What are the causes of itchy dog butt

The ''scooting'' or licking often is anal glands. You can have a vet or a groomer empty them. It looks easy, but I wouldn't try it without the help of an experienced person. It could also be worms. If you go to a vet and take a stool sample, the vet can empty the glands and check for worms. Some dogs just seem to need to have the glands emptied now and then.

If the itching is less directed to the anus, it could be fleas or other parasites. Don't rely on seeing fleas to tell your dog has them. Pull the hair back at the base of the tail. If you can see or feel gritty, dark reddish specks, you dog has fleas. There are a number of effective once a month products. The best come from the vet. I can't say my dogs would have fleas if I wasn't using Revolution on them, but with it the last 3 years, I haven't seen any sign of them even with an older dog with a flea allergy.

Anal glands

I tend to think it's the anal glands as well. When the sacs do not empty on their own, it's very uncomfortable for the dog, leading to scooting and licking. It's best to take the dog to the vet to check it out. Sometimes, anal sacs that do not empty on their own can become infected, leading to potentially serious health problems. If your vet tells you it's full anal sacs, then you might want to think about adding a teaspoon to a tablespoon (depending on your dog's size) of canned, organic, unsweetened pumpkin to your dog's food each day. It is extremely fibrous and helps harden the stool, which helps the glands empty on their own. As always, check with your vet before adding anything new to your dog's diet.