Mucus in dog feces: causes, diagnosis and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The presence of mucus in a dog's stool should be a cause for concern for the owner. This symptom occurs during the development of serious disturbances in the work of the stomach in the animal, damage to its walls and mucous membranes, as well as during the inflammatory process.

If the animal begins to defecate with impurities of blood or mucus, you should immediately take it to the veterinarian for examination and determine the cause of what is happening, because such a problem does not go away on its own.

Possible causes

Mucus in the feces of a dog appears only in cases of severe disturbance in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. There may be many reasons for this. However, the most common cause of mucus in the feces of a dog is the lack of proper and balanced nutrition. Eating disorders include:

• abrupt transitions from natural to dry food (or vice versa);
• feeding your dog spoiled or low quality food;
• regularoverfeeding.

When a dog, especially if it is already old, is regularly overfed with high-fat foods that create a coating effect in the stomach, the stool will turn orange and will have mucous streaks. White stools interspersed with mucus indicates a violation of the liver. Mucus in the feces of older dogs is quite common. The reason for this is the inability of the body to cope with heavy loads on the gastrointestinal tract system.

Another common cause of mucus in a dog's feces is poisoning or disease accompanied by mucous secretions. Frequent diarrhea in a dog is the first sign of serious poisoning, which is accompanied by copious mucus during defecation. Most often, it occurs as a result of the fact that the dog ate food found on the street or simply spoiled.

When considering diseases that are accompanied by mucous secretions in the feces, several of them should be distinguished, since they are the most common cause of mucus in the feces. These diseases include: colitis, dysbacteriosis, helminthiasis and piroplasmosis.

Colitis

Colitis is an inflammatory process that develops in the large intestine. The causative agents of this disease are bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. Their active reproduction provokes the development of inflammation in the stomach, whichis the cause of the presence of mucus in the feces of the dog. In addition, this process is accompanied by severe pain, which causes her frequent urge to defecate. During this, the feces are mixed with mucus.

The main symptom of a dog developing colitis is its frequent attempts to defecate, which do not bring results. All of them are accompanied by severe pain. Sometimes, as a result of an unsuccessful attempt to go to the toilet, after the dog leaves spots of mucus mixed with blood.

Often, inexperienced owners confuse the development of colitis with constipation and attempt to self-treat their pet, but they do not realize that by doing so they only aggravate his condition. In the absence of professional treatment, colitis turns into a neglected form, which is accompanied by vomiting.

Often, in order to diagnose colitis, the veterinarian only needs to examine the animal using palpation. In cases where touching the rectum causes pain, the doctor may argue that this is due to colitis. To be completely sure, he most often prescribes an X-ray of the stomach for the dog.

Dysbacteriosis

This is the name of a violation in the composition of the microflora of the stomach or intestines. Adverse factors can affect the amount of natural microflora in the dog's stomach. It either decreases or disappears altogether. The empty "niche" is occupied by a different microflora that does not fit the animal's stomach. The reasons for the development of dysbacteriosis in a dog can be:

• diseases;
• certain medications;
• common stresses.

Among the medicines that cause the development of dysbacteriosis, antibiotics are distinguished, because due to their action, the natural environment of the stomach is disturbed, which allows bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli to develop.

Often the disease is accompanied by a sharp decrease in appetite, lethargy, apathy. In addition, an upset stomach in a dog can also be a consequence of the development of this disease. There is a fairly high probability that an animal with dysbacteriosis will have mucus in the feces. Treatment of dysbacteriosis should not be delayed, because the lack of natural microflora is a very dangerous condition for a dog.

Helminthiasis disease

The most common disease among dogs is helminthiasis. Parasites can exist in the body for several years and do not manifest themselves. The only way to avoid the disease is to conduct timely deworming of the dog.

Among the many symptoms of animal infection with parasites, the main ones are lethargy, weight loss, and frequent vomiting. In addition, an upset stomach in a dog may also indicate the presence of helminths in the body.

Dying, the latter leave the body of the animal with feces in the form of a mucous mass. This is a fairly common occurrence - mucus in the feces of a dog infected with parasites, it canappear in the process of getting rid of them.

Piroplasmosis

Such a disease in a dog develops as a result of a bite from an infected tick. The animal has the appearance of shortness of breath and apathy, and the mucous membranes become yellow. In addition, there is a sharp increase in body temperature, there are frequent urge to vomit, diarrhea begins, in which blood and mucus appear. Symptoms of piroplasmosis may vary depending on its severity and degree. In the absence of timely treatment, a few days after the bite, the dog may die.

Diagnosis

Before making a diagnosis explaining the presence of mucus in the feces of a dog, the veterinarian needs to examine it. If necessary, the check can be supplemented by a rectal examination. In addition, the owner will need to donate feces and blood of the dog for analysis. Feces are examined in order to, if present, identify worms, and blood, to detect the presence of infection in the body.

A colonoscopy may also be ordered. It is carried out with suspicion of the development of tumors or polyps in the dog in the intestines, or in case of severe damage to this organ. Less often, an X-ray examination is prescribed.

Colitis treatment regimen

After the veterinarian determines the diagnosis, the treatment procedure begins. Therapy depends on what is the reason for the presence of mucus in the stool.

Symptoms and treatment of colitis in dogs are closely related, since therapy is carried out exclusivelysymptomatic. Additionally, the nutrition of the animal is adjusted. Often, veterinarians prescribe Sulfasalazine and Loperamide. Also, suppositories, enemas and rectal suppositories can be prescribed as additional methods of therapy. Treatment for severe cases includes corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs.

Treatment of dysbacteriosis in dogs involves complex therapy. Preparations are prescribed that have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora and populate it with the necessary microorganisms. Taking probiotics for dogs with this disease is a prerequisite for treatment. But not only they are included in complex therapy.

In addition to probiotics, dogs are given homeopathic preparations to cleanse the intestines.

Treatment of helminthiasis

In cases where parasites are the cause of mucus in the dog's feces, deworming is urgently required. Currently, there are various medicines that can get rid of larvae, eggs and adults of parasites. When treating a dog with such drugs, the dosage should be strictly adhered to. The choice of the drug is a very important point, since most of the drugs that fight various types of worms are toxic to the dog. The same drugs that are more harmless to the animal's body have a narrow specialization and will help get rid of only one type of parasite. In order to prevent infection of the dog with helminths, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive therapy. Most often, veterinarians prescribe Azinox, Helmintal for adults, and Drontal and Dirofen for puppies.

Tumors and polyps

If the reason for the presence of mucus in the feces is associated with a disease of the digestive system, the treatment will directly depend on the diagnosis. However, it will be mandatory to follow a strict diet.

If tumors or polyps in the intestines are the cause of the problem, surgery will definitely be performed.

Piroplasmosis therapy

When a dog becomes ill with piroplasmosis, the veterinarian will prescribe the use of "Ketazol" and "Dexamethasone". They are injected into the animal under the skin. You should also strictly follow the dosage indicated in the instructions. Taking too much of the drug can lead to even more problems than before.