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Yellow Dog Poop — Why Is My Dog Passing Yellow Stools?
Written By Kevin Hughes
Published: 07/19/2017Updated: 11/07/2024
Veterinary reviewed by Michele K.
Yellow stools and dogs
A pet parent’s role can often be a thankless one — think about how much time we must spend, over the course of a dog’s lifetime, picking up poop, for example. It’s unlikely that anyone’s actually calculated the time we devote to that task but it’s probably hours and hours.
The bottom line is that we get to see a lot of our dogs’ poop. So much so that we can very quickly notice if the poop looks unusual, whether that be diarrhea or a different color. A dog’s stool can vary in color. This can be quite normal but in some instances can be a warning sign that something isn’t right.
If your dog is passing black stools or tarry stools (which may have blood in them), there could be a health problem.
But what of yellow dog poop? If a dog's poop is yellow, what does that mean? Is it something to worry about?
The bottom line is that we get to see a lot of our dogs’ poop. So much so that we can very quickly notice if the poop looks unusual, whether that be diarrhea or a different color. A dog’s stool can vary in color. This can be quite normal but in some instances can be a warning sign that something isn’t right.
If your dog is passing black stools or tarry stools (which may have blood in them), there could be a health problem.
But what of yellow dog poop? If a dog's poop is yellow, what does that mean? Is it something to worry about?
My dog’s poop is yellow — why?
If you’re witnessing yellow dog poop, there could be a number of causes. A one-off incident is probably nothing to be concerned about but regular or repeated changes in the color of your dog’s stools could be an indication of anything from a mild stomach upset to a serious gastrointestinal condition.
Causes of yellow dog poop may include:
Causes of yellow dog poop may include:
- Gastroenteritis
- Consumption of non-food items
- Liver problems – such as liver toxins or liver inflammation
- Gallbladder problems — such as gallbladder obstruction
- Pancreas problems — such as pancreatitis
- Intestinal infections – such as parasites
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Food allergies
Consumption of non-food items
Consumption of non-food items can cause your dog to have yellow diarrhea. Dogs can have a habit of eating whatever comes their way without thinking — this can include pieces of trees, grasses, rocks, or even household items, like socks. Foreign body consumption can include virtually anything which isn’t food and isn’t supposed to be eaten. These items may not be digested by your pet’s system.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the intestinal system, generally this includes the stomach and intestines. The causes of gastroenteritis can include infections from bacteria, viruses, parasites or reactions to new foods or medications.
Liver problems
Liver problems cause jaundice (icterus) which will discolor the eyes, skin, urine and feces of your pet. Damages to the liver can occur from many diseases, toxins, drugs, cancer and inflammation of the liver caused by bacterial and fungal infections.
Pancreatitis
This is inflammation of the pancreas which occurs as a result of digestive enzymes leaking into the pancreatic tissue. Abdominal pain, depression, loss of appetite along with vomiting and diarrhea can occur in some dogs. Chronic pancreatitis can sometimes lead to diabetes in your pet.
Gallbladder problems
This condition occurs when there is a stoppage of bile flowing from the gallbladder to the intestines. This can occur due to trauma to the gallbladder, or from an obstruction like a gallstone, congealed bile or tumor of the gallbladder and can turn the eyes, skin, urine and feces a yellow color.
Intestinal infections
These can include bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. If left untreated, any of these can progress to more serious conditions in your pet, so your dog will need veterinary attention.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
If you detect mucus-yellow dog poop, it could be evidence of Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS can cause a yellow mucus to be present in your dog’s stool. This condition needs to be treated as early as possible to prevent progression into a more serious health condition for your pet.
What to do if your dog’s poop is yellow
If your dog’s poop is yellow, with diarrhea or a mucus substance, first things first – don’t panic. It could all be completely normal; bouts of periodic diarrhea and stool changes can cycle in and out of your dog’s life, lasting only one or two bowel movements.
However, if the yellow stools continue to be passed beyond a day or two, or if your dogs' condition is deteriorating, you should call your veterinary professional for medical evaluation. The condition that may be at the root of the yellow stool may be relatively minor or it can be a major health condition which will need to be treated urgently. Your vet is in the best position to diagnose this, and make a treatment plan.
Your veterinarian will examine your pet and perform any needed testing to determine the cause of the yellow stool. In many cases, this diagnosis proves to be a ‘ruling out’ situation as the vet eliminates the many possibilities for the yellow stool in your pet.
Your veterinarian will treat the underlying cause with medications, surgical procedures, dietary supplements or dietary regimen changes as needed based upon his findings and diagnosis.
