# Holding In Poop After Grooming



## Lavendergrey (Sep 19, 2012)

my Lhasa Apso mix was groomed yesterday morning, and since coming home he has been intentionally holding in his poop. He did eat after coming home, because I basically led him to his food and he was starving, however he would not eat dinner, but drank tons of water. He also held in his urine for many hours because every time he tried to go, I could tell his reflexes would want to poop, so he'd tuck his hindquarters under, tail and all, and scoot away. It is obvious by this action, which he is doing almost constantly, that he is holding it in. I don't understand why, unless he doesn't like being shaved around his anus. He behaved similarly the last time (which was after being groomed many, many times with no issues) so I thought something negative happened, and took him elsewhere this time. I finally got him to pee last night before bed, but he scooted himself back into the house and into his crate immediately after finally peeing. This morning he was trembling in his crate when I got up, so I took him out back and he did pee, but is still holding his poop and trembling if I try to get him up and walking. He is basically wanting to just lay curled up and not be required to move. Late in the day yesterday and early evening, I walked him up and down the street, and around the back yard twice, in an effort to get him to go, and he did act like his body wanted to but the little bugger has strong muscles and he tucked and scooted and no poop was had. I realize it hasn't been a really long time, but since he typically poops twice a day, every day, I am worried about his behavior and am assuming he will not eat or poop this morning. I will walk him anyway, hoping he will finally let go. If he doesn't, is there something I can do or give him that will trigger his poop reflex to the point that he can no longer hold it in? I've looked at his anus 3 times and cannot see that anything is wrong or injured in any way, so I am asking for some advice on what to do, if anything.

UPDATE: Well, we walked and he finally pooped. Yay! Now that we are home again, he ate about half his breakfast and then scooted into the other room. So, he is still behaving in the same way, but he did go so I'm happy. I guess when I have him groomed I will need to alert the groomer to not get too intimate with him around his anus, and to just trim it without shaving it and upsetting him. Sheesh.


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## schmikry (Nov 19, 2012)

I'm having literally this exact same issue with my small dog. He was having anal gland issues and my husband expressed them and shaved around the area, which sounds similarly to what your dog had done (the shaving at least). Now he is exhibiting the exact behavior you are explaining. 

Today I walked him, and he was perfectly fine for the first half hour of our walk, tail up and happy, prancing around, sniffing and peeing everywhere. Then, about 30 minutes in, he attempted to poop and it didn't go spectacularly, and about 2 minutes later he started acting this way again. We had to make it the rest of our way back from the walk, and he worked himself up into quite a stressed out state by the time we arrived home. 

I've checked (multiple times), poked and prodded around the anus and nothing appears to be inflamed or out of the ordinary, and he will let me poke around as much as I like with no protest, so he does not appear injured. It's very confusing to me. Our regular vet is closed until Monday, but if he isn't better tomorrow we will probably take him in to an e-vet, just because I have no idea how to solve this scenario and I've never experienced it.


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## Lavendergrey (Sep 19, 2012)

Schmikry, I'm sorry your dog is having troubles like mine. To be honest, I have no idea if the groomer(s) have ever done an anal gland expression on my dog. I guess this is something I should know, but I've never been asked if I want it done so I've never thought it had to be unless he had issues. He has been fine, up until the last grooming and now this one. During the last one he came out of the behavior within 24 hours, but this time he is still acting like something is wrong after two days. He isn't eating, still slinking around mostly and is trembling. I put his sweater on in case he is cold (I had him clipped very short this time), but he is still trembling when I get him up to walk. He played fetch with me yesterday, a couple of times, but then reverted to his guarded, almost scared, posture after. I really expected he would turn the corner by now, so I've put a call in to the vet, to see if we can get in today. I checked his anal area again and it looks a bit irritated/pinker than it should be. He didn't want to let me look, which is normal for him, but he does seem to act like it is more of an issue than usual. So, apparently I had him clipped/shaved too closely and I feel like this is my fault. If it ends up that he is injured due to razor burn I won't be happy with the groomer. They should know enough to not get that close and to make sure the razor isn't too hot, etc. I hope your dog gets better. Post once you end up with a reason/solution.


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## schmikry (Nov 19, 2012)

I ended up taking Atlas to the E-vet yesterday because our normal vet was closed until Monday and it was 3 days in a row of this behavior, with little to no eating or drinking.

They ended up having to put him under in order to get a good look, because he was clamped down so hard on his anus that the vet couldn't take a look. The vet assumed it to be an inflammation of the cell lining of the anal glands, but after putting him under, he determined it was neither that nor an anal gland rupture. Atlas was very constipated (I'm assuming from refusing to defecate), so the vet gave us some pain meds, antibiotics, and special food to help with the constipation. He said it is possible there is a small rupture he didn't see which is why we were given the antibiotics. Regardless, he is obviously quite irritated back there which is the reason for the pain meds.

This morning is the same situation, he is behaving the same, won't eat or drink, and doesn't want to move. The vet seemed to think he would get better in time, so I am hopeful that a couple days on medicine will help. We will see I guess. 

I hope you have found some answers! Let me know if you find anything out!


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## Lavendergrey (Sep 19, 2012)

I meant to post yesterday to let you know. I took Bentley to the vet late in the afternoon. He examined him and, luckily, he wasn't clamped shut so tight that it made it difficult or impossible. Turns out he had partially expressed anal glands, so there was some leftover that had been there for a while and apparently the groomer this week didn't do a very thorough job of taking care of it. Plus, Bentley's anus is irritated, which could be razor burn or irritation, which means the groomer got a little too close for comfort.  The vet took care of the anal glands and applied an ointment to help with the inflammation. I brought home a tube of it, which I need to apply once a day for 7 days. He was already feeling better by the time we got home and I gave him his dinner, which he gobbled down! I was so happy about that. Then he collapsed from exhaustion because he gets so nervous when we go to the vet. He went poop out back last night, but I didn't realize it until I went out to look and clean up this morning. He ate his breakfast, no problem, and has been enjoying his usual treats, which I had to talk him into yesterday so he would at least have some food in him. I also had to put water into a spray bottle and spray it onto his mouth, then he would lick the spray so at least he got a little water, as well. So, Bentley is feeling good, is much perkier and playful today, so apparently having that issue with his anal glands was the problem, for the most part. I'll have to instruct the groomer from now on so this doesn't happen again.

I'm sorry to read that Atlas is not doing well, and that it seems to be more than just a simple fix. He's a cute little guy.  Hopefully, after being on the meds for a day or so he will perk up and begin to feel better. Keep me posted on how he is doing.


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