10 Poop Signals That Reveal Serious Health Problems in Pets

Your pet’s poop can tell you a lot about their health. By simply observing it, you can see how your furry friend is reacting to food and, more importantly, detect potential health issues. From color changes to consistency, these little signs can help you catch problems early and keep your pet healthy and happy.

The content provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Healthy poop

To understand what your pet’s poop means in terms of health, we should first understand what its normal form looks like. Healthy poop should be brown, moist, and consistent, with a mild odor. That means your animal’s intestines are normal and good to go!

Black/dark poop

If you’ve noticed your dog’s poop is looking tarry and dark, this may be a sign of caution. Black poop usually means that sores inside the intestines and stomach are present and may be bleeding, making the stool look dark. If you identify this, paying a visit to the veterinarian is a good idea.

White poop

White is a pretty uncommon color for poop. This can be a result of mainly 2 things, either diet or liver issues. If your pet has a raw diet, excess calcium (from eggs or bones) may cause feces to gain a white coloration. Your pet may also have liver or gall-bladder issues, as bile (which turns poop brown) may not be reaching the intestines.

If this is happening, consider this to be a reason to contact your veterinarian.

It has mucus in it.

Although mucus is normal, a large amount of it isn’t. This can be indicative of stress, a specific diet, intestinal issues, parasites or protozoans, bacteria, a virus, ingested foreign objects, or even tumors. Being that the reasons are so diverse, it’s crucial to take your pet to a veterinarian to understand why this is happening.

Very thin poop

Thin, strip-looking poop indicates a narrowing of the intestinal tract. Male dogs with enlarged prostates may also develop this kind of feces.

Green poop

Green-looking poop could mean that your pet has eaten too much grass, has problems related to their gall bladder, has parasites (especially salmonella), or is suffering from other gastrointestinal issues.

Yellow poop

Yellow-looking poop may indicate that your pet might have some kind of food intolerance. This color may also be a signal that something is wrong with the pet’s liver, pancreas, gall bladder, or intestines, as the stools are moving too quickly through the digestive tract.

Gray poop and small poop

Are you noticing gray, small, dry-looking stools? Your furry friend might be constipated or having a maldigestion issue. If this is happening, your dog can be dehydrated. In order to aid the problem, add water to your dog’s food and encourage it to drink. If the problem persists, taking your pet to a vet for a medical check on their pancreas is a good idea.

Poop with white spots

Are you seeing white, rice-looking spots in the poop? If your pet also has an itchy bottom, inspect for tapeworms and take your friend to the vet for parasite medication.

Purple poop

Purple-colored pet stool can indicate serious health issues. It may be a sign of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) or viral diarrhea, both of which require prompt veterinary attention.

Red poop

Red coloring in your pet’s stool can indicate bleeding in the lower digestive tract, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), acute injury, or constipation-related straining. Other possible causes include colitis or intestinal parasites.

Here, you can learn about the alarming signs your stool may reveal.