In a rectal exam, the vet is checking for any abnormalities such as the presence of masses. A vet will put on gloves and check with his/her fingers for any abnormalities in the dog's rectal area. When a dog has pencil-thin poop, a vet will therefore typically conduct a physical examination including a rectal exam. Finding the source of anything obstructive or compressive causing a stricture in the passage of stools in this location, is important. Presence of a Rectal MassĪs mentioned, flat or narrow pencil-thin stools in dogs can be due to some degree of pressure or blockage changing the shape of the stool before it leaves the rectum. There are several possible underlying causes of narrow, pencil-thin poop in dogs that require investigation. Narrow stools in dogs may be indicative of an issue in the dog's colon or rectum restricting the poop as it comes out. If this is a one-time occurrence, it's a good idea to keep an eye on future bowel movements and see if it continues to happen.Ĭhecking with a veterinarian upon noticing any changes in a dog's bowel habits - such as narrower than normal stools, especially if it lasts longer than one to two weeks, is always recommended. The presence of pencil-like stools, also sometimes referred to as ribbon-like, thin, flat or narrow stools, may be indicative of a problem if they occur with a certain frequency. A dog's poop shape is due to its formation within the intestines. The cylindrical log-like shape is suggestive of the dog's lower intestine or rectum being in good shape. When she's not helping patients in her practice (5 Journeys) you can find Trubow alongside her husband and their four kids, creating a beautiful ecosystem in our yard that provides nourishment to both our body and soul.Normal dog stool is typically solid brown in color and shaped like a log, that is, cylindrical and preferably, easy to pick up, leaving no mess behind. Through her struggles with mold and metal toxicity, Celiac disease, and a variety of other health issues, Trubow has developed a deep sense of compassion for what her patients are facing. There are so many different challenges in a woman’s life: work, home, relationships, spirituality, health, and they all matter! While her credentials allow Trubow a solid medical backdrop to help women achieve vitality, her own health journey has also inspired and supported her methods of care. After all these years, she is still passionate about helping women optimize their health and their lives. from Tufts University in 2000 and has been practicing functional medicine since 2009. Wendie Trubow, M.D., MBA is a functional medicine gynecologist. While thin poop is likely not colorectal or colon cancer, if your symptoms are ongoing, you may want to speak to your doctor to check.Īdditional warning signs for cancer can include blood in the stool, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain that is focused on the left (and typically more constant than infrequent), and unexplained anemia. In some cases, stringy poop may be caused by a parasite or other infection, in which case you may need medication from your doctor to remedy the problem. This is another reason to seek medical advice from your physician, since it is an extreme case of constipation and often needs assistance from a medical provider to resolve. In this case, there is stool that is basically blocking the colon, and thin, less compacted bands of stool are able to pass around the blockage. You can also have thin stools when the colon is over-distended. Other causes of thin stool can be intestinal scarring that's a result of abdominal surgery (cesarean section, tubal ligation, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, removal of an ovarian cyst, etc.).

(If you're male, this would not apply to you.) But what if your poop has been thin or stringy for a few weeks? That's a situation in which it's a good idea to see a doctor since it could be a uterine fibroid that has grown large enough to press on the outside of the colon and become a restriction on the colon from the outside.

Pencil thin stool