While it may seem an interesting subject to discuss, and one that many do not openly chat about, keepin’ regular and having consistent bowl movements is vital for the health of your dog and cat!
The month of April is Poop Awareness month and we always want to make sure that we give you as much helpful info on keeping your fur baby healthy as possible.
THE 4 C’s of POOP:
It is recommended that you check your pet’s poop regularly—no pun intended:
- Consistency: We should all look for not too solid and not too runny (keep in mind, poop does change consistencies and it doesn’t mean there is a problem). But it is important to notice if this change is staying for typically more than 1 or 2 days, the vets normally want to see your pet. Believe it or not, a lot of vets use a number system to score the consistency of our pet’s poop: The fecal scoring system assigns a value to the stool from 1 to 7, where 1 represents very hard pellets and 7 is a puddle. The “2” is the ideal for most pets, does not mean it is the absolute, every pet is different.
- Color: A happy, healthy body produces chocolate brown stool. **Bright red streaks may indicate bleeding low in the GI tract, while tarry black or maroon stools can be caused by bleeding in the stomach or small intestines. **Clay-colored or pale yellow stools can be caused by problems with the liver, gallbladder or pancreas. Any significant deviation from the chocolate brown color that persists for more than one or two stools is cause for concern and you SHOULD contact your vet!
- Coating: A coating of mucous often accompanies disorders of the colon. When you pick up the poop no unusual residue should be left on the ground.
- Contents: Now as fur parents, are we professional vets, absolutely not. But, I do believe most of us would agree that rice like or squirmy objects in the stool may be worms and definitely we should be aware of this. Stress can be shown in stool from underlining issues, excessive grass/hair, a variety of things. Take a stool sample to your vet if you are concerned with anything you see.
Poop is vital to life, health and it is wise to be aware. Doing the Do-Do is very important and we emphasize always be mindful of your pets, every day. This blog is not to cause panic, it is just to give you helpful hints and yet another way to care for your fur baby!
Poorly digested food is a problem in cats and dogs and honestly, the diet does have quite a bit to do with that. Irritable Bowl Syndrome occurs because larger food particles are not broken down properly into their smaller constituents that allow for normal absorption through the digestive tract and healthy elimination. There are ways to be mindful of it and we should want to understand the outlining causes!
Be aware of your pet’s poop, check often to assure they stay healthy and let’s help keep them regular!
Pet Treater is not a doctor or licensed Vet. Always consult your pet’s vet if you have any concerns or you change anything with your pet’s needs.
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With many Purrs and Barks,
