# How common is evacuating bowels during death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2012, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130 "2012-06-05T04:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/21 "2012-06-05T20:51:39Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Now, it’s a LOT more common to have a bowel movement while giving birth, but we don’t talk about that much, either! 😃 But we know this, and we are horrified by it. 🙂 More proof that there is no Creator, or at least not a kindly one! ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/22 "2012-06-05T21:23:08Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > I’ve seen lots of dead people in the ER, rarely are they incontinent to stool. Likewise here. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/23 "2012-06-05T21:25:18Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > I have killed a lot of animals, and this is BS. Or, rather, _isn’t_ BS. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/24 "2012-06-05T21:29:46Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Or, rather, _isn’t_ BS. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/25 "2012-06-05T22:08:52Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > I have killed a lot of animals, and this is BS. You need to be more specific. I have no idea what you are referring to. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/26 "2012-06-05T22:26:49Z")
Dead (non-human) animals, unless they have some gastrointestinal sickness prior to death, do not immediately evacuate bowels upon death. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/27 "2012-06-05T23:21:31Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > You need to be more specific. I have no idea what you are referring to. Your statement is basically that: Evacuating of bowels, bloating, sunken eyes and death rattles are common. This is not supported by anything else you said, and is in fact disputed by multiple other posters. Using the post WWII migration of people from rural to urban lifestyles as a support for your logic doesn’t make sense. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/28 "2012-06-05T23:46:19Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > In my job, I deal with dead animals fairly often. Unless there was already a history of diarrhea (which granted, is in many many cases I get), bowel emptying, to the point of **having large amounts** of fecal staining around the anus, does not happen **in many, if not most** , of the cases (pre-mortem diagnosis of GI problems excempt). But you are aware that it (evacuating bowels during death) does occur. Not in every case but it does happen. I’m not sure if the size of the stool is important to someone asking if or how often it occurs. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/29 "2012-06-05T23:49:17Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Absolutely. If one props open the sphincter, there’s a constant flow of feces until the subject dies of malnutrition. > > Joe What rubbish. Never had anal sex, I take it? ---
**Author:** ![Mewl\_Dear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mewl\_Dear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mewl_Dear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/30 "2012-06-05T23:56:38Z")
How about urination? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/31 "2012-06-06T00:18:04Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Your statement is basically that: > > Evacuating of bowels, bloating, sunken eyes and death rattles are common. > > This is not supported by anything else you said, and is in fact disputed by multiple other posters. Using the post WWII migration of people from rural to urban lifestyles as a support for your logic **doesn’t make sense**. That could be because I didn’t say it was “common”, I said it was “common knowledge”. (ie What the average person knew at that point in time.) I was still referring to “knowledge” when I made the point that most people in the U.S. prior to WWII were raised in a rural environment. Almost everyone had some dealings with farm animals, both live and dead. Even urban environments had horses, goats, and chickens. Since they weren’t being entertained by 500 channels of TV 24/7, it’s rumored that people actually talked to each other about the things that had occured in their lives. _Evening Andy. Evening Barney. Nice weather. Yep. How’s the missus? Good. I see Goober is selling grain again. That’s good to hear. I suspect the grass has been giving my cows the bloat. Bloat, huh. How do you cure that? I stick 'em with an ice pick and let the gas out. An ice pick? Doesn’t that hurt? Not if you keep your other hand out of the way. That’s good to know. Night Andy. Night Barney._ After WWII, urban living increased and knowledge of animals from birth to death dwindled. Ask your average high school senior today to make a chicken dinner and hand them a live chicken. If you’re lucky, they’ll trade the chicken for a bucket of KFC. It’s more likely they’ll let the chicken go and tell you where to go. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/32 "2012-06-06T00:52:08Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > But you are aware that it (evacuating bowels during death) does occur. Not in every case but it does happen. I’m not sure if the size of the stool is important to someone asking if or how often it occurs. I can see it occurring in animals that had prior gastrointestinal problems. Barring that, no, I don’t see it commonly, so my guess, if it does occur, is that the animal had GI problems (and is usually mentioned in the history I receive). Random dead animal, be it chicken, horse, cow, dog, cat, snake… No, I do not see fecal staining after death. Also, I’ve killed animals and seen “just dead” animals, and nope, I do not frequently encounter the whole “evacuating bowels during death”. For me “common knowledge” means whatever happens occurs commonly enough so as to not be mentioned, that is how I understood your phrasing. In my job, no, it does not occur on every case, and if it does occur, I have to make a note of it. