Small fecals--how soon to jump to a vet visit?

[Jenk]

My nearly 3.5-year-old Mini Rex, Emma, is prone to inexplicable gut slowdown issues and is experiencing them now.

Yesterday, I noticed some smaller fecals in her box; but the majority of the fecals were normal-sized. The ones she produced overnight also included small- and normal-sized ones, but they were a bit more dry than normal. And this morning, she passed fecals that are dark/moist but are about 1/3 of their normal size. Some of them have that tear-drop shape, as well.

Is it time for me to throw in the towel and make a vet visit?

Yesterday, I gave her a dose of Probi (a prebiotic/probiotic/enzyme supplement). This morning, I've spaced out a dose of each of these items: Simethicone, Ginger-Mint (a supplement designed to soothe and bolster the digestive process), Bene-Bac, and a small piece of unsweetened/dried papaya (for extra enzyme help). I've also offered her extra water flavored with a small amount of Critical Care.

Whenever Emma has a gut slowdown issue, it comes on suddenly like this and makes me very nervous. But it gets so expensive to jump to the vet every time this occurs.

Thanks,

Jenk

 

[farmerchick]

hmmm i don't have any answers for you, but my mini rex does the same thing. her poo gets smaller then she'll stop eating or slow down eating for 2-3 days then all of a sudden she'll get a big hearty appetite, and shes been like this since her first bout of pasturella, she doesn't show any new symptoms and it doesn't seem to affect her and she binkys and seems happy and normal otherwise.... but i get really nervous when she stops eating, i usually sit on alert to take her to the vets if she doesn't start eating again... i have some critical care to force feed her and every time i think its time to bring it out and start force feeding her she starts eating again...

does she ever start eating on her own again when this happens? how many days does this usually go on for?

 

[Jenk]

farmerchick wrote:

does she ever start eating on her own again when this happens? how many days does this usually go on for?

Emma hasn't actually stopped eating or drinking at this point.But that fact can lead a false lull, as has happened in the past.

When this issue last occurred three months ago, I'dwaited four days before taking her to the vet. I waited that long because she'd continued producing fecals, but they became increasingly smaller over that time period. The last straw was when they were both very small and bone-dry.

I confess that I broke down and made a vet appointment (for tomorrow morning).If anything, I want Emma's teeth/mouth examined and amconsideringhaving a fecal culture done to check for any infection(s):bacterial, yeast, or fungal. My husband will probably be upset, since all previous tests--especially fecal cultures--have revealed nothing amiss. :?But it's been a while since her last culture.

For all I know, Emma's fecals may improve by tonight.For now, I plan to offer her more Critical Care-flavored water to geta little enzyme boost in her system.