Mary Allen
If you notice white specks in your dog’s poop when you go for a walk and pick up your dog’s droppings, that’s a sign of concern.
Your dog’s poop will help you assess your pet’s health.
In this article you will find out what white grains in the faeces are all about and how you should then behave.
In a nutshell: What do white grains in dog excrement mean?
White granules in dog poop, or specks that closely resemble grains of rice, indicate that your dog has worms.
Now it is no longer necessary to wait and visit the vet. Worms are only excreted in the faeces if the infestation is very severe.
Appropriate medicinal worming then helps to rid your dog of the unwanted parasites.
2 causes: where do white grains in dog faeces come from?
There are several types of worms that can infest your dog. These include roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms.
Sometimes, especially when the infestation is advanced, worms can be found in the dog’s feces. This includes:
Roundworms
The roundworm Toxocara canis is most common in dogs in Germany. It can grow up to 20 centimeters long.
You can recognize roundworms by the white to light brown worms in the dog feces.
Tapeworms
If your dog has been infected with the tapeworm, you can also recognize this from his legacy.
The white granules in the faeces are discarded segments of the tapeworm that have attached themselves to the intestinal wall.
Anytime you suspect a worm or other parasitic infestation, you should collect a sample of the feces and provide it to your vet for laboratory testing.
The laboratory result then helps with drug treatment.
Tip:
If your dog is symptom-free and you can’t see any worms in the stool, regular stool testing for parasites makes sense. If the test results are negative, you save your dog unnecessary medication. If worms are found, you know that deworming has become necessary.
What does dog feces look like in Giardia?
Giardia are unicellular parasites that damage the lining of the small intestine. An infestation in your dog can manifest itself in yellow-colored diarrhea.
Dogs with a good immune system cope well with Giardia. Infected dogs do not get sick from it and eliminate it themselves. You can tell by the fact that the yellow dog poop usually returns to normal after about a day.
White dots in stool but no worms?
The white dots in dog feces do not represent complete tapeworms. The granules that are excreted are likely segments, i.e. parts of the tapeworm that have broken away from the dog’s intestinal wall and are excreted in the feces. The tapeworm is still capable of surviving and reproducing without the severed segments.
Finding a complete tapeworm in dog poop is unlikely. It is different with hook or whipworms, which are completely excreted. However, due to their size, these are not visible to our eyes in dog faeces.
When to the vet?
You should have your dog checked regularly for preventative worms and parasites. It is helpful to always have suitable containers for stool samples at home.
If a worm infestation is already evident from the droppings, you should consult a veterinarian immediately. This is especially true if the following other symptoms occur:
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhea
- other changes in dog feces over a period of time
Giardia are usually not dangerous to dogs with a strong immune system. However, if your dog is weakened so that its immune system cannot fight the parasite itself, or if the parasite is a more aggressive form, this can lead to giardiasis.
This manifests itself in abdominal pain, flatulence, vomiting and fever. In this case, you should also consult a veterinarian.
How can parasite infestation be prevented?
Similar to a vaccination, your dog will receive preventive tablets. Unlike vaccinations, however, the effect of such wormers is relatively short-lived and usually has to be repeated every three months.
Regular stool samples do not replace worming. They help to detect parasites or other diseases that are not covered by the worm tablets.
Healthy and agile dogs are usually able to fight parasite infestation themselves via their immune system. The wormers mentioned serve as support.
Lots of exercise and a healthy diet strengthen your dog’s immune system.
Conclusion
White granules in dog poop or other changes that indicate worms and parasites in your dog are serious alarm signals.
On the one hand to quickly eliminate the parasite infestation, on the other hand it shows that your dog’s immune system could be weakened. In both cases it is advisable to seek veterinary advice.