While everyone is enjoying their bowl of Sinigang na Hipon (sour shrimp soup) at lunch, a nasty smell pervaded your dining room. You followed the source through your nose. Aha! It was your pooch’s dung, ala-chocolate-syrup!
Before you throw up you must be wondering why your pet has a soft poop. It was fine last night.
Diarrhea is a change in one or more of the characteristics of bowel movement: more frequent pooping, increased fluids in poop, and increased amount of poop. It is caused by two major categories of conditions: gastrointestinal diseases or non-gastrointestinal diseases (problems in other body parts or organs that cause diarrhea). Many diseases produce changes in the body that end up in diarrhea.
Diarrhea can also be classified according to its origin: small intestinal or upper intestines, and large intestinal or lower intestines. If your pet has diarrhea with black poop (cooked blood) which appears to have more poop than fluids, it comes from the upper intestines. While if there is mucus, fresh blood, pain in pooping, it could come from the large intestine. Sometimes, both are involved.
WHAT CAUSES MUD BUTT?
Small Intestinal Diarrhea
More vomit, with soft to liquid poop that is brown to black in color
Diet changes
Worms
Protozoa (Amoeba-like creatures)
Garbage ingestion
Medicines
Food allergy
Bacterial infection
Viral infection (Parvovirus, Coronavirus, Distemper virus)
Poisoning
HGE or Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (fresh red blood in vomit and as poop)
Acute Pancreatitis
Intestinal obstruction or blockage
Lactose intolerance
Bacterial overgrowth
Giardia (Amoeba-like creature)
Enteritis or inflammation of the intestine
Pancreatic disorder
Liver and gallbladder problem
Hyperthyroidism in cats
Large Intestinal Diarrhea
Less or no vomit, with watery and mucoid poop (may or may not have fresh red blood)
Diet changes
Whipworms
Spastic colitis (tummy cramps)
Bacterial overgrowth
Whipworms
Ulcers in colon
Polyps
Cancer
Allergy
Foreign body obstruction or blockage (corn cob or mango seed)
Tritrichomonas in cats (a parasite)
WHY YOU NEED TO BRING YOUR PET TO THE VET
Your vet will definitely recommend a fecalysis. No need to bring your pet’s poop during your visit as your vet has a means to collect poop from the “inside”. The fecalysis will help determine if your pet has lots of bacteria, worms, Giardia or undigested fats in the stool. The poop will also give your vet an idea if it came from the upper or lower intestines. From there, he or she could narrow down the list to help identify the problem and solve it.
But if your vet feels that there could be other problems, the following tests will be recommended:
- Tests for infection like Parvovirus, Coronavirus or Distempervirus
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Biochemistry profile (to check liver, kidneys, proteins, electrolytes, and more)
- X-ray with or without contrast media (to check for foreign bodies inside the tummy, could take 24 hours for results)
- Intra-rectal test (or your vet inserts his or her finger inside your pet’s butt)
WHEN YOU CAN’T FIND A VET AT THIS TIME
“Just today, pet is fine”
If this is a “just today” problem, observe your pet for the next few hours. Provide unlimited dextrose powder in water (2 tablespoons in 250 mL of clean water). Do not force feed.
If you have a Pet Multivitamin paste, now is a good time to give a double dose.
Rechecking your pet’s last meal may give you an idea of food allergy if this happens everytime a certain food ingredient is given to your pet. Avoid it the next time and see if the condition does not repeat. If it does not, it may confirm food allergy.
If your pet has roundworms (spaghetti noodle-ish worms) or hookworms (pancit bihon-ish worms), know its weight and apply Advocate spot-on at the back of its neck if this is a cat. For dogs, you should apply on three points: neck, shoulder blades, and rump. Check that you are purchasing the right preparation by knowing if your pet’s weight falls within the weight range in the product, and you are purchasing a spot-on for dog for a dog. Buy a cat spot-on for a cat. This is usually an over the counter vet drug, so you do not need a prescription. Be sure your pet is dry and will not take a bath three days after application. The drug is easily washed by water so avoid getting the areas wet. Cats may drool for an hour if they lick the product. Allow the product to dry with a heatless blower. Repeat the application, once every 30 days, all year round.
“Just today BUT pet is NOT fine”
Performing a first aid may be insufficient. Too much diarrhea can lead to dehydration. Prolonged dehydration can lead to shock. Shock leads to death. Rush to your nearest vet so your pet may be diagnosed and managed through IV fluids and medications.
“Has been going on for days"
Performing a first aid may be insufficient to provide a quick fix to a long term problem. Tests are needed to be done to identify the problem. It will cost you, but it will help improve your pet’s quality of life.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO UNDERSTAND
- Giving medicines such as Loperamide/Immodium can be poisonous if given in large amounts.
- Giving Yakult for diarrhea is similar to other probiotics for dogs. However, there are no official long-term studies to show benefits and side effects for canines. Consult your primary care vet when using this.
- Parvovirus patients should always be confined in the hospital, and not be guinea pigs of an unproven solve-all-medical-problems liquid notorious in Facebook groups. The immune system of an animal and its will decide its fate regardless of the treatment.
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