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Even chronic health problems like osteoarthritis can be to blame. Long-haired pups who frequently lick themselves (often because of itchy skin) could end up ingesting fur that causes a clog, Huggins says. Ingredients found in low-quality dry foods can cause the same problem. He could be eating too much insoluble fiber (found in vegetables) or not consuming enough liquid, which can gum up the works, Morgan says. Tiny, rock-like stool (or no stool at all) are signs that your dog is constipated. So if the diarrhea doesn’t clear up on its own after a day or two, it’s time to call the vet. Diarrhea can also indicate that your dog has a serious infection (like a parasite, a bacterial infection, or inflammatory bowel disease). Loose stools can mean your dog’s food isn’t being absorbed in his GI tract, which could point to a food allergy or intolerance, says Huggins. “Once the pet has passed the offending items through his GI tract, all systems return to normal,” Huggins says.ĭiarrhea could also be a sign that something’s wrong, though. Thankfully, the poop problem should clear up on its own. It's loose or liquid-like.ĭogs most often get diarrhea from eating something they shouldn’t - think greasy table scraps or garbage the discovered while on his walk. Sudden food switches can be tough on dogs’ tummies. The problem typically comes from low-quality kibble, but if you think your pup’s meals should change, talk to his vet before taking action. Dogs evolved to eat mostly meat, so the proportion of ingredients in their food can affect their poop, Morgan says. The amount of waste your dog produces is proportional to the amount of indigestible content in his food. There's a lot of it - and it smells awful. It’ll have a mild odor, of course, but it shouldn’t smell so gross that picking it up makes you want to vomit. Chocolate-colored poop that’s the consistency of Play-Doh is a sign that things in your pup’s digestive tract are normal, Huggins says. Good news: This is exactly what you want to see.
#Poop looks like tiny balls plus#
Here are six common signs to look for, plus what they mean. While the occasional poop problem may not be cause for concern, knowing what’s normal for your dog makes it easy to tell when something is wrong, says Abby Huggins, DVM, veterinarian at Intown Animal Hospital in Atlanta. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to what you’re picking up. (And not just because your neighbor gets upset every time you forget.) The color and consistency of your dog’s poop can give you a lot of information about what’s going on inside his body-and whether a health issue could be brewing, says Judy Morgan, DVM, a veterinarian in Clayton, New Jersey. There’s no way around it: Part of having a dog means you’re regularly scooping up poop.Įven if you have the sweetest, most adorable pup in the world, this task is never fun.
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