Diarrhea in Dogs part 2
Differentation of Small Intestinal from Large Intestinal Diarrhea in Dogs

Parameter                   
Small Intestine                       Large Intestine
The Feces
Volume                      
Marked Increased                   Normal or increased

Mucus                        
Rarely Present                        Common

Melena                       
May be present                       Absent

Hematochezia            
Absent except in acute            Fairly common
                                  
hemorrhagic diarrhea

Steatorrhea                
Present with maldigestive         Absent
                                  
or malabsorptive disease

Undigested food         
May be present with               Absent
                                  
maldigestion

Color                        
Color variations occur,           Color variations rare,
                                 
e.g.,creamy brown, green         may be bloody
                                 
orange or clay colored

Defecation
Urgency                     
Absent except in acute or        Usually but not invar-
                                  
very severe disease                   iably present

Tenesmus                    
Absent                                    Frequent but not invar-
                                                                                    iably present

Frequency                  
2 to 3 times normal for             Usually greater than 3
                                 
patient                                     times normal

Dyschezia                  
absent                                    Present with distal
                                                                                  colonic or rectal disease

Ancillary signs
Weight loss              
May occur in mal-                 Rare except in sever colitis
                                 
digestive or mal-                    diffuse tumors ot
                                  
absorptive disease                 histoplasmosis

Vomiting                   
May be present in                  uncommon, but occurs
                                
inflammatory disease              in up to 25-30% of dogs
                                                                                 colitis

Flatulence and           
May be reported with            Absent
borgorygmus             
maldigestion and
                                
malabsorption

Halitosis in the         
Present with maldigestion       Absent
absence or oral        
or malabsorption
disease

                                         
Part  3