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/33 "2012-06-06T00:57:44Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Now, it’s a LOT more common to have a bowel movement while giving birth, but we don’t talk about that much, either! 😃 Wait, what? I didn’t know that. I thought it was because it was inconvenient for the person to get off the bed once she’d been prepped, so they let her go there and then, not that it was forced. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/34 "2012-06-06T01:17:29Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Wait, what? I didn’t know that. I thought it was because it was inconvenient for the person to get off the bed once she’d been prepped, so they let her go there and then, not that it was forced. Nope. Partly it’s because the hormones that cause uterine contractions also cause the intestine to contract, but mostly it’s because of mechanical smooshing. Baby’s head smooshes intestine as it makes its way down the chute, and out comes the poop. Most nurses get so good at cleaning it up quickly you don’t even notice. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/35 "2012-06-06T02:05:38Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > I can see it occurring in animals that had prior gastrointestinal problems. Barring that, no, I don’t see it commonly, so my guess, if it does occur, is that the animal had GI problems (and is usually mentioned in the history I receive). Random dead animal, be it chicken, horse, cow, dog, cat, snake… No, I do not see fecal staining after death. Also, I’ve killed animals and seen “just dead” animals, and nope, I do not frequently encounter the whole “evacuating bowels during death”. > > For me “common knowledge” means whatever happens occurs commonly enough so as to not be mentioned, that is how I understood your phrasing. In my job, no, it does not occur on every case, and if it does occur, I have to make a note of it. I can see it occuring… I don’t see it commonly… if it does occur… No, I do not see fecal staining… I do not frequently encounter… no, it does not occur on every case… if it does occur… Your reply is very confusing. Let me ask you this - Is it possible that animals or humans can experience evacuating their bowels during death? Possible, not probable, not expected, not common, not frequently, but possible? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/36 "2012-06-06T02:07:46Z")
Of course it’s possible. For example, one could die while on the toilet… The mere issue of whether it’s possible to ever happen in any circumstances is not, to anyone else, the point. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/37 "2012-06-06T02:21:18Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Nope. Partly it’s because the hormones that cause uterine contractions also cause the intestine to contract, but mostly it’s because of mechanical smooshing. Baby’s head smooshes intestine as it makes its way down the chute, and out comes the poop. > > Most nurses get so good at cleaning it up quickly you don’t even notice. Childbirth just sounds more and more fun :rolleyes: So I guess it’s not that common? At least for the sick/elderly. I wonder for what types of deaths does it happen most often? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/38 "2012-06-06T02:30:24Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Of course it’s possible. For example, one could die while on the toilet… > > The mere issue of whether it’s possible to ever happen in any circumstances is not, to anyone else, the point. Since you believe it’s possible, maybe you could answer the original question in the opening post? _How common is evacuating bowels during death?_ I don’t know how “common” it actually is but I do know that “it” happens. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/39 "2012-06-06T02:35:57Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Of course it’s possible. For example, one could die while on the toilet… > > The mere issue of whether it’s possible to ever happen in any circumstances is not, to anyone else, the point. This. **doorhinge** , your original post in this thread: > [@](#): > > In the U.S. it was common knowledge before WWII when most people had every day dealings with farm animals. As more of the population moved to cities and relied on butchers and veterinarians, people lost that firsthand knowledge. Was in response to this: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by AaronX > So it’s one of those things that are so common, nobody bothers to point it out? Or are people squeamish about bodily waste? And my reply is to say “No, it is not “so common” in animals to have fecal incontinence.” It is not a dead = fecal incontinence, just like dead = stops breathing. Also, to whoever mention urination, at least in animals, urinary incontinence (just like fecal incontinence) is NOT one of those things that just happens in death. As much as I’d like both to happen (it would make parts of my job easier). ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130/40 "2012-06-06T03:35:40Z")
In my experience in the ER previously healthy people that die suddenly are rarely incontinent to stool or urine. I’ve never heard a death rattle either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-evacuating-bowels-during-death/624130.md?page=3)