LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Dogs

Comments

Hi Sherry,

Did you happen to use an electric clipper to trim your dog's behind? If so, she may just have a little clipper burn. Whatever the case, sometimes using a little tal... powder on the freshly trimmed area for a few days will helps soothe any irritation. If that doesn't do the trick, your dog may have a problem with her anal glands that needs some attention.

Thanks for your question, and I hope this info helps. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Yesterday I noticed my shih-tzu not willing to take her butt off the floor which she usually does when its time for a trimming ( meaning poo on her butt ) but after i trimmed her she is very skittish and the whole area is very red. She is not acting herself but eating normal. What could be the issue. I know for a fact i did not nick her.

-- Contributed by: Sherry

Hi Kathleen,

Double check this with your vet to get approval, but feeding plain canned pumpkin is a good way to increase your dog's insoluable fiber intake, and it usually helps move things along in the bowels because it acts as a natural laxative. Be sure it's "plain" pumpkin and not the pie mix.

Hope it helps. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Is there some kind of Laxative I can give my Sheltie - 12 years old with a compromised bowel. I am feeding him broccil which seem to help at first, had him on metamuscel per vet that dosen't work now either, if I take him to the Vet, they hang him up side down and try to pull it out.Please Help

-- Contributed by: Kathleen

Hi Sue,

This is worth bringing up with your vet. There are some health conditions that can cause a dog to lose bowel control and feeling in that area, so it would be best to have your vet give your dog an exam.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My 2 yr. old Havanese is well trained and lets us know when she needs to go out to the bathroom. However, everyother day or so she leaves us a small pebble size piece of doo somewhere in the house. Sometimes it happens when she is walking and does not seeem to be aware. The other day it happened while she was laying down and i was rubbing her belly. What's going on?

-- Contributed by: Sue

Hi Patricia,

It's difficult to say what might have happened. I gather this was a one-time occurence, so I don't think it was a typical bout of diarrhea. Ideally, I think the best thing to do is take your dog to the vet for an exam. Try to bring a fresh stool sample with you for analysis. Did the liquid almost look like tar? If so, it may have contained blood, and this (along with the fact that your dog now seems weaker) would be a strong reason to contact your vet.

Thanks for sharing your situation. I'm sorry I can't give you a more definitive answer, but please let us know what your vet says.

Best wishes for your dog's health.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have a 10 year old Moscos Terrier - about 11 pounds and I feel him Natural Balance, the Dick VanPatten Natural Brand. Yesterday, he expelled about a pint of dark liquid looking stuff from his bowels - nothing solid at all, but I did not see any blood. I was surprised that this much liquid could be expelled from such a small dog. His stomach now looks much smaller - as he loves to eat, and I thought he was just gaining weight. He now seems weak and a bit lethargic - yet he still comes up and down the outdoor steps with no problem. What do you think the problem is?

-- Contributed by: Patricia Brooks

Hi Emarcellanter,

This is an interesting question. Whatever a dog eats can affect the color of his stools, but a medical condition can also change the color. From what I can gather, gray stools might be a sign of a malfunctioning liver. A healthy liver produces bile, and it's bile that gives the stools their typical yellowish-brown color. A lack of bile production can result in gray stools.

Please keep in mind that I'm not a vet, so don't take this as a diagnosis of your dog's condition. However, you should ask your vet to exam your dog if you've been observing gray stools for several days. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dog will be alright.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

my 16 year old dog has gray bowels

-- Contributed by: Emmarcellanter your name here

Hi Tigger,

Even though your dog shows no other sign of illness, she could have some sort of bowel infection. It would be a very good idea to let your vet examine her. Be sure to let your vet know exactly what you feed your dog and how long her stools have been liquid.

Thanks for sharing your situation, and best wishes for your dog's health.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

she is around ten year of age and when she goes it is like water she seem to be happy go lucky no wiegth loss just water for a bowel movement all the time

-- Contributed by: tigger

Hi Bruce,

This is well worth having your vet check out. Your dog may have a bowel infection or a colon condition that cause her to evacuate before the excess water has been reabsorbed from the stool contents. The vet may be able to set things right with the proper medication, so go ahead and give the clinic a call.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have an 18 month old Cavalier King Charles Spanial. She has loose stools and diareha on a regular basis. We have tried different foods with different protein sources but it hasn't made a consistant difference. Any Ideas?

