worms??

Question
HAVE A 6MO.OLD MALE POODLE,He IS RUBBING  HIS BUTT COULD HE HAVE WORMS,???HOW WOULD I TELL,AND IF HE DOES WHAT CAN I DO TO GET RID OF THEM

Answer
Hello Betty,
Your dog most likely doesn't have worms, but instead his Anal Glands may be full.  You will need to either express them yourself or have a Groomer or Vet express them.
To do it yourself, you will need to put him in the tub and raise his tail.  You will notice swelling on either side of his anus.  These are the Anal Glands.  Normally the dog will express them on their own when they have a bowel movement, but sometimes they get impacted and need to be squeezed by hand.  Place your thumb and finger on either side of the glands and give them a gentle squeeze.  Its kind of like squeezing a pimple.  You may want to wear gloves.  Also, watch your face because sometimes the liquid can go in any direction.  (which is why you are doing this IN THE TUB).  Sometimes the liquid is watery, sometimes its thick and its almost always smelly, which is normal.  
Your dog may not like this, so you may need help to restrain him so he doesn't think you are hurting him and try to nip or bite.  

It could be worms if you express the anal glands and your dog is still rubbing his butt.  If you still think that he has worms, check his droppings.  You will see either white "Rice" looking worms in his poo, or you will see long whip-like worms.  If you see either kind of worms in his feces, you will need to take a Poo sample in to your Vet in a plastic baggie for them to check.  

I hope this has helped you some.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim