Poop problem: stools are well-formed but post-stool ooze on anus needs to be wiped afterwards

[arcasinky]

Hi. I have a Maine Coon mix, around 14 years old. Over the last 6-8 months, he's developed a problem whereby I need to wipe diarrhea-like ooze from his anus after he poops. This happens once or twice a week but it means that I have to check his backside every time I hear him poop, just in case. The amount of ooze is not much -- usually about half the size of my pinky fingernail -- but it's enough to leave a mess wherever he sits afterwards. If the entire stools were this consistency then I'd suspect IBS but the stools themselves are well-formed and reasonably solid (but not rock-hard).

My vet has recommended Fortiflora as a possible remedy so I've mixed that with his food for the last 6 weeks. I can't really tell if the situation has improved with Fortiflora but it hasn't become any worse.

His diet is dry food: a half-and-half mix of Crave and Rachel Ray which hasn't changed since the 2020 Covid lockdowns. Years ago we tried to switch him to a canned-food diet but that led to loose stools after a few weeks. He's been on a dry-food diet ever since.

Any ideas what's going on and how to remedy?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Could it be anal gland secretions? Defecating will naturally express the glands, but grooming plays a role too. Perhaps he is grooming less than normal, and so the anal glands are filling up a bit. Less grooming can be due to age from conditions like arthritis, or from a cat being a bit overweight.
Cat Anal Gland Problems: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment - Cats.com

 

[arcasinky]

Hi. Our vet also initially thought it might be an anal gland issue so he manually drained them during his visit 6-7 weeks ago. He didn't mention that they felt abnormally large or anything. That didn't seem to have an effect, unfortunately.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Then, I would next head down the lack of grooming option, and what might be the cause of that. The fact that his stools are well formed, and this is just happening at the tail end of a BM might mean he just doesn't clean himself the way he used to. If he was grooming better before than he is now, you likely would have no way to know that this might have been going on for a long time.

You could have x-rays done to see if they would show any arthritic joints - full body and legs. At his age, it couldn't hurt to add an arthritis joint supplement, such as Cosequin or Dasuquin.

Forti Flora isn't really much of a probiotic. However, it is great as a flavor enhancer. You might look into s. boulardii instead.
The benefits of using S. Boulardii for cats– FullBucket Health

 

[arcasinky]

Joint problems are a possibility. I have noticed that he sometimes has trouble cleaning his hind legs. I've gotten him some Cosequin and we'll see how he's doing after a month.

I'll look into S. Boulardii. Thanks.