Once you enter into the world of dog parenthood, you become pretty desensitized to poop. Because, let’s get real, poop happens! Each day, as you lean down to clean up fresh piles, take a quick mental note of the consistency, color, shape, and size. Since your dog’s poop offers a window into their overall health and wellbeing, it’s essential to know what’s normal and if something is off. Read on for tips to help you decode your pup’s poo!
What’s Normal?
“Normal” can vary a bit from dog to dog. But, in general, Fido’s poo should be firm and easy to scoop, log-shaped, and medium brown. These are all good indicators of a healthy digestive tract. Also, while your dog’s doo-doo will never come out smelling like roses, extremely stinky poop that makes you want to vomit is a sign that something is wrong.
Color
A normal, healthy stool is medium chocolate brown. Unless you’ve recently changed your dog’s diet or medications, the color should remain consistent. So, if it suddenly changes hue then it’s time to take a sample in to your vet.
Here are some common colors and what they may mean:
Green – There are a few reasons why a dog’s poop may look green. Did your furry friend recently enjoy a helping of grass? If so, his green poop is likely nothing to worry about and will go back to normal within a day. But, if your dog is passing unexplained green stools then it could indicate a gall bladder issue, rat-bait poisoning, an internal parasite, or another issue.
Orange/Yellow or Pale – Often, orange/yellow stool indicates a liver or biliary issue. But it could also mean your dog’s food just moved through the GI tract too quickly to properly pick up bile (bile gives poop its normal brown color).
Red Streaks – A small amount of bright red blood running through your dog’s stool can easily indicate a cut on your dog’s anus. If everything else appears normal and the blood goes away within a day or two then there’s nothing to worry about. But, if there is a large amount of blood, or it appears in your dog’s stool more than once, see your vet immediately.
Black – Called melena, if your dog’s stool suddenly takes on a black and tarry appearance then it likely means bleeding in the stomach or small intestines. This could be a result of a bleeding ulcer, cancer, pancreatitis, kidney failure, parasites, foreign body in the gastrointestinal system, or something else. Your vet will need to test a stool sample, run blood work, and possibly do an ultrasound to determine the cause of the issue.
Grey – Grey or light tan stools can be an indicator of liver or pancreatic problems.
White – If you notice your dog leaving behind white and chalky stools then they’re likely eating too much calcium. This is often observed in dogs fed a raw food diet.
White Spots – If you notice white, rice-like specs running through your dog’s poop then it may be a sign of tapeworms. Worms are contagious and require immediate veterinary attention.
Consistency
In general, your pup’s poop should be solid, slightly moist, easy to pick up, and a bit like Play-Doh when squished. While an ideal bowel movement is firm, your dog shouldn’t struggle.
While a temporary change in consistency and texture is usually nothing to worry about (i.e. one or two loose stools because you gave your pup too many treats or Fido accidentally ate some grass), ongoing changes should be addressed with your vet.
Dry Stool
Dry stools usually indicate constipation or dehydration. If your dog struggles to go (or if he’s producing small, round, pellet-shaped poops), try increasing his water intake for a few days to see if that helps.
Some other reasons for canine constipation include:
- Too much or too little fiber in the diet
- Lack of exercise
- Certain medications
- Stress or emotional upset
- Anal gland issues
- Digestive tract tumors
- Prostate enlargement
Diarrhea
In general, a single bout of diarrhea in dogs shouldn’t cause too much concern. However, if it persists then it may indicate an underlying health issue. To help you figure out the trigger, start by asking yourself:
- Did your dog’s diarrhea come on suddenly and is he otherwise healthy?
- Is this an acute bout of diarrhea or is this becoming a chronic issue?
- Is there blood in the stool?
- Are there any other symptoms that could point to a more serious health problem?
Here are some common causes of dog diarrhea:
- Change in diet. When changing your dog’s food, it’s important to do so slowly to reduce the risk of an upset stomach. Abrupt changes often lead to diarrhea and it may take a few days for your dog’s digestive system to get used to the new food.
- Eating too much grass, garbage or spoiled food
- Certain medications
- Ingestion of a poisonous substance or toxic plant
- Swallowing an indigestible foreign object, like a toy or rock
- Food intolerance
- Allergies
- Stress or emotional upset
- Parasites (such as Giardia, Coccidia, Roundworms, Hookworms, and Whipworms)
- Viruses (such as Parvovirus, Distemper, and Coronavirus)
- Bacterial infection (such as salmonella)
- Kidney and liver disease
- Colitis or inflammatory bowel disease
- Cancer
Mucus
A little mucus in the stool is no real cause for concern, as this slimy substance simply helps keep the lining of the colon lubricated and moist. But, excessive amounts usually indicate inflammation in the bowel. It could be the result of a medical condition, like colitis or parvovirus.
Shape
As mentioned above, your dog’s poop should resemble a log and maintain its shape when picked up.
If your pup’s poop is pellet-shaped and overly hard then your dog is dehydrated.
Size
The size of your dog’s stool will vary greatly depending on their breed and diet. In general, dogs who are fed a fresh food diet will produce smaller poops because the food is being more effectively absorbed into their body.
On the flip side, if your dog’s food is filled with cheap fillers and excessive amounts of fiber, he may not be properly absorbing the nutrients from his meals. This will result in large and bulky stools.
Frequency
Some dogs only “go” once a day, while others go multiple times a day. This is why it’s important to know your dog’s baseline. If your dog typically goes once a day and is suddenly asking to go outside and poop three or four times a day, talk to your vet.