-- Contributed by: Bruce

Hi Angie, and welcome to the site.

I'm sorry to hear your dog is being pestered by fleas. I hope you'll find the following articles helpful.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

fleas my dog has them

-- Contributed by: angie

Hi Rachel,

I'm sorry to hear about your dog's problem, but I think you're on the right track. This is a blockage of some type, and the bleeding indicates some sort of tear or puncture. My advice is to call your vet right away and take your dog in for an exam. If need be, the vet can take an X-ray or sonogram to try to find and identify exactly what the blockage is. This will help him/her figure out whether surgergy or a stool softener is required to clear things out.

Thank your for sharing your situation, and I hope all will be well.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My dog is about 5 years old and I just noticed when he have a bowel movement, blood comes out instead. It looks like he's trying really hard and has to go but can't. Can the blood be a sign of serious constipation?

-- Contributed by: Rachel

Hi Jae,

It sounds as though your new Shetland has a bad case of constipation. You can either consult your vet for a stool softener or you can try adding a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin to your dog's daily dinner. Pumpkin is high in insoluable fiber, and it helps move things along. This would be useful if your dog isn't too compacted. Otherwise, don't hesitate to consult your vet because constipation can be very painful.

Best wishes that your dog feels better soon.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

We have recently adopted another Shetland Sheepdog, she is older and very small; she is having extream difficulity with making a stool. She eliminated a very small part of a stool- but now seems to have real trouble- any thoughts?

-- Contributed by: Jae

Hi Donna,

I'm not a vet so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. It sounds as though your dog's sphincter isn't maintaining its tension very well while your dog is fully relaxed and unconscious. This leads me to wonder if she is developing any other mild muscle control issues that are not pronounced enough yet to notice.

Your vet definitely needs to do more thorough investigating of the issue. Perhaps spinal views and a full blood panel might reveal some kind of abnormality. It's worth going back to your vet for further discussion, and perhaps seeking a second opinion.

Thanks for your question, and please let us know if you find out what is causing the problem.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

We have a 3 year old Miniature Schnauzer (Chloe)who is a loving, playful dog. For the past 2-3 months, while she is sleeping at night, she will have one small poo come out of her rectum, without even being aware of it. Occasionally during the day she will be walking around and one will come out. She gets regular exercise several times a day and has a bowel movement at least twice a day. She is very picky about where she will go and is easily distracted. We have talked to the vet; she has no parasite and he doesn't seem to have a clue. She only eats Wellness and no table food. Any ideas?

-- Contributed by: Donna Anderson

Hi Santha,

No, I don't believe you should give your dog any medication under these cir...stances. Tell me, how long are you leaving your dog alone? If we are talking about the course of a normal work day, your dog should be fine if you exercise him well before you leave for the day, and exercise him again immediately upon your return. Adult dogs do not have to go as often as youngsters, and your dog would probably go if he just couldn't hold it any longer.

If you are still concerned, you may want to hire a pet sitter to visit your dog once a day to exercise him while you're gone. This should be sufficient to meet his needs. Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi... My 7 year dog Ranger, controls his bowels and urine. He does not poo or urinate unless we take him out. This quite troublesome if we leave him alone at home for long hours as he waits for us to comeback to take him out. He has been like this since we had him as a pup. Is there something we could give him so that he poos or urinates within the housing compound and not wait for someone to take him out.

