Small Dog Pooping Small Balls in Her Sleep: When to See a Specialist

Passing small balls of stool during sleep, without seeming to notice, usually points to weakness of the anal sphincter or the nerves that control it. When routine tests come back normal, the next step is often a closer look at those nerves, including a neurologic exam of her back legs, tail and anal reflex, and sometimes MRI or CT of the lower spine.

A board-certified veterinary neurologist is the specialist best placed to do this, and a veterinary internal medicine specialist can help if a bowel cause is suspected. Your vet can refer you, and many specialty and emergency hospitals have neurologists on staff. In Virginia, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg has a teaching hospital that sees referral cases.

Bring notes or a video of the accidents and a list of everything you’ve tried. Meanwhile, a late-evening walk, feeding earlier in the day and a washable bed cover can help reduce the mess. See our guide to bowel incontinence in dogs.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.