What is your dog's poop telling you?

As a pet owner, picking up your dog's poop is a regular occurrence. 

But did you know your dog's poop can also provide a good indication of their digestive and overall health? It's good to have an initial understanding of what is usual for your dog's poop so you can spot the changes to look out for, such as variations in colour and consistency.

What consistency should you be looking for?

Your dog’s poop can be categorized as too hard, ideal, and too soft or liquid. 

If your dog's poop isn't an ideal consistency, it could be a sign of a gastrointestinal illness that may require further advice and treatment. Treatment for a gastrointestinal illness will vary for every dog, taking into account their individual needs and medical conditions, but can frequently include a change to their diet.

Paying attention to your dog's poop is important and you can assess it at home using our 5-stage dog fecal scoring chart below. Using a dog fecal scoring chart can help you identify if you need to take your dog to a veterinarian for an examination.

A score of 1 - 2, indicates your dog may be suffering from constipation, a score of 2.5 represents the ideal dog poop consistency, while a score of 3 - 5 indicates your dog has diarrhea.

Dog Constipation

What is an ideal consistency?

If your dog has moist, compact and easy to pick up poop, this is the ideal consistency.

Dog Diarrhea 

If your dog's poop is very wet or has the consistency of liquid, it could be a sign that something isn't quite right. If this is an ongoing issue for your dog, it's important to speak to your veterinarian as it could be a sign of an underlying health issue.

Check the colour of your dog's poop

Taking a look at the colour of your dog's poop can also provide an insight into whether your dog has an underlying health condition.

2.5 Log-shaped

Log shaped, firm and moist