Let’s face it, poop is raw. While poop isn’t all that appealing, as a pet owner it’s important to keep an eye on your dog’s poop as it’s often a foul-smelling clue to your dog’s health. your dog. To help you know what to look out for and whether it’s time to call the vet, I’ve put together a basic guide to dog pooping.
- Confirm bowel movements: This may seem obvious, but it’s important to know how and how often your dog is, in fact, pooping. If there’s no stool, it could be because your dog isn’t eating, something is blocking the stool (like a foreign body), or is constipated. All of these reasons are serious concerns that should be addressed by a veterinarian.
- Consistency: The texture of the manure is a good indicator of the animal’s health. Stools with a very hard texture may indicate that your dog is dehydrated. Conversely, when stools become softer or have a looser texture, it is called diarrhea. There are many causes of diarrhea, including but not limited to parasites, bad bacteria, viruses, and even stress. If your puppy struggles with frequent diarrhea, switch to a diet that is gentler on their stomach such as: Freshpet® Select Sensitive Skin & Stomach formula can be beneficial. This specific recipe is formulated with ingredients like chicken, rice, and pumpkin that are often recommended for diarrhea and indigestion.
- Color: Sometimes the color of the poop depends on the type of food the dog eats. For example, if a dog eats a lot of carrots or squash, the poop will be more orange. However, if your dog’s poop suddenly changes color (i.e. red or black), it could indicate serious health problems like bleeding in the intestines.
- Smell: I know that poop is supposed to smell bad, but sometimes poop will start to smell very, very bad. If it seems like your dog’s stool is so strong that it seems to linger, it could be a sign of a serious infection in the intestinal tract.
- Shape: The shape of the stool should be like a log or even balls. If it looks like the poop has a flatter edge, it could indicate a mass that is changing the shape of the poop when your pet goes to the bathroom.
The food they eat plays a huge role in your dog’s digestive system health. If you regularly notice that something doesn’t seem “right” in any of these five categories, it could be a sign that you need to reevaluate their diet. Switch to a fresh diet, like Freshpet, is a great choice as one of the biggest changes pet parents notice is an improvement in their pet’s digestion. This is because every recipe uses fresh, nutritious ingredients – like fiber-rich spinach and chickpeas – that are natural ingredients that are easy on your dog’s digestive system and help keep them functioning properly.
Now that you know the five key things to look for in your dog’s poop – what happens when you switch to fresh food – you can use each potty session as a way to play an active role in the care of your dog. Preventive health care for your puppy. For more advice from Dr. Aziza on how to know it’s time to schedule a vet visit, see this paragraph.
