![]() These factors will help your vet determine where the problem is originating along the dog’s digestive tract.įollowing are some common abnormalities, in addition to color, and what each might be telling you about why your dog has the runs: Purina has also provided a handy reference-a color wheel of dog poop.Ĭolor, shape, and consistency will all help you and your vet figure out what is wrong when your dog gets diarrhea. If you see this, contact your vet as soon as possible. Black tarry stool is very serious, and may point to internal bleeding. Chocolate brown is normal, while colors like orange, green, or gray may signify issues with such organs as liver, gall bladder, or pancreas. Large volumes, pudding-like or watery consistency, or signs of mucus (looks like jelly), or blood streaks, are not normal.Ĭolor can also indicate a lot about what is going on inside your dog’s gut. Experts say it should feel like cookie dough or Play-Doh when pressed. ![]() This infographic from Purina gives you an idea of a “perfect dog poop,” which is chocolate brown, shaped like logs, compact, and easy to scoop. In many cases, diarrhea will resolve after a few days of home treatment, but it’s a good idea to give your vet a call if it continues for a long period or has any one of several signs that may point to a serious problem. Take very careful note of the color, consistency, and anything else that might help when you describe the symptoms to a vet. The consistency and color of diarrhea reveal a lot about the cause of the problem and what is happening in your dog. Illnesses, such as kidney and liver disease, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer.Bacterial infections, such as salmonella.Infections with common viruses such as:.Swallowing an indigestible foreign body, like a toy or socks. ![]() Parasites: Most of these will cause illness in puppies or in adults with weak immune systems:.That’s why many dog-food manufacturers recommend that you go slow when you switch from one brand of food to another. Change in diet: It may take a few days for a dog’s digestive system to adapt to new proteins.There’s actually a name for it in veterinary circles-“garbage toxicosis” or “garbage gut.” Dietary indiscretion: Eating too much, eating garbage, or spoiled food.There are many reasons why a dog may develop loose stools, but most cases may be attributed to one of these 12 triggers: Others can be a sign of a life-threatening problem, such as an indigestible object (like a rock) lodged in the stomach, or a disease like cancer. Some things, like eating too much grass, are not serious at all. Many things can disrupt this well-balanced system, causing diarrhea or, less frequently, constipation. Under normal circumstances, transit time from mouth through the small and large intestines should be under 10 hours, producing a firm, well-formed stool at the end. Canine stomach acids are about three times stronger than those of humans, so they can digest food that is pretty much intact. Their salivary enzymes are mostly designed to kill bacteria, which is why they can tolerate items that would send their human companions to the hospital.įood travels rapidly down the canine esophagus and enters the stomach in chunks, where most digestion takes place. Dogs, on the other hand, have mouths and jaws made for tearing, crushing, and wolfing food down. Human jaw shape and salivary enzymes, for example, will start breaking down a morsel in the mouth. There are significant differences between the way dogs and people digest food. Luckily, there are even a number of over-the-counter diarrhea treatments for dogs. You may not be able to totally prevent diarrhea, but knowing as much as possible about it might help limit the number times your dog has one of these unpleasant episodes and reduce the duration when the runs do come. ![]() It’s not a topic anyone likes to discuss, but if you own a dog, chances are you have found yourself cleaning up a stinky brown puddle (or, not-quite-politely put, doggie “runs”) more than you’d care to think about.ĭiarrhea is a common canine affliction and it varies in frequency, duration, and intensity from dog to dog. ![]()
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