Question: whats in the animal poo

Marisol Collins answered on 8 Nov 2016:

Michael is right @Jess. The animal poo will contain the bits of what the animal ate that the body doesn’t need or can’t digest – all the waste stuff. However, that’s not all! There will also be lots of dead cells from the animal’s intestines, as the lining of the gut is always being replaced by new cells that are busy absorbing nutrients from the food that’s been eaten. There will also be lots and lots (millions!) of bacteria, as these also live in the gut and have an important role to play. Many gut bacteria are useful and will happily live in the gut of animals and people, helping to keep us healthy. However, bacteria than cause disease can spread quickly in the poo too, also viruses and parasites (often causing diarrhoea!), so poo can contain enemies too, not just waste. Testing what is in poo is a great way of learning more about the health and disease of an animal. It sounds gross, but poo is full of very valuable information!