As a dog owner, you’ll be used to picking up lots of dog poo and you’ll know what is normal for your dog. Paying attention to what your dog’s poo looks like can tell you a lot about their health and can be an early warning sign of a health problem.

We all know a dog with runny poo has an upset tummy, but what other dog poo signs do we need to look out for?

What's a Normal Dog Poo?

A normal dog poo will maintain its shape when you pick it up and will be squidgy enough to make an indentation in. Most dog food diets result in a mid- to chocolatey brown coloured dog poo, but a diet high in white meat or fish will result in a lighter coloured poo.

A healthy digestive system will produce little “logs” that are sausage or snake shaped and are relatively smooth or have some cracks on the surface. If the diet is kept similar each day, the size of the logs is unlikely to change much.

The dog may produce a large amount in one go or they may pass multiple smaller amounts. Low levels of mucus in dog poo are normal as it helps the poo to move along digestive tract.

Dog poo smells! That comes as no surprise, but what is normal? This depends on your dog’s diet. If you notice your dog’s poo is stinkier than normal, it’s likely they’ve eaten something that has upset their tummy, or they may have picked up a bug.

The Dog Poo Colour Chart

Changes in the colour of your dog’s poo are something to pay attention to. If the colour of your dog’s poo has changed, it may be sign of an underlying problem. Make an appointment with your vet and try to take a sample along with you so that it can be sent to the lab if necessary. Here are some potential colours you might see and what they mean:

• Black dog poo could be sign of digested blood. This could be swallowed following a mouth injury, or the blood has come from the upper digestive tract. Some medications can cause gastric ulceration or bleeding. Black dog poo or shiny tar-like poo should be checked by a vet urgently.

• Grey or greasy dog poo means that oils and fats aren’t being broken down by enzymes so are travelling undigested through the dog’s digestive system. This can indicate a problem with the pancreas. It can also be caused by feeding your dog fatty leftovers. Keep an eye on them and if it happens more than once, or they don’t seem well, consult your vet.

• Blue dog poo means your dog has eaten something blue. Rodenticide is often dyed bright blue and is highly toxic to dogs, so contact your vet immediately if you suspect they have ingested some.

• Yellow dog poo is caused by bile which hasn’t had time to be mixed into the digested food. This could be a sign that your dog has eaten something that has upset its tummy. If you have recently changed their dog food, try returning to their old diet. If the yellow dog poo continues, get your vet’s advice.

• Orange dog poo means your dog’s bile production or secretion is affected which indicates a problem with their gall bladder. Take your dog for a check-up with your vet.

• Red, purple or pinkish dog poo is poo with blood which indicates bleeding in the digestive tract. If there’s a red streak at the end of the dog’s stool, it could be caused by tears in the lining of the anus or rectum. If there's a lot of blood in your dog's poo, it’s a serious problem that will need urgent veterinary attention.

• White dog poo means there’s too much calcium in your dog’s diet. This chalk-like white dog poo often leads to constipation and cause discomfort for the dog.

• Brown dog poo with white spots is a normal poo but with the presence of worms, most often tapeworms. 

Behind the Shape and Consistency of Dog Poo

The shape and form of a poo is useful for investigating, monitoring and diagnosing digestive problems. A dog struggling to go for a poo will have separate hard dog poo lumps, or a lumpy sausage shaped log.

A normal poo will be easy to pass and be sausage or snake-like and either smooth and soft or have a few cracks on the surface. Crumbly dog poo with a mushy texture or watery loose stools with no solid pieces is diarrhoea and means a digestive upset.

Can Dog Poo Blind You?

Toxocariasis is an infection caused by small worms in dog poo (cats and foxes too). Humans can become infected by accidentally swallowing the eggs. Once swallowed the eggs release larvae into the intestine that then travel through the body until they die.

In some cases, the larvae can reach the eyes and cause sight problems. Unfortunately, dog poo worms can cause blindness. To reduce the risk of infection, make sure you always wash your hands after picking up dog poo.

The colour and consistency of your dog’s poop can tell you a lot about their health. Changes can be caused by a change in diet, stressful situations, hot weather/dehydration or a health problem. Pay attention when your dog is having a poo to see if they’re struggling to go and how often they’re passing a stool. If you're concerned about your dog, make an appointment with your vet and try to take a stool sample with you.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis - www.vetstream.com/treat/canis 

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.