Constipation can last from days to months, with interludes of diarrhea or normal bowel function. Stools are often hard and may be described as pellet shaped in at least 25% of bowel movements, or Bristol Stool Form Scale 1-2 (separate hard lumps like nuts that are difficult to pass, or sausage shaped but lumpy).
The external abdominal oblique muscle is the largest and most superficial of the 3 paired, flat abdominal muscles. It arises from the lower 8 ribs and interdigitations of the serratus anterior muscle.
These muscles form a basket which encloses the viscera. Contraction of the abdominal muscles serves to compress the abdomen. The external oblique forms the most superficial of the three layers of abdominal muscles. This muscle originates from the posterior ribs and the lumbodorsal fascia.The fibers extend craniodorsally to insert along the length of the linea alba.. Linea alba. This image shows a ventral view of the abdominal wall of a cat, with the external oblique muscle reflected laterally. The abdominal wall consists of three sheet-like layers of muscle along with a band-like, longitudinal muscle located along the midventral line (linea alba).