However, if the yellow stools continue to be passed beyond a day or two, or if your dogs' condition is deteriorating, you should call your veterinary professional for medical evaluation. The condition that may be at the root of the yellow stool may be relatively minor or it can be a major health condition which will need to be treated urgently. Your vet is in the best position to diagnose this, and make a treatment plan.
Your veterinarian will examine your pet and perform any needed testing to determine the cause of the yellow stool. In many cases, this diagnosis proves to be a ‘ruling out’ situation as the vet eliminates the many possibilities for the yellow stool in your pet.
Your veterinarian will treat the underlying cause with medications, surgical procedures, dietary supplements or dietary regimen changes as needed based upon his findings and diagnosis.
Preventing yellow dog poop
Is there anything a pet parent can do to prevent yellow dog poop from affecting their pup? While that’s always going to be difficult to achieve, there are steps you can take to help reduce the risk as much as possible.
So, how can you try to prevent your dog from having yellow diarrhea? Close monitoring of your pet’s lifestyle is the best measure of prevention. For conditions like pancreatitis, liver and gallbladder problems, dietary regimens will need to be evaluated to ensure that your pet is getting a balanced diet without excess fats and carbohydrates which may not be easily digested.
A fatty diet can lead to issues such as pancreatitis. If your dog has this condition, you should consider a permanent switch to a type of dog food that’s been specially formulated to help aid digestion. You can read our recommendations for the best food for dogs with pancreatitis here.
A fatty diet can lead to issues such as pancreatitis. If your dog has this condition, you should consider a permanent switch to a type of dog food that’s been specially formulated to help aid digestion. You can read our recommendations for the best food for dogs with pancreatitis here.
Careful monitoring of your pet’s home environment and those areas where he or she exercises and plays is also a good idea, eliminating as many of the potential non-food items which might interest him enough to ingest them.
Keeping up with regular checkups, vaccinations, and parasite control will help to reduce the opportunity for parasitic infection to take root in your pet’s intestinal tract.
Examinations done at home on a regular basis can also help to identify painful areas on your pet which could relate to internal problems which need attention. This can be incorporated into the normal time you spend with your pet in play and attention giving.
If your dog’s poop is yellow because of a medical condition, the resulting treatment can be expensive. Pet insurance can help to cover some of the costs that may arise. If you don’t already have a policy, start searching for cover today. Compare the best pet insurance plans in seconds using Wag! Compare.
You can also compare wellness plan packages, which can cover the costs of routine veterinary care for your dog, including vaccinations and examinations.
If your dog’s poop is yellow because of a medical condition, the resulting treatment can be expensive. Pet insurance can help to cover some of the costs that may arise. If you don’t already have a policy, start searching for cover today. Compare the best pet insurance plans in seconds using Wag! Compare.
You can also compare wellness plan packages, which can cover the costs of routine veterinary care for your dog, including vaccinations and examinations.
What's the cost of treating a dog with yellow stools?
There are costs involved in keeping your pet safe and healthy. Here are some of the costs involved with treatment of some of the causes of yellow stools in your pet:
- Irritable bowel syndrome treatment costs can range from $500 to $3,000
- For the treatment of chronic liver inflammation, the costs can range from $1,000 to $10,000
- If your pet is suffering from pancreatitis, those treatment costs could range from $800 to $6,00
Worried about the cost of treating your pet's symptoms?
Pet Insurance covers the cost of many common pet health conditions. Prepare for the unexpected by getting a quote from top pet insurance providers.
Passing Yellow Stools Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Rhodesian Ridgeback x staffy
Bandit
18 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Sand Coloured Poop
We rescued our 18 months old Rhodesian ridgeback x staffy 2 weeks ago, he started out with regular stools for the first week or so and now as we have been switching his diet he seems to have very consistent either runny (sometimes regular) sand or mustard coloured poos. His energy levels are up and he doesn’t seems to be unwell at all . Could this be from a change or diet , settling in his new environment ect ? Thank you so much
July 27, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
That soft stool could be from the diet change, and a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice for a few days may help clear that up. If it does not, Bandit may have parasites that need to be treated, and it would be a good idea to have him seen by a veterinarian.
