B
Baxter Tiberius
Guest
Hi Mark -
Okay sorry in advance for some less than exciting feedback from the vets.
Here is how the conversation went:
Me: I know someone who has an English Bulldog who poops while it sleeps. Or while it's just walking around. Doesn't even squat. 10 weeks old. Anything they should check for? Or just let him outgrow it?
Vet: He probably won't outgrow that. Its called Fecal Incontinence. This condition usually progresses as the dog grows up. It is usually caused by a nerve issue.
Me: Sphincter Muscle contraction issues?
Vet: Something is disrupting the nerve pathway that innervates (connects the nerves to) the sphincter muscle.
Me: Any chance its a spinal / structural thing that's physically blocking the nerve, fixable by surgery?
Vet: There is a chance of that, but surgery may not fix it at this point. The longer it goes on, the less chance of it getting better with surgery.
-------------------
This got my mind thinking about de-nervation, which is something people with MS and ALS and other diseases deal with. It can be structural, or autoimmune in nature. At his age I would assume its structural or development related. I think he's too young for a disease process to be causing this.
Search Google for Neurological Veterinary Specialists in [your city name].
You might want to get pet insurance now before any diagnosis and get that put in place just in case. I use GoPetPlan.com They have a 15 day waiting period I believe.
You could try increasing healthy fats in the dogs diet (olive oil, fish oil) as this will help any brain / neurological / central nervous system development. The neurologist can do an EMG and a nerve conduction test to confirm de-nervation is the cause. Your standard vet may know nothing about this, so I would find a neuro vet, call the office, ask if they deal with "Fecal Incontenence due to nerve problems". They should be able to give you a straight yes or no on that.
Another technique to stimulate innervation (the connection of nerves and nerve "sprouting" - google it) is exercise. If you're really dedicated, you might try getting him to run a lot. Get the muscles developing and growing. Its a long shot but nothing innervates like exercise does. The vet should have some more scientific responses once you toss the proper title for the condition at him.
Kevin
Okay sorry in advance for some less than exciting feedback from the vets.
Here is how the conversation went:
Me: I know someone who has an English Bulldog who poops while it sleeps. Or while it's just walking around. Doesn't even squat. 10 weeks old. Anything they should check for? Or just let him outgrow it?
Vet: He probably won't outgrow that. Its called Fecal Incontinence. This condition usually progresses as the dog grows up. It is usually caused by a nerve issue.
Me: Sphincter Muscle contraction issues?
Vet: Something is disrupting the nerve pathway that innervates (connects the nerves to) the sphincter muscle.
Me: Any chance its a spinal / structural thing that's physically blocking the nerve, fixable by surgery?
Vet: There is a chance of that, but surgery may not fix it at this point. The longer it goes on, the less chance of it getting better with surgery.
-------------------
This got my mind thinking about de-nervation, which is something people with MS and ALS and other diseases deal with. It can be structural, or autoimmune in nature. At his age I would assume its structural or development related. I think he's too young for a disease process to be causing this.
Search Google for Neurological Veterinary Specialists in [your city name].
You might want to get pet insurance now before any diagnosis and get that put in place just in case. I use GoPetPlan.com They have a 15 day waiting period I believe.
You could try increasing healthy fats in the dogs diet (olive oil, fish oil) as this will help any brain / neurological / central nervous system development. The neurologist can do an EMG and a nerve conduction test to confirm de-nervation is the cause. Your standard vet may know nothing about this, so I would find a neuro vet, call the office, ask if they deal with "Fecal Incontenence due to nerve problems". They should be able to give you a straight yes or no on that.
Another technique to stimulate innervation (the connection of nerves and nerve "sprouting" - google it) is exercise. If you're really dedicated, you might try getting him to run a lot. Get the muscles developing and growing. Its a long shot but nothing innervates like exercise does. The vet should have some more scientific responses once you toss the proper title for the condition at him.
Kevin
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