-- Contributed by: Santha

I saw Margot's posting about her 7 year old shepard mix having no contol of her bowels. I have a 13 year old lab/akita/chow mix with the exact same condition. "She just walks and poops. She isn't even aware of it. She poops in her sleep. She doesn't have mistakes with her urine. She always goes outside." My vet says she has spinal nerve condition, that she is not in pain but there is no treatment. During the summer this wasn't such a problem as she spent most of her time outside. But it has been really cold this winter and now she spends most of her time inside. I have learned enough to feed her outside and make her stay out for 30 minutes after eating which has helped. I put a disposable pad on her bed so that it is easier to clean up. She is really a joy and still has a lot of life in her. Is there anything else I can do to make it easier for both us? Will doggie diapers help or just be more of a mess?

thanks Wyatt

Hi Wyatt,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I agree with you, it's worth the extra inconvenience as long as the dog has some quality of life. I do think you might find the doggie diapers beneficial in your situation. Give them a try, and please come back and tell us what you think.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Wyatt

My 4 year old terrier mix has been to the vet for the last 2 months because he has infected anal glands. It seemed to have gone away for a bit but now I noticed some leaking from his butt with blood in it. He is currently on antibiotics and does not scoot. He tries to lick his butt quiet often though. Is there anything I can do other than give him antibiotics that do not seem to be working?

Hi TJ, I think a return trip to the vet is in order. If your vet can get the problem under control, you could discuss whether gland removal is feasible in your dog's situation.

In the meantime, your dog may appreciate periodic bathing of his anal region with warm water. You don't have to wet the entire dog, just beneath his tail.

Thanks for your question, and hope your dog is feeling better soon.

-- Contributed by: TJ

My 7 year old shepard mix has no contol of her bowels. She just walks and poops. She isn't even aware of it. She poops in her sleep. She doesn't have mistakes with her urine. She always goes outside. Will we have to put her to sleep? We are so attached to her but this can't continue. Thanks

Hi Margot,

Has your dog been examined by a vet yet? If not, that should be your first order of business. There could be a reason she has lost sensation and control, and the situation might be treatable. You won't know unless you have her examined.

Good luck.

-- Contributed by: Margot

my dog hasnt been able to poop in 8 days, my vet told me to feed him some pumpkin...i did he still hasnt then they told me to give him poop pills i did still nothing..now what please help me?

Hi Jenny,

I'm surprised your vet hasn't asked you to bring your dog in. This is developing into a dangerous situation for your dog, and a painful one as well. He could well have an intestinal blockage of some sort that will require surgery to correct, so please don't delay any longer.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes.

-- Contributed by: jenny

Hi, I have an 8 month old yorki, her stools have been runny for the past two days. However her bowel movement frequency has not changed. I'm wondering if she has a virus of some sort, do you have any advice/guidance for me? Thank you

-- Contributed by: teresa

I have a 3 year old ...zu, about a 2wks ago she started passing soft stool and two day later the stool had a gel mix. The next day she had blood in her stool. So I took her to the vet. They gave her some meds and a can food and she improved. Stool was normal but yesterday she pass in the house and the stool was soft again. This morning she had soft stool but now there is blood again. I am afraid of what might be wrong with her. I am still trying to get over the last vet bill. Please help. Thanks

Expert Reply

Hi Mary,

Sorry to hear about your dog's problem. Your vet is the real expert here, but a lot of mucous in the stools usually indicates some sort of bowel infection. Has your vet checked your dog for worms? Hook worms are really hard to get rid of because they dig into the lining of the bowels.

It sometimes takes more than one round of medication to get rid of these pesky creatures and the infections they can cause. I understand how difficult it can be to keep up with the vet bills, but I really think you need to take your dog back and let your vet have another look. Be sure to take a stool sample with you.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dog is feeling better soon.

-- Contributed by: Mary,

My dog also has that smelly back end problem he is 7 and I have had his glands expressed in the past but he doesnt look swollen back there or anything he just has a foul odor and I have noticed smells on the blankets he has laid on or wet spots like he is leaking just a little bit but no stains.

Expert Reply

Hi Cindy,

It really does sound as those your dog needs his anal glands expressed again. The smelly wet spots on the blanket are a dead give away.

I think that's all you need to solve the problem, but I'd ask your vet to handle it. This way he/she can make sure there's no infection involved.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: cindy

Hi Diane,

If your dog has never had her anal glands expressed before, now might be the time. Take her to your vet to have them checked because if the smell is that strong they might be infected and ready to produce an abcess.

If it turns out her anal glands are not the problem, your vet should still be able to diagnose the source of the foul odor and determine how best to treat it.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

my dog has a very bad smell coming from the back end she is 14years old its that bad we carnt stay in the room

-- Contributed by: diane pennington
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