The Three Elements of Dog Faeces

by Dr Ada Siu
Veterinarian
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Poocheck 1240X450
First of all, we need to understand what ‘poo’, aka faeces, is.

Whilst we’re all familiar with our dog’s poo, keeping a closer eye on it can help us care better for our dogs. But to know what it’s telling us, first, we need to understand just what it is.

Dog poo, or faeces, is simply the waste matter from food after it’s been digested and had its nutrients absorbed by the body. It’s the final product of multiple complex internal processes where multiple body systems play key roles. Because of this, it is very difficult to absolutely tell what is wrong with your pet just from looking at their faeces.

Nevertheless, there are a few key factors you can look for when checking your dog’s poo to see if you should be concerned about the health and wellbeing of your four legged friend.

Nevertheless, there are several factors you can watch when checking your dog’s poo to see if you should be alarmed.

1. Colour

The Ideal
  • A normal healthy dog's poo should be light to dark brown in colour.

Watch Outs
  • Blood discolouration.

If you see bright red streaks of blood within the poo, this may indicate bleeding from the large bowels. If the poo is black, brownish-red or tarry coloured, his may indicate bleeding from the stomach or small bowels.

Black Hawk Poocheck Red Streaks (1)
Black Hawk Poocheck Black
  • Worms and white spots

While not all worms are big enough to be visible to the naked eye, If you see white spots that resemble rice grains or sesame seeds, these might indicate presence of worms or worm segments.

Black Hawk Poocheck Spots
  • Abnormal colours.

If your dog’s poo is in an abnormal colour, such as yellow, orange, grey, or green, these may indicate underlying illness such as pancreas, liver, gall bladder issues, or abnormality of other parts of the body.

So if you are already feeding your dog a premium high-quality diet, and they still have abnormal poo, you should consult your vet for advice and testing.

Think your dog has the perfect poo? Check this article here.