What's the definition of....

... diarrhea?

I know, it's not really something you want to talk about at the dinner table, but I'm pretty sure Chazzers won't mind discussing it.

We're having a debate at work. One of our apprentices is constantly reporting that this dog or that dog has diarrhea. THey have zero other symptoms, and when another person handles the dog he has healthy poop. So I'm pretty sure that this particular apprentice just has a very wide definition of diarrhea.

So we've been discussing it.... I say that anything more solid than basically water is not diarrhea. I think my exact words were, "If you look at it and think it's pee, except it's brown and stinks, it's diarrhea." She says that if the pile looks basically like a cow patty - it's kind of firm, in that it makes a distinct pile, but doesn't really have a form; like soft serve ice cream - then it's diarrhea.

I'm going to see the vet next week so of course I'll ask him, but I thought I'd get some opinions. Thoughts??

Pretty much I'm with you pure liquid.
But an animal can have diarrhea and no other signs of anything. Rascal does, I swear if my vet didn't know him/trust me, she'd think I was overreacting and there was no diarrhea. He has actually GAINED weight from the last visit.

Oh yeah, I know.... But it's pretty much every other day, she comes to me freaking out because a dog's had "diarrhea." And no other symptoms. And she comes up with this detailed treatment plan, and I have to argue with her that it's not necessary. And of course, if the dog had another bout of diarrhea after I bashed her treatment plan, I never hear the end of it.

Hence the need for a definition.

Diarrhea is liquid or almost liquid. Anything between that and firm poops is soft/squishy/pudding (and still not "normal").

Peeing out your butt = diarrhea.

Cow pies = soft stools.

To me diarrhea means more than just loose stool - it also means the inability to hold it (or **** near inability to hold it.) If you have loose stool and have to run to the bathroom or you're going to literally crap your pants, THAT is diarrhea.

Everything else is just loose stool of varying degrees of looseness. Though I don't think I've seen watery stool outside of the inability to hold it either so I guess saying watery stool is pretty close, LOL.

Meh, if it's pretty solid, we call it soft serve if it's liquid, its "dire-rear" lol

Yeah, don't get me wrong, we don't completely dismiss soft poop; we note it and watch for changes. We just don't freak out about it.

Thanks for the input, glad I'm not the only one. This apprentice actually makes me feel like I'm being cruel not worrying too much about soft poop. It just gets tiring going through the same routine almost every day: "Dog has diarrhea!!!!" "What's the consistency?" "Cow pie!!!!!" "Ok, let me know if it becomes more liquidy later today." "But shouldn't we DO SOMETHING??? The POOR DOGGIE!!!"