I'm ashamed!

I had been putting it off...giving Feather, elderly longhaird dachshund, a bath. I knew she had some poop stuck to her hair in the rear, but you really couldn't see it. I got her up in the sink and was shocked at what a mess her behind had become.
I was negligent! I had to soak her for a long time, working the stuff out of her fur. She seemed to know I was trying to help her, though it was surely uncomfortable for her. After the entire bath, I managed to get her in the bathroom and close the door, get down on the floor with her, and cut away all the hair around her behind. Poor thing's bottom is irritated.
I put some Neosporin on it, since in the past the vet said this was okay.
I had her clipped short in the summer, and that was much better, but since it's so cold, I had let her hair grow out. I'll have to be more attentive the the little thing. She's blind and overweight, can't reach to her behind herself.

Seeker, be gentle with yorself. It's not like you intentionally hurt her.

What about using some baby diaper cream on her backside for the irritation? Maybe you could keep her backend clipped so "stuff" doesn't get stuck in the hair. That would leave long hair on the rest of her to keep her warm.

Thanks, Liz... Feather is in bed w/me snuggled under
a towel. That's a good idea abt the diaper cream. And, yes
I'll have to keep her rear clipped.

Dogs are always eating the faeces of other dogs, or licking their own behinds, etc, so I'm sure it was more of a shock to you than to her.

I have a dog that needs to be clipped every 2months and I'm in a similar boat-I try not to clip him too much in the winter because he gets cold. I don't know if this helps, but I keep the scissors handy so every few weeks, I take 5min to scissor his rear and his paws. It helps. Lot in the long run.

I think it is a very nice thing that you took care ofFeathers like you did. A lot of people wouldn't have cared, so that's really nice that you soaked her and are giving her some loving snuggly time.

My dog is getting a bath and a haircut this weekend!

Seeker, like everyone's saying, don't beat yourself up over this. I just posted a few minutes ago about my not tending to my pet like I should have when I was a kid. While we always strive to do better in the future, sometimes we might still make mistakes. As long as they aren't big mistakes, where a life is lost or an animal suffers horribly, we have to forgive ourselves. Feather is all better now as far as the cleaning goes, and I'm sure she's happy to be with you.

I understand completely but we all make mistakes on occasion. Forgive yourself;Feather already has. Promise..