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Jim’s Dog Wash – Common Dog Poop Issues And What To Do About Them

October 18, 2022

What we poop is generally a direct result of what we eat and the biggest cause of poop problems in our dogs is because they have eaten something that they shouldn’t.

Here are out top poop problems in dogs and the solutions:

Watery Poo

There are many causes for poop puddles but a few of the more common causes are:

• Vets recommend a gradual shift in diet if you are changing over food, as a sudden change can cause an upset tummy. If you are changing foods, try starting with 10% of the new food mixed with the previous food to gradually change over to help your dog’s tummy get used to it
• If your dog has eaten something that doesn’t agree with them, try eliminating anything unusual and monitoring poop changes as you reintroduce each food
• Stress can often cause bowel changes in dogs, just like humans. In this instance a “wait and see” approach is advised. Give it a few days and see if the poop situation improves on it’s own
• If the diarrhea continues, it’s best to visit the vets to get a check

Constipation

Constipation is caused by very hard poop and it can be very painful to watch as your dog strains to poop.

• One of the most common causes of constipation is Dehydration. This can be from not having enough water available or when your pup eats solely a dry kibble diet. While the kibble contains all the vitamins your pup needs, it’s also very dry, so adding water to the kibble to soften it up can help as well as making sure that there is always clean drinking water available.
• Lack of grooming can also cause constipation, if the fur in your pup’s back end is matted, pooping can be very difficult. If there is a bit of a mess “back there” it might be time to organise grooming
• Dogs that don’t exercise enough can also have hard poop, which can be difficult to pass. Try increasing the exercise for your pup to see if it improves
• More seriously, constipation can be caused by an infection or something caught in the intestinal tract. If you have ruled out all of the common causes then a visit to your vet is recommended

Too Much Poop

• Large amounts of poop are usually caused by a diet of processed kibbles. Kibble contains high amounts of carbohydrates and fibre. Higher levels of carbs and fibre mean more poop!
• If too much poop is causing a problem, you can try mixing up the diet with raw or dehydrated food

Smelly Poop

• Generally, dogs eating kibble tend to have stinkier poop because the high amount of grain and starches.
• You can try changing to a grain free kibble or trying an occasional raw or dehydrated option if you find the poop is just too stinky.

Mucus

If your dog’s poop looks slimy it could be due to an inflamed colon or an inflammation somewhere in their tummy. This will generally settle down on it’s own however, there are also a number of parasites that can cause this.

A “wait and see” approach for slimy poop is only recommended for 1-2 days at the most. If there is still mucus or slimy coating on the poop, a vet visit is recommended.

Blood

There are a couple of non-threatening causes of blood in your pup’s poop. The first could be that the poop is hard and caused an abrasion, but more seriously it could be parasites or worms. If the blood is still evident after 2-3 more poops, it’s a good idea to collect a sample and visit your vet to make sure.

If you aren’t sure, or there is something in your dog’s poop that you are worried about, you should always check with your vet