Mary Allen
Yes, do you know the inside of the dog – or to put it more directly – the poop? You can read a lot about your dog’s health by taking a look before you tie the poop bag.
Just like in humans, the stool can say something about the dog’s health. How often and how much the dog poops is individual, it depends for example on how often the dog eats and type of food. But if you notice that the habits are starting to go away, it is best to pay attention. Normal stools should be firm but not hard, with fairly long sausages. It should not be slimy, nor watery.
It should be brown, but the shade depends largely on what the dog has eaten. For example, if the dog eats a lot of bones and raw food, the stool will be lighter; a lot of blood pudding can make it dark and for example, Frolic can make it orange-brown. Always contact a veterinarian if the dog’s feces change significantly, and always if the general condition also deteriorates. Good if you bring a stool sample.
Greenish poop
If the poop is greenish, it can simply be because the dog has eaten a lot of grass, or perhaps goose poop, but in the worst case, it can be because the dog has ingested rat poison, for example via a dead mouse. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you have the slightest suspicion that the dog has ingested it. It could also be because the dog has eaten some green dog candy or chews.
Gray and small stone-like balls
Small stone-like gray balls get a dog that is hard in the stomach. If it is only temporary, there is rarely any danger as long as the dog is not completely constipated. A little paraffin oil from the pharmacy can help. If the dog is often hard in the stomach, you may need to change food, give more fiber, or it may sometimes be enough to ensure that the dog ingests more fluid. Exercise is also important for the intestines to function. Dietary foods often produce harder stools, as do raw foods. If an older unneutered male dog suddenly starts to have difficulty pooping, it may be wise to take a look at the prostate. If it is enlarged, it becomes narrower in the intestinal tract, which makes it more difficult for the dog to empty itself.
Light brown and very soft
Very soft poop that is light brown usually indicates that the dog has ingested something inappropriate. It happens easily and it passes in a few days with shoe food (such as well-cooked white fish and rice decoction in small portions), there is usually no danger if the dog is otherwise alert, and does not have diarrhea that makes it dehydrated. To stabilize the intestinal flora, you can give Pro-Colin, over-the-counter probiotics with natural bacteria, available at the pharmacy.
Some dogs also get diarrhea when they become stressed.
Yellow and a little frothy
This kind of poop can mean that it is not right with the pancreas. Make an appointment with the vet.
Light red streaks
Light red streaks in the stool indicate fresh blood. If the intestine and stomach are irritated, for example after diarrhea, there may sometimes be small streaks of blood in the stool, as well as if the dog received a small wound at the anal opening. It is seldom something to worry about if the dog is otherwise alert and it only appears a few times and then disappears completely. But if not, the veterinarian should be contacted, it could also be a sign of stress or parasites.
Dark red
Dark red in the poop means the vet immediately, especially if there are large amounts of blood. It can be a sign of everything from the dog ingesting something that has damaged the stomach or intestines, to stomach ulcers or cancer.
White
White spaghetti-like threads or rice grains-like little things that move in the poop mean worm, and time for deworming. Ask for help at the pharmacy if you are unsure of what kind of mask it is so that you get the right remedy. But be aware that not all types of worms are visible in the stool, so you know with your own that your dog stuffs himself a little of each sometimes it may be wise to do a draft test (available at the pharmacy) and deworm if necessary. Dogs that only eat good dog food do not need to be dewormed casually.