They say that the eyes are the window to the soul; in many ways your dog’s poo is a window on their health.
(I never thought I’d see the day when I wrote about poop – but there’s a first time for everything.)
Have you noticed that the color of your dog’s poo changes with what they are fed? For example, if you are feeding raw venison, chances are the poo is quite dark.
If, however, the stool has a noticeably black color such as in this photo, this can indicate digested blood and you should be off the vet for a check (don’t be shy, take a sample with you!).
A yellow or slightly green tone indicates a rapid transit time in the bowel, typical if your dog has had diarrhea, as in below. But consistently soft stools can also be an indicator of bowel disease such as IBD.
A white or chalky color to the stool indicates a very high content of calcium, often found in dogs that are being fed raw with a high bone content. If your dog is passing stools of this color, they are at risk of constipation from the bone material they are ingesting because of the dryness and risk of impaction. In my practice, I am seeing instances of poor mixing of raw foods and it usually from the same supplier – which is why I recommend only certain sources of food to my customers.
If you see bright red blood in the stool, it’s also time to talk to your vet and of course, if you see visible worms than a vet visit is also recommended.
And finally, if your dog passes poos that are a neon green in color, they’ve been exposed to rat or mice poison and urgent attention is needed.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
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