ORANGE: Stools that are orangeish in color frequently indicate inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) or the gastrointestinal tract (inflammatory bowel disease). It is also possible for a bile duct obstruction to cause poop to be an orange color since there is no bile present.
If your dog suddenly has orange dog poop, then it may be indicative of pancreatitis (or the inflammation of the pancreas). It can also mean the poop moved through the GI tract too quickly and didn't have time for bile to breakdown your dog's food.
Pancreatitis can be quite variable in severity with some dogs not even requiring hospitalization. Any combination of abdominal pain, severe vomiting and diarrhea, and complete loss of interest in eating for days to a week or more can be seen.
The most common scenario in which a dog develops pancreatitis is after eating a relatively high-fat meal, such as barbecue meat or a holiday ham. The clinical symptoms typically begin within the next 12 to 24 hours. Other causes include certain drugs, trauma and, rarely, cancer.
The enzymes begin to digest the pancreas. There are a few risk factors that can affect a dog's chances of developing pancreatitis. Dogs that eat a high-fat meal or who get into the garbage often can be more prone to pancreatitis. However, the true cause or causes of pancreatitis in dogs is unknown.
Pancreatitis is a relatively common condition in dogs. It can occur in any age, breed, or gender, although it is more common in certain breeds. Symptoms of illness can vary in intensity from mild to severe, and dogs may have acute (sudden) or chronic (long-term) pancreatitis.
Most mild cases of pancreatitis recover after 2 to 3 days of therapy and have a good prognosis. The more severe cases have a guarded prognosis and often require a hospital stay of a week or longer. Some patients can develop an abscess of the pancreas requiring surgery.
Pancreatitis can present as a sudden-onset (acute) illness or as a more long-term (chronic) illness. A dog that has acute pancreatitis will have more serious clinical signs, such as: Severe lethargy. Abdominal pain.
Pancreas-specific lipase is measured with a test called Canine Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity, known simply as cPLI. The test requires only a small blood sample. A fasting sample is preferred, but it is not essential for the accuracy of the test.
In milder forms, symptoms aren't quite as obvious but may still include loss of appetite, lethargy, and diarrhoea. During an attack of pancreatitis, dogs may hunch their back, holding their rear end in the air with their front legs and head lowered onto the floor.
Meats high in fat such as lamb and pork should be avoided. Rice is a commonly used ingredient in homemade diets for pancreatic patients. Other ingredients include low fat beef, beef organs (kidney, heart, liver), egg whites, yogurt, barley and cooked vegetables.
For milder cases, your dog will need to be in the hospital anywhere from 2 to 4 days. After your dog leaves the hospital you can expect them to have fully recovered after 1 to 2 weeks. For severe cases of pancreatitis, your dog may be hospitalized for up to 2 weeks.
If a tumor blocks the pancreatic duct, insufficient pancreatic juices in the intestines can lead to poor absorption and diarrhea, as the undigested food passes quickly through the digestive tract. If this happens, stool may float due to the higher fat content, appear bulky, greasy, and unusually pale.
Pancreatic enzyme insufficiency causes pale, fatty, greasy, often foul-smelling stools, which don't easily flush away in the toilet. In terms of colour, the stool could be light green, pale brown, orange, yellowish, or even white. They tend to be frequent, loose, sloppy, and large in volume.
Chronic (long term) pancreatitis
Typical symptoms can include: Smelly breath and stool. Diarrhoea. Chronic Fatigue and lack of attention.
An acute severe episode of pancreatitis can quickly lead to shock and death if aggressive treatment is not started promptly. Unfortunately, even with aggressive treatment, some patients may still die.
It may be necessary for dogs with pancreatitis to be hospitalised for several days, fortunately though most patients with the condition go on to make a complete recovery, provided that appropriate veterinary and nursing care is provided.
In some cases, fatal complications can develop. Fortunately, this inflammation is typically contained, and with prompt diagnosis and veterinary support, most dogs make a full recovery from acute cases of pancreatitis.
Both forms of pancreatitis can be very painful for your dog.
The doctor doesn't need to because treatment is the same whether it's a mild stomach upset or mild pancreatitis: withhold food and sometimes water for 36 to 48 hours, then reintroduce food gradually via a bland diet. But if symptoms are more severe, tests are called for.
Dogs with pancreatitis, parvovirus, or leptospirosis tend not to drink much water, but a brewing bladder infection, other types of infection, or a metabolic problem such as Cushing's disease, and diabetes can cause excessive thirst and water consumption.
Despite raised awareness of, increased knowledge about, and new diagnostic tests for pancreatitis, the mortality rate in dogs is high, ranging from 27% to 58%.
Pancreatitis has two stages — acute and chronic. Chronic pancreatitis is a more persistent condition. Most cases of acute pancreatitis are mild and involve a short hospital stay for the pancreas to recover. Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly after the pancreas is damaged.