Not worms, not fleas, what is it? Careful if you're squeemish! Any vets on?

Holly, my maltesexshihtzu is not her normal happy bouncy self....
She's running around like something is getting her bottom - like when she gets something stuck in her hair that pulls on her, but it's not that - tail down, bottom kind of low to the ground - sometimes making little growling noises or barking and then licking and grabbing at her bottom.
She's been bathed and flea treated (can't see any on her), wormed yesterday and today I googled anal gland cleaning, and (ick) did that, there was a reasonable amount (hard to estimate how much, but possibly a teaspoon) of clear brown, slightly gritty looking stuff squeeze out (stand back that stuff can squirt). She had a normal poop this morning, nice and solid. She's still doing the strange running thing since I cleaned out the glands.
I am really at a loss what else it could be - she just seems down in herself, though she's still eating as normal, just not happy but quite sulky and seems depressed.
She'll be going to the vet for her annual check up and vacs in about a week when I am on holidays, but wanted to see if anyone had any ideas prior.
Anyone got any ideas?

Anal glands would be my suggestion but you got that covered, or it covered you:)
It might take the worm tablets a couple of days to work so it could still be worms.Is she still #2's alright? Maybe constipation.

No she did a nice normal poo infront of me this morning so it's not that..... the gland stuff, it didn't get me, but it did squirt on the laundry window! Ewww!!!

Yep impacted anal glands - they can still poo its just thay they get full of gunk and have to be cleaned out. A vet will just stick a glved finger up there and apply preasure and clean the glands out. I do it for my dogs myself. It happenes if the poo is to soft and not hard enough to clean the glands out when the poo comes out...

Just read your thread properly! Can take a few days for the glands to feel better again...

Thanks Jakabella! I youtubed to see how to do it properly - and they did feel like a couple of peas to begin with, but now don't so I hope I've cleaned them out properly.
Maybe when I am at the vet I will ask them to demonstrate how to do it so I know for future reference that I am doing it properly.

wow - I have never heard about anal glands at all before. learn something new every day.

i never knew this either, would it be the same for cats or are they different??

I think cats have them too - not sure that they have the same problems that dogs do though. I dare you to youtube it!

Give the worming treatment a couple of days and see how she goes.

Also, I'm not sure if dogs can get them but could it be haemorrhoids? Or an anal fissure?

If she's still carrying on in a few days see the vet just to be sure.

yep cats have anal glads also

I agree it was probably the anal glands. They can get infected so if she doesn't stop in the next day or so I would get her checked out. Sound like you expressed them well but if they were a bit swollen or something she probably still has the feeling. At least you can add a new skill to your resume!

How old is she? Is she desexed? Girl dogs like to "rub" their butt/lady part on the floor when they are on heat. (To spread the scent!). It would also explain the licking. Otherwise I'd second the anal gland. Maybe get it checked out at the vets. :)

She is 4.5 and desexed - yesterday she was good again and then today she's back to being the same. So she's got an appointment with the vet on Wednesday.

Sounds like a wise decision - better safe than sorry! Good luck :hug:

How did she go Ausgirl?

Thanks for asking! She had a tummy bug - or something, they couldn't find anything wrong at all, gave her some antibiotics in case - $120 later she came home all bouncy and normal! I even collected a poo and wee sample in the morning to check and everything!
We've just been to the coast for a week and a happier dog I've never seen!

that's great news!!!