Your pet’s poop may be something you would prefer not to talk about or inspect up close. However, it can be a great measure of your pet’s overall health, provide an insight into their daily habits and can also assist in preventing some health issues. After all what goes in, must come out. Whilst it’s common for your veterinarian to examine your pet’s faeces, there are some things you can look out for at home to identify if your pet’s poop and health needs further examination.

Ease & frequency

Going to the toilet with ease

Your pet should be going to the toilet with ease. A pet that is finding it difficult to go to the toilet might circle excessively, squat frequently, drag their bottom along the ground or avoid the litter box or going to the toilet altogether. They may also cry out in pain in severe cases. If your pet is straining, showing signs of pain or having difficulty going to the toilet, it’s time for a trip to your veterinarian.

Regular bowel movements

Each pet is different, however dogs typically defecate 1-4 times per day, whilst cats normally go approximately once per day. If it’s been 48 hours since your pets last bowel movement, they may be constipated and its worth getting in touch with your vet.

Consistency

The perfect poo

The perfect poo is not too hard and not too runny. In dogs, they should be formed, firm logs, that leave little or no residue on the ground when you pick them up. In cats, they should be firm logs or small nuggets with the consistency of soft playdough. They should be easy to scoop out of the litter tray.

Hard, dry stools

Hard, dry stools can be an indication of dehydration or decreased intestinal movement. Pets with dry or firm stools can often experience difficultly going to the toilet and are at risk of constipation.

If your pet has hard, dry stools or small amounts of faecal matter, it’s been 48 hours since your pets last bowel movement and/or they are straining, showing signs of pain or having difficulty going to the toilet, get in touch with your vet.

Loose, soft or watery stools

Stools that come out loose, soft or watery can be related to a number of problems. The occasional soft or loose stool can be perfectly normal. However, multiple soft or loose stools or watery stools warrants veterinary attention.

If your pet has diarrhoea and is a puppy, kitten, senior or if they have a pre-existing health condition its important to get in touch with your vet. These pets can become severely debilitated from fluid and nutrient losses even with mild diarrhoea. You should also seek veterinary attention if your notice any of the following symptoms with your pet’s diarrhoea:

Diarrhoea that lasts for over 48 hours
Black tarry stool or bloody diarrhoea
Won’t drink
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Vomiting
Fever
Abdominal pain or discomfort

If your pet displays any of these symptoms or if you are unsure if your pet’s diarrhoea requires further attention, please get in touch with us on 03 8784 4444.

Volume

Your pets waste should be roughly comparable to the amount of food they consume. The size of your pet’s waste can increase as the fibre content in their food goes up.

Increases in volume

If the volume of your pet’s waste increases, it can be a result of their food intake going up. Other household members could be offering bigger or double meals, your pet could be eating food offered to other pets in the household or they could be sourcing food from neighbours. It can also relate to issues with their digestion or infections in their gut.

Decreases in volume

Similarly, if their waste volume goes down, they may not be eating as much or as well as you think. Maybe another pet in your household is stealing their food or their digestive system isn’t working as effectively due to an obstruction, dehydration, diet change or other health issues.

Colour

Generally speaking, your dog and cats poop should be a consistent chocolate brown colour. If your dog or cat is eating food with added colours such as grass, carrots or beetroot, these colours can also come through too however should clear up after 2-3 bowel movements. Keep an eye out for these colour changes:

Red or black – if you see red streaks of blood in your pet’s poo or if their poo is a black or brownish red colour, it can indicate bleeding from the stomach or bowels
White flecks – whilst not all worms are visible to the naked eye, if you notice white spots about the size of rice grains or long skinny segments like spaghetti, they can indicate a presence of worms.
Yellow, orange, grey, green – these abnormal colours can indicate an underlying illness such as gall bladder or liver disease, pancreatitis, or abnormalities in other parts of the body.

If you notice any of these colour changes get in touch with your vet to have it checked out.

Foreign body – the presence of bits of material, string, plants or other non-food items could mean your pet is getting into something that they shouldn’t. This can be quite dangerous and lead to a bowel obstruction requiring surgery if it continues. It’s time to check your home for potential hazards and block off any places that your pet should not be entering.
Fur – its normal for dog and cat poo to have a bit of fur in it. Especially in cats as they are such meticulous groomers. However, large clumps of fur in their poo can indicate over-grooming which can be caused by parasites, allergies, skin diseases or behavioural issues such as stress or boredom.
Mucus – a small about of mucus in your dog or cat’s poo is normal as this natural secretion aids the passing of waste. However, excessive amounts of thick slimy mucus can indicate a medical condition that requires veterinary treatment.
Blood – keep any eye out for red streaks of blood in your pet’s poo or if their poo is a black or brownish red colour. This can indicate bleeding from the stomach or bowels
Worms – whilst not all worms are visible to the naked eye, if you notice white spots about the size of rice grains or long skinny segments like spaghetti, they can indicate a presence of worms.
Undigested food – the quality of the food your pet eats has a significant impact on the poop that comes out. If you are feeding your pet a poor-quality diet, this food will not be digested and may come out visible in their faeces. Please feel free to discuss how to offer your pet a complete and balanced diet in their next visit to the vet.

Shape

The ideal dog poop is in the shape of a log. It should be firm enough to hold its shape when picked up but squishable, like soft playdoh.

The ideal cat poop should be in the shape of logs or small nuggets. They should be easy to scoop out of the litter tray with the consistency of soft playdoh.

Smell

No-one is expecting your pet’s poo to smell like roses. Your dog and cat’s poop should have a mild odour.

Strong, putrid odour

If they have an extremely strong and putrid odour it could be related to their diet, intestinal parasites, infections or inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract or digestive disorders.

In most cases smelly stools for the duration of a few days in an otherwise healthy pet are not serious. However, if the odours persist or are accompanied by other concerning symptoms such as blood in stools, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, not eating or drinking, abdominal pain or discomfort then get in touch with your vet.

Constipation and your pet

Constipation refers to difficulty in emptying the bowels and is usually associated with hardened faeces.

There are three common signs your pet is constipated:

Lack of bowel movement for a few days
Hard, dry stools or small amounts of liquid faecal matter
Straining, painful or difficulty defecating

If you notice any of these signs, or if you have any concerns about your pet’s health give us a call on 03 8784 4444.

Diarrhoea and your pet

Diarrhoea is loose, watery bowel movements that may occur frequently or with a sense of urgency. Diarrhoea is a common pet problem, but can also be caused by more serious health issues.

“If your pet has diarrhoea and is a puppy, kitten, senior or if they have a pre-existing health condition it’s important to get in touch with your vet“.

These pets can become severely debilitated from fluid and nutrient losses even with mild diarrhoea. You should also seek veterinary attention if your notice any of the following symptoms with your pet’s diarrhoea:

Diarrhoea that lasts for over 48 hours
Black tarry stool or bloody diarrhoea
Won’t drink
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Vomiting
Fever
Abdominal pain or discomfort