Various poo questions

[caiti]

So I'm sick at home with the cold that has finally got to me after going through my roommates. Chloe (chin) is sick with diarrhea. And while we're both trying to restore ourselves (with my luck I'll end up with diarrhea after this cold and she'll end up with a cold after this diarrhea....baahhh), I began thinking about some things.

Firstly, are there any other common bacterial/parasitic/viral causes of diarrhea? I've heard about giardia a lot lately, and I know there are other organisms that can cause diarrhea but how common are they compared to giardia in chins that drink filtered water and have decent care? Just curious (her poo is not larger and has no odor). I'm going to the vet today so I'll find out what she has soon enough.

Secondly (maybe this should go under new owner questions...), does the size of chin's poo normally vary from day to night? Chloe has had smaller feces during the day and larger ones at night since I got her 3 months ago. This makes sense to me. During the day they are pretty stationary. I'm sure metabolism slows down as does peristalsis/catastalsis (digestive tract movement that squishes food. There, maybe I saved some of you a googling haha). It's just whenever I research it, the resources online for pet owners always emphasize consistency in fecal size. No one really ever mentions variation. Maybe this is just the different types of feces I'm seeing (akin to rabbit feces?).

Thanks for putting up with my numerous posts and questions. I really do try to find an answer before I post. There is so much to know about animals, even with one year left to an animal science degree, I am humbled constantly. Plus I have no memory...

 

[lauralynne]

I'm not an expert to the bacterial/parasitic/viral issues, so hopefully Dawn, Tab, or Sumiko (or anyone else) will be along soon to help.

Regarding the size of feces, my chinnies' "output" change based on what they're eating, how much they're eating, etc. I don't see as many during the day when they've been sleeping and not eating as much. If they're eating more loose hay than normal, they tend to be bigger, etc.

 

[Stackie]

Coccidia is another common parasite that affects chins. They can be affected by other types of parasites, but the only two I have seen most about thus far are Giardia and Coccidia. However, even the overgrowth of the normal 'friendly' bacteria in their gut can cause digestion problems. This overgrowth can be caused by feeding sugary treats, or just plain stress. Even a chin who is fed the highest quality diet and purest water can get an overgrowth of the natural flora in the gut and cause the whole system to get out of whack and cause diarrhea. Usually pulling the pellets and providing just hay along with plenty of probiotics can get them back under control.

As for your second question, yes, the poo size can vary depending on the time of day, activity level, and when the chin last ate. As long as it appears to look normal (not small and hard, or excessively large and wet), it's probably just because the gut isn't as active at that time.

 

[ticklechin]

The most serious parasite is cryptosporidia, its serious because it causes lesions in the intestinal tract along with the other symptoms of a parasitic infection. It is highly infectious since the eggs are infectious also. There was a breeder who lost 1/2 of the herd from this infection years ago here in CA.


I look for shape and texture rather than size when I am looking for digestive health.