Here’s the scoop on poop!

Poop is often not everyone’s favourite topic to think or talk about, but do you know it can provide a tremendous amount of information about your pet’s overall health and digestive system?

Catching signs early can help keep your pet healthy

There are four C’s to look for:

COLOUR
Healthy stools are normally brown. You might find slight variations from brown due to changes in your pet’s diet. This should not be a cause for alarm. However, a bigger change in colour can often indicate an imbalance in your pet’s digestive health or potentially serious health problems.

Green – This could be as a result from eating too much grass. Grass eating is a common behaviour in dogs, and while less common in cats, this is generally ok if your pets are feeling well and healthy. If your pet is unwell and then starts eating grass, it may be a sign of underlying issues like gastric reflux, inflammatory bowel disease or pancreatitis.

Orange or Yellow – This may be signs of an unhealthy liver or pancreas, although large consumption of carrots can at times give stool an orange appearance.

Red – This suggests bleeding in the lower intestinal tract, potentially due to an inflammation or tear of the intestinal lining or worm infestation.

Grey – This suggests a digestive or pancreatic issue. This is often the case if the pancreas is not producing sufficient digestive enzymes to break down fats. It could also be as a result of a high fat diet giving the stools a grey hue appearance.

Black – This indicates there may be bleeding in the upper intestinal tract. This usually occurs when the body has tried to digest the blood giving the stools a black tarry appearance. This may be a result of an infection, inflammation, or ulcer.

CONSISTENCY
The optimal consistency is a firm segment piece and one that holds its form. Watery stools or diarrhoea could mean your pet is not digesting and processing their food properly. Hard stools could indicate your pet is dehydrated. Occasional soft or hard stools are rarely a cause for concern although if it persists for more than a day, it is worth checking in with your vet.

COATING
A healthy stool should not have a coating or film over it. When picking up your pet’s stool off the ground or grass, there should not be any residue left behind. A sticky jelly like-film (mucus) over the stool could be an indication of inflammation linked to gastrointestinal issues. If you often find your pet’s stool leaves a residue behind, it is worth a visit to your vet.

CONTENT
A healthy stool should not have a coating or film over it. When picking up your pet’s stool off the ground or grass, there should not be any residue left behind. A sticky jelly like-film (mucus) over the stool could be an indication of inflammation linked to gastrointestinal issues. If you often find your pet’s stool leaves a residue behind, it is worth a visit to your vet.

What might your vet do to investigate the poop issue further?

Further diagnostic tests will be performed to help uncover the underlying cause.

These might include:

• A blood test to look for any signs of protein loss, inflammation, metabolic diseases or anaemia.
• A faecal test to check for presence of intestinal parasites and/or bacteria.
• Rectal swab samples obtained to examine for parasites.
• A bacterial culture test to identify if there is a bacterial infection.
• X-rays or ultrasound would be carried out if there is suspicion of blockage

Once the root cause is determined, your vet would recommend various treatment options. In most cases, medication and probiotics would be prescribed accordingly, and a change in diet recommended to help improve your pet’s stools. During the treatment at home, continue to look out for any signs of lethargy or poor appetite. If your pet is not showing any signs of improvement, please call your vet for further advice.

In severe cases or where intensive treatment is required, your pet may need to be hospitalised.

Author: Dr. Yin Yin Soong
Veterinary Surgeon 

Pet Space Pet Space Central Vet Surgery
482 Serangoon Road Singapore 218149
Call for an appointment: 6252 2623.