You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Description

Colitis literally means inflammation of the colon.

The inflammatory reaction in the wall of the colon alters motility by decreasing segmentation and so intestinal contents travel through the lumen quicker than usual. This results in inadequate removal of water from the faecal contents and diarrhoea.

Animals with colitis usually have the following signs :

• Increased frequency of defaecation
• Loose stools (see diarrhoea)
• Clear mucus film passed with faeces - sometimes forms a film over formed or semi-formed stools
• Often pass fresh blood with the faeces

The photograph below  shows a dog with colitis passing diarrhoea with mucus and blood.

Last updated : October 2013