Why did my healthy dog poop in her sleep? Should I be concerned?

I wouldn't say this is normal behavior, but it is common for senior dogs to develop fecal incontinence especially when sleeping. Most of the time there is not much to do although sometimes people try a diet change or probiotics. Some neurologic problems could also cause incontinence so if Millie has been having trouble walking or leaking urine I would recommend seeing your vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are daily variations in the defecation routine so this is not necessarily abnormal. I would not be too concerned about this as you will most likely not run into this issue. Have a great day!

Hi! I'm not too sure why Bruno was up in the middle of the night, but sometimes they hear sounds that we don't, which wake them up. As long as he seems back to normal I wouldn't worry too much. If he is acting restless, pacing, or having any bloating in his belly though, he should be checked out as soon as possible by a vet! In the morning, offer him his food. If he is not eating, or acting strangely, it might be a good idea to have him checked out. Best of luck!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Romeo. If he is otherwise acting normally, eating and drinking, not lethargic, no diarrhea, then I would assume this behavior is normal and I would not worry. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like Mocha has diarrhea. I recommend taking her and a fresh stool sample to the vet to check for microscopic parasites. They can get her the appropriate medications if needed. If it's not diarrhea, she is just not potty trained yet and you need to take her out more often. I hope this helps! Kisses to Mocha!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Defecating once a day is actually not considered unhealthy. It all depends on what she eats. For example, it may be that she is eating a diet that is high in protein and low in fiber for instance. This could be easily fixed by feeding her a diet that is higher in fiber. Based on what she eats at this time, defecating just once daily may be just fine. Good luck and have a great day!

The circling and whining may be indicating she needs to go outside to eliminate. I recommend getting her seen by your vet to make sure there isn't some underlying medical condition that is causing her to suddenly need to relieve herself so early in the morning. If she is an older dog, she may simply be unable to hold it as long as she used to, but it's best to check her out at your vets to be safe. You might consider feeding her two meals a day, one at breakfast time and another late afternoon or evening. Make sure she goes outside right before bedtime and give her plenty of time to relieve herself. Dogs can be like people and do better when they are on a structured schedule with food.