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Dog pooping inside: Is it a spine problem or mobility issue?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 11 years and 7 months old | 53 lbs

How do I know if fecal incontinence is spine related? Would he have trouble moving as well?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 20th, 2020

Hello. It may not be obvious, unless you can tell that he might be dragging his back feet a little. But this can be very subtle. You might notice the nails on the back feet are quite short. Your veterinarian will due a neurological exam by testing placement reflexes with his feet. A positive response is not anything to be overly concerned about. These are very common aging changes. All I was saying is this may explain the accident in the house & by no means indicates this will get worse. It is just something to be aware of. And, there are other reasons for house soiling accidents, so if it happens again, just have Maverick fully examined to make sure nothing is missed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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