# is there a "sick" poop smell?



## maxlet (Jun 2, 2013)

Hi,
I've got a 15 week old American Eskie puppy that I got at 8 weeks. I think he's got a ligering health problem but my vet basically tells me I'm nuts. When I first got him, his feces had a very distinctive "sick poop" smell (more on that later). No diarrhea or vomiting. To vet, stool sample; dx coccidia. Treated for 9 days. Still smelled. Another stool sample: they said looked clean but maybe worms; treated for worms. Still smelled. Another sample: they said clean, change diet. Tried Blue Buffalo Grain Free Puppy. Still smells. Change diet agin, now AviDerm Puppy. Still smells. Vet says "well, poo doesn't smell very good." I've got more years dealing with animals than she does; I know this (my 'worst poo smell' candidates are polar bears & mynah birds). His stools have been variably soft, but nothing worse. He relentlessly eats grass (roots & all), dirt, & sand. He's also been getting NutriVet Puppy Vitamin gel, about 3/8" per day.

He is active, appears bright-eyed & healthy, has gone from 6-10.2 pounds from 8 1/2 to 15 weeks. He's responding well to training (mostly), is approaching house-broken & can hold urine & bowel for 4 hours. Is affectionate, cheerful, loves people. However, I can't help but be a wee bit concerned about the "off" smell. 

I've been an animal lover & keeper my whole life; a vet tech, zookeeper, etc, I've just surrounded myself with animals my whole life. I have, several times, been able to tell merely from the smell of feces that an animal is sick or has intestinal parasites. Yeah, I know no poo smells particularly good, but I'm convinced at least some people can detect something --dunno if it's a protein that parasites excrete, or the animal's immune system puts out, or what. Some people I talk to about this agree, others swear I'm delusional. Should I put it to a poll, or does anyone think I should try another vet who can test stool for more than worms, coccidia, or giardia (those are the only things my vet says they can test for).


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

I am sure there is...

I know that parvo poo has a particular smell its almost like vomit and poop smell combined. very gross. And I have HEARD that corona virus poo has a smell to it also.

your dog does not have these issues for they are generally very violent illnesses. but some sicknesses to produce different smelling poo!


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## Emmett (Feb 9, 2013)

If you feel strongly about it then by all means seek a second opinion. Personally, I would also just seek a new vet. Saying they can _only_ test for those three is pretty much discounting your concerns. I know my vet has probably run a couple unnecessary tests just to humor my hypochondriasis. Unless it was invasive or hurtful to my animal he has no problem doing them to give me peace of mind. He'll explain that he doesn't really think they're needed and that he feels confident in whatever diagnosis he has already made, but that the tests are available and he will do them if I like.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Always go with your gut feeling. Get a second opinion. By the time I had gotten a second opinion it was too late for my dog. I should have listened to that voice in my head the first time I heard it.


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## maxlet (Jun 2, 2013)

Thanks all, & abbyl, I'm so very sorry about your dog. It took me over 20 years to get over losing my first Eskie enough to get another dog, so I'm the last person on the planet to think that losing one is anything but the purest, saddest hell. 

I did a more general google search later yesterday & found that among human nurses it appears that there's no question but there is such a thing as "sick smell" to our poop, so I'm not sure why so many in the animal community clearly think I'm an idiot. So I may be on many subjects, but I have actually learned a few things in many decades of close animal care & working in medical research. It does appear that many 'laypersons' can't imagine a distinction between "ooh gross, icky yuck of course poop smells bad" & when it smells of disease. Non-Western doctors know that several diseases have characteristic smells, whether in breath, sweat, feces, whatever. 

Yeah, I'm going to go with the second opinion thing, if I can find another decent-seeming vet in this nano-town I recently moved to. This vet was already my 2nd (& improved) one for my older cat, as the first one seemed borderline incompetent. 

He goes thru these 'Multiple Personality' phases when his usual affectionate & (for an Eskimo puppy) obedient self disappears & he gets very hyper & downright aggressive, biting quite strongly at my pants, hands, legs, anything that gets near him. They only last a few minutes, but part of me has wondered if there is a health issue contributing. Again, he seems healthy & has never appeared unwell (except for a few hours last night, after last round of vaccs), but there's that gut worry....

Another vet. Y'all are right, if for no other reason than it'll help keep me from getting any crazier than I already am.

Thanks again!


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

There is definitely a difference between the smell of healthy poop and sick poop. Heck, I can tell a difference just smelling my dog. (Yeah, I'm a freak, I stick my nose in my dog's fur and breathe in the dogginess.) I'd definitely get a second opinion, and if you have to drive an hour or two to get it, that's what you have to do.



> He goes thru these 'Multiple Personality' phases when his usual affectionate & (for an Eskimo puppy) obedient self disappears & he gets very hyper & downright aggressive, biting quite strongly at my pants, hands, legs, anything that gets near him. They only last a few minutes, but part of me has wondered if there is a health issue contributing. Again, he seems healthy & has never appeared unwell (except for a few hours last night, after last round of vaccs), but there's that gut worry..


This sounds like a normal 15 week old puppy.


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## maxlet (Jun 2, 2013)

Hi Amaryllis,
I wonder if the ability to smell the sick smell is genetic, like some people can roll their tongue & some can't (or the asparagus pee syndrome --I worked with a woman who had no idea what that was, because she didn't have the enzyme or whatever). I know there are some tastes that can only be detected if you have the right genetic combo. 

Anyhow, you're right about the drive. & I don't thing you're a freak, tho I've whiffed some pooches with doggy BO that made my nose hairs crisp up & fall out, so if you're into _that_, I may change my mid....

And it's been...ye gods, a little over 30 years since I lived with a puppy, so I've probably just forgotten!


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