Dog poop - What it reveals about your four-legged friend's health!

The topic of dog droppings is not exactly one of the most pleasant topics of conversation. However, it is important to pay attention to the legacies of our loyal four-legged friend, as they can give us valuable information about his health. In this blog post, we'll explain what you should pay attention to and how you can assess your dog's health status based on his poop.

The importance of digestion

Digestion is crucial for your dog's health. In the intestine, the absorbed food is processed and broken down into usable and non-utilizable substances. Nutrients then reach the appropriate organs via the blood, while the rest is excreted. The amount of nutrients absorbed has an effect on your dog's droppings.

What the consistency and color of dog poop mean

Your dog's diet and possible contact with bacteria and foreign substances, such as drinking pond water or eating raw meat, influence bowel movements. Changes in feces may indicate disorders in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, pay attention to the consistency, color and smell of the dog poop — these points can provide important clues to potential problems.

Ideally, your dog's droppings should not be too hard, but also not too soft. Too soft feces may indicate an excess of indigestible protein.

A watery and mushy consistency may indicate diarrhea. If it lasts longer, this should be clarified by a vet. Very hard chunks can be signs of constipation.

Brown poop: The brown color indicates a healthy dog, but the color can vary depending on the food composition - sometimes lighter, sometimes darker.

White spots: Your dog may have worms if you see white spots or stripes in its poop. If he also slides his butt around on the ground, this is another sign of worm disease.

Black poop: If your dog secretes black faeces, this may indicate damage to the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine) or swallowed blood (e.g. nosebleeds or mouth injuries). You should definitely see a vet as soon as possible. However, there is no need to worry if your dog has eaten blood-containing food, raw liver, or charcoal tablets before.

Red poop: This can indicate internal injuries, i.e. bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract (large intestine or intestinal outlet), or that your dog has eaten foods with dyes (e.g. beetroot).

Green poop: If your dog eats a lot of grass or eats foods with green dyes, there's no need to worry. However, a green tint can also be a sign of a biliary problem.

Gray poop: If your dog's poop is grey, this could be an indication that the pancreas is malfunctioning. In such cases, the feces are also often greasy and mushy.

White/light poop: There are various reasons why your dog's poop may be light in color. One possible cause could be a large amount of calcium, such as if your dog has eaten a lot of bones. However, light-colored faeces may also indicate impaired fat digestion.

The frequency of excrement

The quality of food has a significant influence on digestion. High-quality food is usually digested more efficiently, which results in smaller and fewer legacies left behind by your dog. With optimal digestion, your dog normally only defecates once a day. Dogs that are fed dry food tend to excrete larger amounts of poop and may do so more frequently.

Should I be worried right away?

Many problems associated with feces often resolve themselves within 24 hours. As long as your dog is eating normally, drinking enough and showing his usual behavior, there is usually nothing to worry about. However, if your dog loses his appetite, appears listless and continues to have difficulty with droppings, it is advisable to Make an appointment right away to be agreed with the vet.

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