Although it may seem strange to you, the truth is that checking the dog's feces is one of the daily tasks that every owner should carry out. The color, consistency, frequency, quantity or any change in our dog's stools can alert us to a possible pathology or change in his body.
This topic may be unpleasant, but it is extremely important that you know what the different types of dog feces are and what they mean.our site offers you a complete guide about dog feces. Are your stools normal? Find out!
What should the feces of a he althy dog look like?
Of all people, the dog's guardian is the first to detect any change in the dog's stool It is important to note that not always that we observe changes it means that something serious is happening, sometimes it is only about slight gastrointestinal disorders, as it happens to us.
In any case, you must remember that the dog is not able to speak to communicate that it is not feeling well, therefore, we must be alert to any abnormal symptom, such as changes in urine, in the frequency of feces, possible behavioral changes and other symptoms of pain in the dog.
What should the dog's feces be like?
If you've lived with your dog for a long time, you'll know exactly what your dog's stool looks like normally, since you collect it every day. Still, there are 4 parameters that veterinarians use to assess dog feces:
- Color: The normal color of a dog's stool should be a "chocolate" brown, due to the pigment Stercobilin. Changes in the color of feces can indicate various he alth problems, so if we find green poop in dogs, we already have a clue that something may not be going as it should.
- Consistency: The dog's stools should have a firm consistency. Shapeless stools can indicate that the intestines are not carrying out adequate absorption, but on the other hand, excessively rigid stools can indicate dehydration. If your dog shows changes in consistency from time to time, you should not worry, but if the change persists for more than a day, contact a veterinarian.
- Content: The appearance of the waste must be uniform. However, it is precisely in the content that we can find worms, foreign bodies or hair. Check them out!
- Finish: The stool should not have a layer or "coating" around it. When you collect your partner's stool, you should not observe traces of mucus or the like, as well as the presence of blood, it is not normal stool in any case.
Causes of abnormal feces in dogs
We have already been able to read the 4 parameters to determine the he alth of dog feces, so now we are going to expose what are the main causes of abnormal feces in dogs. We found that they may be due to:
- Type of food: one of the most important cares of a dog is its diet, so we must make sure to offer it a balanced and rich in nutrients so that nothing is missing.
- Rhythm of life: this aspect refers to the behavior of our dog, since if it is a dog with stress or anxiety it can be It is common for your stools to vary.
- Other he alth problems: these could be gastrointestinal disorders, food allergies or parasites.
Worms in dog feces
Does your dog's poop have white dots that look like grains of rice? It is probably due to the presence of worms in the stool. Internal parasites are often eliminated through bowel movements, at which point we can detect them, but it is also possible to observe them directly in the anus.
If you suspect possible parasites, we recommend you take a faeces sample and take it to the vet so that he can choose the most appropriate treatment appropriate. If you think your dog may have an internal infestation, see your vet for deworming.
Parasites consume key nutrients for your best friend and cause a noticeable drop in his immune system's defences. For this reason, it is essential to comply with an adequate deworming schedule.
Now that we know what the presence of white dots is due to, let's see why black poop exists in dogs.
Black feces in dogs
Black diarrhea in dogs or consistent black stools are cause for concern. Generally, this type of black poop in dogs indicates the presence of blood in the upper part of the dog's gastrointestinal tract.
There are several causes that can cause black stools in dogs but we can talk about:
- Gastric ulcer.
- Diet with too much presence of meat.
- Diet with presence of liver.
Therefore, if your dog poops and poops black, you should consult your veterinarian immediately. Now that we know why black poop exists in dogs, let's see what other types of dog feces there are.
Feces of dogs with giardiasis
The next type of dog feces has to do with a parasite. Giardia is a protozoan that parasitizes the digestive tract of animals, causing diarrhea as the main symptom.
It is important to note that a dog with giardiasis will not show parasites in the feces, therefore, you should go to a veterinarian so that he can analyze the stools with the help of a microscope.
The feces of dogs with giardiasis can vary, being completely normal or watery and greenish in color. Given the suspicion, we must be attentive in case other related symptoms appear, such as:
- Weightloss
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
You can find more information about Giardia in dogs: symptoms, contagion and treatment in the following article on our site that we recommend.
Green feces in dogs
Green stools or feces in dogs can also indicate the presence of parasites of all kinds, such as giardia. On the other hand, they can also indicate that the dog has ingested too much grass or is suffering from some type of allergy or reactionto certain foods that make up your diet.
If we find green poop in dogs on different occasions, it is best to consult a veterinarian to analyze the feces. It may happen that the specialist asks us to perform two or more tests This is because many parasites, such as giardia, are eliminated intermittently, hence the importance to repeat the tests.
Feces with yellow mucus in dogs
If you have noticed mucus in your dog's stool you should be alert. Clear, yellow, or jelly-like mucus can be a sign of a variety of problems. There are many causes of yellow stools in dogs, but some of them are:
- Food Allergy
- Parasites
- Irritable bowel syndrome
As soon as we see or have noticed mucus in our dog's stool, we should go to the vet immediately. There, some of the treatments to eliminate this type of dog feces can be based on deworming, eliminating fiber from the diet or rehydrating the dog with serum.
If you want to know more Causes of yellow stools in dogs, do not hesitate to consult the following post.
White feces in dogs
The white stools in dogs may indicate that the dog is eating a diet with too much calcium This situation is common in dogs on the BARF diet, which includes meaty raw bones. Another possible reason is that the dog may have eaten the wrong food.
Especially when we talk about dogs with a lot of anxiety or stress, behavior problems related to chewing can appear, that's when some eat stones or other objects. We could also be facing a case of pica syndrome, when dogs eat anything, even if it is not considered food.
Paying attention to changes in behavior is essential, but at the same time we must go to our veterinary if the events happen continuously to evaluate a possible pathology or any behavioral problem that should be treated with the help of a ethologist or canine educator
Gray feces in dogs
Grey-colored dog droppings are also a cause for concern. They can indicate that the gallbladder, pancreas or liver suffer from some type of disorder. The most common he alth problems associated with gray stools are:
- Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes and, as a result, the stool does not appear colored brown, as they should.
- Liver problems: The liver is not working properly.
- Common bile duct obstruction - If there is an obstruction, enzymes cannot pass from the gallbladder to the intestines and therefore therefore, the dog's feces are gray.
Bloody dog feces
There are numerous reasons that can cause the presence of blood in the dog's feces, but without a doubt it is considered a veterinary emergency. For this reason, it is essential to go to our veterinarian as soon as possible, especially if the blood is abundant.
These are some of the possible causes of blood in dog stool:
- Parvovirus
- Parasites
- Foreign body in the intestine
- Cancer
- Injuries to the anus
There are many reasons for the presence of blood, from something as simple as having ingested dirt, an object that has torn the rectum, to something much more serious, such as cancer. You should remain calm and contact a specialist as soon as possible and, if possible, bring a faeces sample to the clinic. If the bleeding is profuse, don't wait and go to the emergency room The earlier the pathology is diagnosed, the better the prognosis for the treatment.
Hard feces in dogs
Once we have explained the types of feces in dogs according to their color, next we will see what the types of feces in dogs are according to their consistencyIn the first place we find excessively hard stools. Typically, this type of stool is also very dry and may be due to:
- Constipation
- Unbalanced diet
- Lack of fiber in the diet
You may be interested in this other article on our site about why my dog poops hard and then soft: causes and solutions.
Soft stool
Second among the types of feces in dogs according to consistency, we find those that are soft. These stools may occur because our dog suffers from some gastrointestinal disorder, has eaten some raw food or there is the presence of some parasite in your body.
