[header] How to diagnose illness in an emu [title] Check for diarrhea. [step] Normal emu excrement is soft, but not runny or watery. Runny or water excrement, or diarrhea, is often a sign of disease in emu. 
While changes in diet will cause diarrhea, there are many diseases that may require treatment that also cause diarrhea. These include bacterial infections, avian influenza, fowl cholera, staphylococcus, as well as many other diseases that affect emu.