We’ve all been there, our dog stops to go poop and there isn’t anything we can do to stop it. It’s coming, and it’s coming right now. All too commonly we forget to pay much attention to it at all, or for the few reading any further may actually be asking yourself. What exactly should all this look like anyways?
Have no fear, we’re here to talk about dog poop and we’ve broken it down in a fairly easy way to remember. It may be gross but we have to talk about it, because it could actually save your dog’s life. So put on your rubber gloves on and let’s dig in…….
Vets, and experts have dubbed it the 4 C’s of poop. Consistency, Content, Color and Coating.
Consistency is actually the messiest part of all the 4 C’s. It’s 1 part visual and 2 parts physical so let’s talk about that first.
Some veterinarians actually use a 1 to 7 scale for stool. 7 being an absolute liquid mess which could mean your dog’s large intestine isn’t absorbing water properly and 1 being hard as a rock which could very well mean your pup is dehydrated. If any of these last for more than 24 hours get your furry friend into the vet’s office immediately.
What should it feel like?
While wearing a pair of rubber gloves pick it up your dogs poop and feel the consistency. It should roughly feel the same as Play-Doh when squeezed, or about a 2 – 3 on the scale. Should come in a fairly firm segment and shaped similarly to that of a caterpillar.
Content
It only makes sense to examine the contents of your dog’s poop because well we’ve already picked it up and figured out its consistency. Generally speaking you shouldn’t really be able to tell what its contents are and honestly it’s something that your local veterinarian does on a daily basis using their infinite wisdom and science. There are a few things telltale things to look out for.
For instance socks, yes believe it or not your furry friend might actually be the reason you always have mismatched socks. Hopefully not, but it is fairly common and can be very painful to pass.
Another thing to see is worms. This is something that you’ll have to see shortly after your little one does the deed. But if you see long and skinny rice-shapes in the poop it might be worms.
If you see something strange, bag it up and bring it into the vet.
Color is really easy one for most. We all know poop should be roughly a chocolate brown color and that’s that. Here is a list of colors to look out for:
- Red streaks: Very well could be blood
- Grey/Yellowish: Possible gallbladder, pancreas, or liver issues
- Green: Could be just grass
- White spots: Possible worms
- Black: Could be blood in the dogs deeper digestive tracts.
Last but not least coating. No not the kind of coats we wear here in the Spanaway area while walking our dog in the winter months of western Washington and not the awesome coat your dog will have whilst being groomed by our awesome staff. (Shameless self promotion).
What we mean by coating is almost like a trail a slug leaves behind while moving through the lawn. A coating or film on dog poop could very well mean there is inflammation in the bowles which is oftentimes accompanied by diarrhea and possibly red streaks.
So that’s the 4 C’s of dog poop. Yes, sure it’s gross, but your furry little friend can’t speak, so it’s up to you to pick up the slack….. Poo and see the signs.
All of our staff here at Shaggy Shack Pet Resort here in Spanaway, Washington are trained to look for these signs while your dog is being groomed, boarded, or simply doing a doggy daycare visit. If we see any of these we will notify you immediately and have steps in place to make sure your pet is treated by a professional.
As always if you’re not sure or something seems strange take it to your veterinarian. It’s better to be safe than sorry. We all know their time is short here on earth for such a wonderful, loyal, fun creature, it’s almost not fair.
