The past few months my 2 yr old sheltie has been having some stool issues. Twice he has had diarrhea like water and very mucusy and vomiting and has had to go to the vet for medication. Now sometimes his still is firm, yet there is a layer of mucus on it. Should I be worring? I plan on calling the vet monday. Ruckus has never had any problems like this before, and nothing has changed as far as diet or medications go!

[lulusmom]

It sounds like your baby may have Colitis. I had a dog once that had the problem intermittently throughout her entire life. Here's a bit of info on the subject:

Colitis in Dogs

aww my poor baby! That does sound like him.

Blood and mucus in the stool can indicate several things.

it can be irritable bowel syndrome, colits- a symptom of the large intestine..... it could be a sign of disease like Parvo virus, or a sign of intestinal parasites. Clots or bright red blood in the stool can be a lower digestive tract problem or he may be bleeding from his anus.

Blood and mucus is a sign of a problem. If your dog is still experiencing the blood and mucus in his stools after having a test run at the vet, he needs to be taken back to the doctor to be re-evaluated, since treatments differ depending on what the diagnosis is.

Well, you didn't mention blood in the stools, so I'll just address the mucus issue.

Mucus covered stools indicate irritation in the GI tract, most specifically the intestines. Colitis or IBS are definite possibilities. He could also be reacting to an ingredient in his food, even though you haven't changed foods. Allergies can develop over time, or the manufacturer could have changed the formula of the food you're using.

Intestinal parasites could also be the culprit. Sometimes a single stool sample doesn't tell the whole story. Some species of worms don't shed eggs every day. And a fecal exam is only as good as the person reading it. Tiny parasites like giardia and coccidia can sometimes be missed.

Another problem that should be ruled out is Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. If the pancreas isn't producing enough of the enzymes necessary for digestion, the dog will have greasy, mucusy stools. EPI would be unusual in a young dog, but it does happen.