Toilet Talk- Page 2
Housetraining lapses.
A dog who suddenly starts urinating all over the house also needs to see a veterinarian. The problem could be a UTI or, if she's also drinking a lot of water, it could be a serious condition such as kidney disease, diabetes or Cushing's disease.
Straining to defecate.
If your dog's been trying to defecate for a day or so, but can't, she may have a bowel obstruction. Call your veterinarian. If she's vomiting, call sooner.
Diarrhea.
Runny, stinky stool may or may not be serious. Don't feed your dog for a day or so, but make sure she has plenty of water. After a day, start her on a bland diet such as a mixture of boiled rice and hamburger. If your dog still has the trots after two days, put in a call to your vet. If she's vomiting, call sooner. And if she's a young puppy who vomits more than once an hour over a half-day period, bring her to her vet immediately.
Very dark feces.
Stool that's black or very dark brown may signal bleeding in the upper intestinal tract, which can result from many possible problems. A veterinarian's attention is needed.
Grey feces.
Cement-colored stool may mean that a dog is suffering from an obstruction of the bile duct. The obstruction could have one of several causes -- but, in any case, necessitates a visit to the vet.
Changes in stool shape.
If your dog's stool is shaped like thin strips, her large intestine or rectum may be narrowed for some reason. On the other hand, very large stools may indicate a problem in the small intestine. Either way, a visit to the vet is in order.
Your dog's bathroom behavior and byproducts can tell you a lot about her health. No matter how grossed out you are, monitoring your dog's urine, feces and frequency of bathroom breaks can give you and your veterinarian a leg up on treating any problems she might have and keeping her healthy.
For more information on your pet's health, check out the PetVet Disease and Symptom Finder.
Top 10 Conditions
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