Dog Poo!!!

A Quick Guide.

I have picked up tens of thousands of dog stools in my life [with pooper scooper ;-)], so I think it kinda makes me a bit of an expert on dog poo.

I have noticed that often people really freak out about their dogs stool changing consistency. Most often there is a simple explanation. The main thing with dog poo is that if your dog eats something new or different, the poo will most likely be different as well.

A quick change of food could cause runny stools, this does not necessarily mean that the food is bad or the food disagrees with your dog. It’s just one of those things that when a dog changes foods quickly the stools may go funny for a while. A good example is the meaty bones we recommend. If you have never fed your dog meaty bones and you give your dog a large lamb leg full of meat, it’s a very healthy meal for your dog, however don’t expect a nice stool the next day.

I know hunters who feed their dog’s fresh Kangaroo meat on occasions. The stools the next day are black and runny. It’s still a healthy meal however bad the stools look.

If you feed meaty bones with a lot more bone than meat, then expect to see a hard white stool. Sometimes it’s very dry and crumbles to dust. The stool doesn’t look the best, but still meaty bones are very healthy for your dog.

If you have just started doing the 48 hour fast with your dog, you may have noticed some funky looking stools with puss and gunk in them. That is perfectly normal and that ugly poo is just junk leaving your dog’s body due to the detox the 48 hour fast gives your dog. I highly recommend everyone does it with their dog unless there is a medical condition of course.

Grass poos are interesting because often the grass comes out totally undigested. Once again this is normal and no need for you to worry.

Is a change in poo consistency a bad thing?

If you are 100% certain that your dog has not eaten anything unusual and that there is no reason for the stool to be different then yes that could be a cause for concern. Please be aware that your dog could have found something and have eaten it when you were not looking. The main thing here is to monitor your dog. If the stools continue to get worse then there could be an issue worth getting a Vet to check.

If you do notice a bad stool you need to also monitor your dog’s wellbeing. Does your dog still look energetic and healthy? If your dog has produced some unexplainable funky stools and also looks flat or sick, then definitely go to the vet and put a piece of the poo in a glad bag or something so the vet can check it for baddies.

There are many changes stools can undergo. Consistency (how hard or soft they are) and colour are the main things to look out for. Changing from a normal brown to grey or a dark blood colour are reasons for concern and a trip to the vet, if there has been no change in diet.

Other things to look out for in your dog’s stool are little white things which would indicate worms.

It is a good idea to check your dog’s stool everyday if you can. That way you will become accustomed to what is normal and what isn’t. When you do check it every day you should also take into consideration what your dog has been eating and also of times when your dog could have eaten something you are not aware of. If you see a strange stool, and your dog is looking healthy then wait till the next day to see if it has changed back. You can monitor for a few days if your dog looks and acts normal. If the stool has changed and your dog looks lethargic then maybe it’s best to head off to the vet with the stool sample.