Poop Talk - Senior Greyhound

[Guest Ckellan]

I am so glad I found this group! I'm very sorry for the gross topic.....

 

Our Ati will be 15 years old in July. He is still in amazing health for his age. He obviously has normal aging issues such as arthritis, problems with traction while walking on hard floors and he suffers from bouts of dementia. I found this forum by looking up information on his most recent issue.... poop. In the last week he started pooping random plum sized balls of poop. He does this as he is walking, when he stumbles or if he stretches. It is not abnormal poo. It is the same texture and consistancy as his normal bowel movements, but it concerns me that he seems to have lost control over his rear end. We will, of course, take him to the vet any time he needs treatment, but this does not seem to be life threatening or uncomfortable for him so I thought I would ask all of you in case someone had gone through this before with a senior ex-racing greyhound. I thank you in advance for any suggestions you may have.

~Crystal

[XTRAWLD]

I've heard of poop just falling out. You have come to the right place!

More will chime in I'm sure, and I don't have experience with this is particular, but just wanted to say 15 is just wow. Good for you guys for keeping him so healthy all these years!

[MaryJane]

Happens occasionally to my Larry - he is a bit over 13 1/2. It seems to happen when the weather is causing him to be hurting. We've had rain and humidity lately, both of which seem to trigger this as he just wants to go in back in and lie down. It was happening over the winter when we had so much snow and ice that he couldn't manage outside well. I have noticed that it doesn't seem to happen if I keep him outside a bit longer so he walks around more and gets the urge to go.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

My Mindy did this the last 6 months of her life. Most often I would find a poop where she had been sleeping and sometimes when she walked. In her case a tumor was developing in her lower abdomen where it was applying pressure to her colon. I assumed it was just a sign of her age and did nothing beyond putting a pee-pad where she liked to sleep. When we did find the tumor, it was too late as it had spread throughout her body.

 

I have since heard that seniors can have this problem when they lose muscle tone in their rectum muscles. I don't know if vets can do anything about it.

[Guest Rose29]

My mums dog has this issue(non greyhound), in his case it's caused by a slipped disc in his back pressing on nerves. He cannot feel when he needs to 'go'. It also affects his legs, he has a kind of wooden legged walk.

[GeorgeofNE]

Fecal incontinence is often a sign of lumbar spinal stenosis. He can't feel the poop. Not much you can do about it except realize that when he's gone, you'll wonder why it bothered you at all!

[CharlieRhea]

My 13+ yr old German Shepherd has fecal incontinence now and bouts of dementia. She sometimes loses control while asleep. When she is awake it just comes but she tries to get outside as it is happening poor girl. I just pick it up without a word to her. She just can't help it anymore.