Does your dog’s poop look funky? Here’s the scoop on doggie-doo of every color and how to tell normal dog poop from problem poop:
Normal Dog Poop
It varies from dog to dog, breed to breed and can change depending on the type of dog food being eaten. In general, color should be medium brown and neither too soft and liquidy (diarrhea) or too hard to pass comfortably (constipation). Pay attention to your dog’s “healthy”
poops (color, consistency and frequency) so you can recognize when there’s a problem.
Black Dog Poop Or Very Dark Dog Poop
Black stool in dogs may have a “tarry” or “sticky” consistency, which may be a sign of a gastrointestinal ulcer or a stomach ulcer. Many human medications can cause stomach ulcers in dogs, especially aspirin. Never give human meds without consulting your vet.
Red Dog Poop Or Streaks Of Blood In Stool
This can indicate bleeding in the GI tract. Streaks of blood in your dog’s poop may be colitis (inflammation of the colon), a rectal injury, an anal gland infection or possibly a tumor.
Pink Or Purple Dog Poop
Anything that resembles raspberry jam (sorry to ruin your toast) could indicate hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE). A large number of dogs die each year from HGE but most will recover with prompt treatment. Seek emergency medical attention.
Grey Or Greasy-Looking Poop
Doggy-doo that appears fatty, glistens or comes out in large, soft amounts could indicate Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI).
Commonly referred to as maldigestion, EPI is a disease in which the pancreas does not produce the necessary enzymes to digest fat. EPI is treatable, so see your vet.
Green Dog Poop
Dog green poop can be common if your dog eats large amounts of grass.
However, it can also be a parasite, rat bait poisoning or other internal issues. If your dog has green poop, see your vet to be safe.
Orange Dog Poop
It could indicate a liver issue or biliary disease, or it could just mean that your dog’s food moved too quickly through the GI tract to pick up the bile. Bile is what changes poop to the normal brown color we expect. If your dog has orange diarrhea, contact your vet.
Yellow Dog Poop
Yellow mucus usually indicates a food intolerance, especially if you’ve recently changed your dog’s diet. Take a look at what your pet’s been eating and try to rule out any new ingredients that could be causing stomach upset and mustard-yellow dog poop.
White Specks In Poop
Worms often look like white grains of rice in your pup’s stool. This is treatable, so see your vet.
WHAT IS COPROPHAGIA?
Coprophagia is the scientific name given to poop eating (sorry if you’ve just eaten); although coprophagia is upsetting and revolting to us; it is a common problem in dogs and puppies and there can be any number of causes:
If your dog is eating poop, it is always a good idea to have him/her seen by a veterinarian. Your vet will help determine if there are any medical conditions or behavioural issues causing your dog to be excessively hungry. A Complete Blood Count can also help determine if the dog is anaemic or has a bacterial infection.
The vet may also recommend a urinalysis, or faecal fat test (measures fat in the stool sample), and a faecal exam (checks for parasites).
These diagnostic tests can help narrow down the cause and may reveal underlying health issues.
Dogs that are anemic may need B-12 injections.
Intestinal parasites – The parasites are feeding on the dog’s nutrients causing him/her to be super hungry. Parasites should be treated with a de-wormer and your dog’s bedding, toys, and bowls will need to be washed in hot water. Flooring should be cleaned and disinfected to help eliminate any remaining eggs. Dogs should be regularly wormed.
Endocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) – this Is a disorder where the pancreas is not producing digestive enzymes; the food being ingested is not broken down nor are the nutrients being absorbed (the dog is starving) – Treatment of Coprophagia in Dogs with Endocrine pancreatic insufficiency is usually treated by replacing digestive enzymes using freeze dried pancreas extracts from pigs and cattle. The extracts are sprinkled on the dog’s food usually 30 minutes before feeding. The dog will also be placed on dietary supplements and vitamins.
Underfed – Not feeding the dog the right amount of food or giving a poor quality diet – Dogs diagnosed with deficient diets will need to be fed a better quality commercial food. It is recommended that you read the ingredient label; the first ingredient should be a protein not a “by-product”. Dietary supplements and vitamins may also be prescribed if the food source does not contain them.
