Poop is a fascinating subject to most people, but it is not something you want to see too often. We can all agree that it is gross, but what about the color?
Poop comes in several colors, and each color means something. The color of your dog’s poop can tell you if they are sick or healthy. If you find that your dog’s poop is white, this can mean many things.
Why is My Dog’s Poop White?
The first thing you should do if you see white poop is figure out what your dog ate since this could be one of the reasons for white poop.
It could also indicate certain health problems such as tapeworms, low calcium levels, certain medications, and more.
What Do Different Poop Colors Mean?
Red
Ever wonder what red poop means for your dog? You might be wondering: is my dog fine, or even worse, will your dog’s digestive system explode if their poop continues to be red?
The answers are no and no. Red dog poop is not a medical emergency. It’s also not an excuse to call off a hike.
If you’re nervous about taking your dog out on account of your dog’s unusual stool color, keep in mind that red poop is pretty common. There’s blood in there.
It’s normal for dogs to have a few little flecks of blood here and there. This can happen after eating grass or any kind of food with rough edges like chicken bones or rawhide chews.
If your dog has a small amount of bright red poop after eating these things, chances are they’ll be just fine.
Green
Green poop can be caused by eating grass after it’s been treated with weed killer (which contains a substance called alachlor) or eating something that has come in contact with alachlor: dog toys, the carpet, etc.
Alachlor is harmful to humans and other animals, so it’s important to get it off your dog’s fur and skin (and out of your carpet) as soon as possible.
The most common cause of yellowish-green dog poop is bile. This can indicate an intestinal blockage or gallbladder problem.
Bile is made in the liver, and greenish-yellow bile indicates liver issues. Other color changes in bile indicate serious problems that are more likely to result in death than minor ones.
Yellow
Yellow stool can also be caused by failure to digest food properly—this could be due to an obstruction of the intestines or a deficiency of digestive enzymes. It could also mean that your pet is suffering from jaundice, which would require medical treatment.
Brown
Dog owners should not be alarmed if their dog’s poop appears brown. It’s common for owners to see their dog’s poop turn different colors when they change their pet’s diet from dry food to wet food or vice versa.
You might also find that your dog’s stools are brown if he has been eating red meat (including liver) recently, which can temporarily change the shade of his poop. In some cases, this can indicate a serious medical condition called hemolytic anemia.
If your dog’s stools are consistently brown, and he isn’t eating any unusual foods or getting into anything out of the ordinary, it might be worth making an appointment with a vet to make sure there isn’t anything wrong.
Why Does Your Dog Poop Look White?
Dogs are amazing creatures, but they have some quirks that can be difficult to understand. One of those quirks is when they poop looks white.
While the occasional white dog poop isn’t necessarily cause for concern, it’s still good to know what’s going on with your dog and why they’ve decided to make their feces look like a bar of Irish Spring.
Low Calcium Levels
To understand why low calcium levels cause your dog to excrete white feces, you must understand how your dog absorbs calcium.
As a dog owner, you already know that calcium is essential for canine health. It helps in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and digestion of foods.
Low calcium levels are bound to harm these bodily functions.
In addition, white feces are caused by either the absence of bile or by a bile duct obstruction. Bile is needed to digest the fat found in food, which makes up the bulk of stool.
Feces that appear chalky and whitish indicate that your dog’s diet may not be providing him with enough nutrients, especially if he has been eating nothing but dry kibble for months.
Medications
A common drug used to treat arthritis and pain, carprofen (brand name Rimadyl), has been known to cause white poop in dogs who have taken it for an extended period.
The drug itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, but the extended use is a red flag for underlying health issues.
One way to tell if your dog might be suffering from side effects like these is to take notice of small changes that occur, such as a change in bowel movement color.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are a group of parasitic worms that can infect dogs and humans. Dogs are more commonly infected with tapeworms than humans, but it can happen to you, too.
It is not always easy to tell if your dog has tapeworms, but some good clues are.
For instance: When dogs have tapeworms, their poop often looks white or turns into rice-like grains that look kind of like rice pudding.
What Should You Do if Your Dogs Poop Is White?
White dog poop is usually a sign of something gone wrong in your dog’s body. If your dog’s poop is white, you need to see a vet immediately.
There are many reasons why your dog’s poop may be white:
- Eating too much cabbage or cabbage supplements
- Diet lacking in protein
- Diet lacking in calcium
- Gallstones
- Celiac disease
- Parasites such as worms or giardia
If you’re seeing white poop from your dog, you must take them to a vet ASAP.
Final Thoughts
You’ve just walked your dog, and you’re wondering if it’s had a healthy poop. Here are three simple ways to tell:
- The color of your dog’s poop will change based on what it has eaten in the past 24 hours. If it’s been eating a lot of carrots, for example, its poop will turn orange.
- The size of the poop can be an indicator of how healthy your dog is. If it’s small but frequent, that’s a good sign. If your dog has an upset stomach or is dehydrated, its poop will be looser than usual.
- How long the poop takes to come out can also indicate how healthy your dog is. Poop that takes too long to exit may mean that your dog’s digestive system isn’t working properly and needs more fiber or a different diet.
When you know your dog has done a healthy poop, you will likely notice a few things. First, the poop will be consistent in color and texture.
The consistency indicates that the dog did not eat too many carbohydrates or dairy products, which can cause constipation.
You will also see that the poop does not have an odor, as this may indicate that the dog ate foods with artificial coloring or artificial flavors.
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