July 28, 2018
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Schnoodle
Rocco
2 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Weakness
My 2 year old schnoodle started pooping regular colored diarrhea, however, yesterday he started pooping yellow, some bright yellow, some darksih yellow with like goo and some red spots... This has been going on for about a week. He has had problems in the past where they told me he had pancriatitis and anything he eats that his stomach doesn't really like, he'll have diarrhea for a few days. But my concern is the yellow stool now.. I've been giving him lots of water to keep him hydrated but I'm not sure what to give him for food since he's not keeping anything in his stomach. He does have appetite
July 11, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
The yellow tinge to Rocco's diarrhea is concerning, as that can sometimes mean that there is a problem with his liver. Given his history of pancreatitis, he may need medical therapy, and it would be a good idea to have him seen by his veterinarian to make sure that he is okay.
July 11, 2018
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Boxer
Bo
6 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting And Diarrhea
My 6-year old male boxer had vomiting and lethargy in April 2018. The vet did bloodwork and x-rays of his abdomen but all testing was good; no issues. His vet put him on Cerenia for the vomiting. He started having diarrhea 5 days later and was diagnosed with Coccidiosis and put on Albon. He had a 3-year rabies shot one month later & another test for parasites. Testing was negative. 4 days after his rabies vaccination he developed diarrhea again. Fecal sample was negative and he was put on Pro-Pectalin Anti-Diarrheal tabs and a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice. (He has been on Wellness Core grain-free wild game formula dry dog food for the past 4 years because of a previous issue with white rice.) He developed yellow-colored stools before having diarrhea with hematochezia. His stool was checked for parasites and for Giardia; all tests were negative. The vet put him on Metronidazole and more Pro-Pectalin Anti-Diarrheal tabs. His stools stayed yellow with a little green in it until today. He had diarrhea with hematochezia again along with vomiting. He was taken off the chicken/rice diet and put back on his grain-free dog food. He was also taken off the Metronidazole and put back on the Albon because his vet didn't think he was tolerating the Metronidazole and a fecal smear tested with a lot of bacteria in it; much more than normal. His fecal test again tested negative for parasites. He was given a Cerenia injection for the vomiting & is to start the Albon tonight (8 pills at once before 4 pills a day till finished). His vet doesn't want him to take the Pro-Pectalin Anti-Diarrheal tabs again unless he develops diarrhea. They said we will need to do x-rays and bloodwork again if this continues. Is there some additional testing along with the x-rays and bloodwork I should be having my vet do if these issues continue?
June 7, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Boxers are susceptible to a type of colitis that needs to be specifically treated, and the best way to determine whether that is happening with Bo would be endoscopic biopsies of his colon. Histiocytic ulcerative colitis occurs more frequently in this breed. Some dogs also have a fiber-responsive colitis that can be treated with specific diets. Your veterinarian will be able to let you know the best route of testing and treatment for him, but it is worth discussing those problems to see if they are a possibility for Bo, since I cannot examine him.
June 8, 2018
My vet had me put my dog back on the grain-free dog food he had been on for the past 4 years because she felt that the boiled chicken breast & white rice diet she had me put him on to help with his diarrhea was causing more issues and possibly contributing to the bloody diarrhea he was having. She thought that maybe he had a sensitivity to the white rice or was allergic to it since he had problems with white rice back when he was 2 years old and had to be put on the grain-free dog food at that time. He was taken off the Metronidazole 500 mg tablets because his vet felt that he wasn't tolerating the medication. He was put back on the Albon 250 mg tablets he was given back when he was diagnosed with Coccidiosis in April 2018 because he had previously tolerated it without any issues. He was also given more Pro-Pectalin Anti-Diarrheal tabs, which he took for 4 days. I then started adding small amounts of canned Libby's brand pureed pumpkin to his grain-free dog food; but only a couple of times each day. He is now back to having normal looking stools (no diarrhea and no yellow stools). He is acting more like his old self and seems to be getting his energy level back up to where it was before he was diagnosed with Coccidiosis. Since his stools have returned to normal, I won't need to have his vet check him for colitis; but should his diarrhea return, I will ask her to check him for that. Thank you for your advice on what else I could have my vet check him for since I didn't know what else to do.
July 3, 2018
Lynn S.
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Staffordshire Bull Terrier
blu
1 Day
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Pale Frim Yellow Stools
my puppy Blu she is a year old and her poop is tan pale yellow it is very frim. i just noticed it today. she is a blue nose pit. her mouth is dry what can i do hor her
June 7, 2018
0 Recommendations
There are many different causes for yellow faeces including fast intestinal transit, liver disease, biliary disorders among other causes; you should ensure that Blu is hydrated and is fed an appropriate diet for breed and age. Without examining Blu, I cannot go into any specifics as I cannot make a diagnosis but a dry mouth and very firm faeces may be an indicator of dehydration. If there is no improvement you should visit your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 8, 2018
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