would also suggest getting him checked for worms, as licking & scratching of the anal area can suggest pinworms & various other kinds of parasites.

Good luck!