This is normal and not a sign of constipation. During recovery, it is common for the pet to have no stool at all for a couple of days. In general, a few days of medication and a bland diet should resolve the problem and the pet will be back to normal quickly. Parasites, especially Giardia and whipworms, can also cause colitis and the pet may be tested for those to rule them out or be dewormed. These episodes are generally minor and can be cleared with a short course of medication such as metronidazole or sulfasalazine and/or dietary therapy. Is the problem acute (i.e., suddenly there) or chronic (has been happening for several weeks regularly) or episodic (happens then goes away then happens again)?Ī pet that has sudden symptoms of colitis probably has a stress-related colitis (common after boarding, moving, severe weather or other change) or a dietary indiscretion-related colitis (usually involves treats or raiding the garbage).
#Kitten sounds like it has a dry booger how to#
The stool may begin looking normal and formed but finish as a puddle.Ī diagnosis of colitis is generally straight forward given the above classic findings, though how to proceed depends on the signs.There is often fresh blood in the stool.There is often mucus or slime in the stool.The pet may not be able to get to an appropriate area before the diarrhea erupts. There is cramping, flatulence, and a sudden sense of urgency.Often this straining is unproductive, leading to the erroneous conclusion that the patient is constipated. Large intestinal diarrhea is associated with straining to defecate.Large intestinal diarrheas are generally not associated with weight loss and patients generally have normal energy levels and normal appetites.The following are characteristics of large intestinal diarrhea: Diarrheas of the colon are less debilitating but still uncomfortable. Small intestinal diarrheas tend to be more serious as they involve fundamental problems with obtaining nutrients from food. In classifying diarrhea, it is important to determine whether the problem originates from the small intestine, the colon, or possibly both. The relationship we have with our colon bacteria is mutually beneficial and is an excellent example of symbiosis.ĭiarrhea Can Come from Either the Small Intestine or the Large Intestine and the Approach is Different in Either Case They also produce flatulent gases and the pigments that lead to the ultimate color of stool. The bacteria that live in the colon not only feed the cells of the colon, but they also control the pH of the colon environment so that excreted toxins are trapped in the stool and will be pooped away rather than be reabsorbed back into the body. These bacteria, often referred to as good or helpful bacteria, take fibers that were undigestible to the host and actually process them into biochemicals that provide nourishment to the colon cells.
The bacterial population in the colon is about 10 times more dense than that of the small intestine. The colon has three functions: absorbing water, storing stool, and further digesting unabsorbed nutrients. Most of the nutrients have already been absorbed by the time the undigestible leftovers have passed down to this last part of the GI tract.īut the digestive tract is not through with the food remnants quite yet and this is the where the business of the colon comes in. Before reaching the colon, food has been extensively processed. It has already been chewed up in the mouth, acid-treated in the stomach, and enzyme treated in the small intestine. For those who do not know the lower intestine from the upper intestine, the colon/lower intestine is basically the last segment of the digestive tract. The colon is another term for the large or lower intestine. Even in chronic cases, weight loss is usually not a feature of this condition. Colitis may be acute (lasting only a few days) or chronic (lasting weeks or months on end). Vomiting can be a feature of this condition though the characteristic diarrhea is the hallmark. There is often accompanying cramping, gas, and a sense of immediate urgency (the sudden need to run for a bathroom). The stool may start normal then finish soft or may seem gooey throughout. The chief feature of colitis is a gooey, frequently splattery diarrhea featuring mucus, fresh blood, or both. In brief, colitis is the term for inflammation of the colon.
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