# Very strange stool. Should I be concerned?



## Lily Girl (Jul 16, 2014)

Lily had a very strange stool this morning and I'm wondering if I should bring her in to the vet. She is a little lethargic but otherwise seems fine. I took a picture (sorry to be gross or offensive), but I couldn't describe it in words. Her diet hasn't changed. It's winter here but we had an unseasonal thaw so we have been out the last few days walking and there lots of feces from people not picking up after their animals. Could Lily have picked something up, I'm worried. Do I have reason to be worried? Should I bring her into the vet?


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## littlefluffbabies (Apr 17, 2013)

I think that it's common to have occasional mucousy poops. I would be more concerned with the lethargy. Maybe a quick call to your vet would ease your mind.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

littlefluffbabies said:


> I think that it's common to have occasional mucousy poops. I would be more concerned with the lethargy. Maybe a quick call to your vet would ease your mind.


Actually, mucous in stool is an indicator that something is off in the digestive system, and the lethargy is a clear sign she doesn't feel good. It may clear up on its own or it may quickly progress into full-blown diarrhea which can be life-threatening in a small dog. 

Your photo definitely has an unusually large amount of mucous. This is what my Tessa's looked like when she was beginning a bout of colitis; it usually quickly progressed into diarrhea and occasionally even bloody diarrhea/HGE. There were a couple of times that we spent closed to a thousand dollars at the ER because it happened on a weekend or holiday. If this is the first time it has happened, you might try some organic pumpkin (NOT pie filling) and see if she perks up and clears up. You don't say, but if she had a vaccination in the last week or so, make sure your vet knows about this as it can be a delayed reaction to a vaccine.

If it worsens into diarrhea or keeps happening, I'd suggest a work up with your vet to rule out infection or parasites, then see a holistic vet and get her on a natural regimen to keep her digestive system under control. With Tessa, my holistic vet has her on several supplements. When she gets into something she shouldn't or gets over-stressed and produces a soft or mucous stool, I add 1/4 tsp. of Phytomucil powder to her food. She hasn't had a bout of colitis in almost two years.

Keep us posted.


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

What's great is we can now e-mail pictures to our vet. That is what I 'd do.


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