My pet's stool sometimes has a jelly-looking membrane covering it. It's only once in a while so I've just been seeing how things go. Do you think something might be wrong with her? Should I take her to the vet?
The presence of mucus is actually very normal. It's common to see a little bit of a slimy, jelly-like substance in your dog's stool. Glands in the intestinal tract naturally produce mucus to help keep the colon lubricated and moist to help the stools pass along. However, excessive mucus accompanied by blood in the stool, diarrhea, vomiting and/or other symptoms is a cause for concern.
When Does Mucus Become a Concern?
When there is an excessive amount.
When blood is present.
When there is vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and/or loss of appetite.
Causes of Mucus in Dog Poop
Stress
Dietary Indiscretion
Food Intolerances
Intoxication
Diet Changes
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Crohn's Disease
Colitis
Presence of Intestinal Parasites/Protozoans
Fungal Infection
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
Clostridial Enterotoxicosis
Parvovirus
Ingesting Foreign Objects
Polyps and Tumors of the Intestinal Lining
