Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Healthy Dog Poop
It may not be the most pleasant topic, but what comes out of your dog can tell you a lot about their overall health and well-being. New Haven Pet Hospital is ready to explain why healthy dog poop is important and what you need to be looking for in your pup’s excrement.
Characteristics of Healthy Dog Poop
When you look at your pet’s poop, there are few different things that you should be paying attention to. Take note of:
- Color
- Consistency (water? Pudding? Soft serve? Soft formed nuggets? Hard?)
- Presence of foreign objects
- Any mucous, blood, or other abnormalities
Most of the time, healthy dog poop is a brown stool that is soft, but formed, and typically is excreted in one or two continuous amounts that are segmented in form. A normal stool is also typically homogenous inside and out.
The big thing to know is what is normal for your pet. Changes in consistency or color outside of their normal variations could be cause for concern.
You should also take note of changes in frequency of bowel movements, any difficulty or straining, and any accidents. This can be helpful information when trying to identify a potential problem.
Dog Stool Testing
While there are lots of reasons to take a closer look at your dog’s fecal matter, when we ask you to bring a stool sample to your pet’s wellness appointment or when they are having tummy troubles, the name of the game is usually intestinal parasites.
When we conduct a dog stool test, we are typically looking for parasites or their eggs. Some of these organisms are larger, but many are not visible to the naked eye. During fecal screening tests we may detect parasites including:
- Coccidia
- Giardia
- Hookworms
- Roundworms
- Tapeworms
- Whipworms
Some pet parasites are also zoonotic, meaning that humans can contract them from their pet. Besides keeping your pet happy and healthy, routine fecal examinations help us to detect parasite infections before they become a problem for your family.
While dog poop may not be the most pleasant topic to discuss, it is a rather important one. Be sure to contact us right away if something doesn’t seem right. Poop can tell you a whole lot about a pet’s overall health, and if it’s not normal, it is worth investigating.