Malnourished Taste – Cat faeces may actually taste good to a dog
If you have a new mum and pups in your home you may notice that the Dam (mother) will often eat their puppies poop – this is done to clean the den; this is a normal behavior in dogs and should stop once the pups are weaned and more self sufficient.
Prescription medications can also make a dog very hungry – this needs to be discussed with your vet.
Behavioural reasons for coprophagia in dogs: include abused dog that was not being fed – these dogs may get used to eating their own poop in order to obtain some form of nourishment – Puppy mill puppies that were neglected and overcrowded causing anxiety issues will often eat their own poop and this then becomes a habit that is hard to break.
Seeking owner’s attention or just boredom (no activities or playtime) this is often seen in Kennelled/isolated dogs where isolation is extended for a long time. Your vet may suggest more playtime and walks, and less alone time. Dogs that are exercised and played with tend to be more content. If your dog persists in eating faeces the veterinarian may recommend a dog behaviourist to help stop the behaviour.
Recovery of Coprophagia in Dogs that were diagnosed with a medical condition will need follow-up visits to monitor their progress. Dogs that were diagnosed with a behavioural problem will need their owner to have patience and breaking the habit will require consistency.
Dogs are pack animals and do not do well being isolated or confined.
They require love, activities and attention.
In addition, it is important to ensure that you pick up faeces from the yard as soon as you can and regularly clean your cats the litter box if this is a source of poop eating. Providing toys as well as teaching your dog the command “leave it” may also help him to stop eating faeces.
There are also deterrent soft chews made of natural ingredients which may help the dog not to eat his own faeces.
WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO PICK UP AFTER YOUR PET?
Do you walk through the park or woodland and get fed up of seeing dog poop everywhere? It’s not the dog’s fault, it’s the fault of those who will find any and every excuse under the sun not to pick up their dog’s poop – Here are just two excuses people use for not picking up.
Excuse No.1
It Is A Natural Fertiliser – This Is NOT True,
Because Not All Poop Is Created Equal as we shall see. If it was, then we wouldn’t have to invest so much time and money in the sewage treatment of our own waste.
Other types of manure such as cow or horse has a very different make up from dog waste because their digestive systems and diets are very different.
For example, Cows are herbivores whereas dogs are omnivores and their diets are very high in proteins. Though dogs waste is high in nitrogen and phosphorous it can have the opposite effect of fertiliser and can actually burn your lawn if you don’t pick it up. Worse still, it can cause all sorts of issues for local watersheds, because once it gets into the water it can cause all kinds of sickness both for other animals and humans too.
Excuse No.2
It Will Wash Away In The Rain – Again NOT True!
This is not the case with dog poop – the fact is that dog waste can
take over a year to break down naturally. And the other down side is
that bacteria in the poop and any parasites it contains will linger in
the soil for several years after the poop has finally dissolved. (Dog
waste is even more full of disease causing bacteria and parasites than
other types of waste).
These bacteria and parasites are harmful to humans and spread disease
to other dogs. Dog waste is full of E. coli, salmonella and is a
common carrier of the following: Worms (several types), Parvovirus,
Coronavirus (NOT COVID 19), Giardiasis, Salmonellosis,
Cryptosporidiosis, and Campylobacteriosis. These bacteria and
parasites can actually linger in the soil for years after the dog
waste has disappeared.
IF YOU DON’T PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG, YOU ARE PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE AND
OTHER DOGS AT RISK OF GETTING SICK – BE A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN – BAG IT
AND BIN IT !!!
NB – Canine coronavirus (CCoV) is not the same virus as SARS-CoV-2
that causes the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). CCoV does not affect
people. CCoV causes gastrointestinal problems in dogs, as opposed to
respiratory disease, it is spread by dogs eating poop or coming into
contact with another (infected) dogs poop.
Don’t forget Scamps & Champs offer a dog poo pick up service. Contact cardiff@scampsandchamps.co.uk. View our dog poo pick up prices here https://scampsandchamps.co.uk/services/dog-animal-poo-pick-up/dog-animal-poo-pickup-prices/