Caring For a Dog With White in Its Stool

Dogs run around endlessly, hoovering up your floors and nibbling at whatever they discover on the ground while out on their walk. This understandably gives humans the impression that a dog's stomach is somewhat invincible to most things on this earth. However, unusual-looking excrement can often be a sign your pooch has bitten off more than they can chew. Additionally, it can sometimes indicate a serious underlying condition, and this article will offer you guidance on how to care for dogs with white in their stools.

Diet

Dogs’ stools often reveal a tremendous amount about their diet and health. Inconsistent stools, or stools containing unusual colors, are often signs of a poor diet, that is lacking certain nutrients. When your dog has all the vitamins, minerals and fiber they need, the stool will be brown and solid.

Interestingly, one of the most common reasons for white stools is an excess of calcium in a dog's diet. Raw-fed dogs can often experience this because of the calcium makeup of the food (especially bones). When feeding your pooch a store-bought raw diet, look for one that has a recommended calcium level, not too high. Too much calcium can also lead to constipation, so counteract that by adding pure pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie mix) to your furry buddy's food.

Thankfully, you can tweak your dog’s diet with a few simple steps. Aim to give your dog a balanced diet of raw, lean meats, fresh fruit, and vegetables, and avoid starchy foods like potatoes. Or, feed your pup a veterinarian-approved commercial kibble that is high in quality and nutritionally balanced. A diet containing these things should lead to healthy looking stools.

Tapeworms

White objects in your dog’s feces can often be a sign of something sinister. One such sinister cause is tapeworms. Tapeworms are highly contagious and are picked up when your dog comes into contact with an infected host. The white in the stool is usually the tapeworms themselves or their eggs.

Fortunately, an article from the ‘Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice,' outlined a number of straightforward steps you can take to care for a dog with tapeworms. The first thing to do is consult your vet, who will give your dog de-worming medication to kill any worms. But you must also clear up any feces from the house and garden promptly, plus keep their area clean and disinfected, to limit the spread of the worms.

Roundworms

Another common cause of white specks in dogs’ stools are roundworms. These parasites feed off your dog’s intestines and insides and can cause considerable pain and discomfort. The white in their stool is likely to be the worms or eggs, but you must treat the issue promptly, as hundreds, if not thousands of eggs can hatch each day inside your dog.

The Veterinary Journal was quick to detail the problem and offer a number of steps owners can take to care for dogs suffering from a roundworm infestation. Treatment from your vet is the first port of call, but then try to keep interaction with any household pets or other dogs to a minimum to prevent the infection spreading. Wash their bedding and disinfect their area, plus keep them away from densely canine populated areas, such as kennels and dog training classes.

Grey Poop 

A canine with poop that is grey in color may be suffering from health issues. Pancreatic trouble, such as a lowered production of digestive enzymes, may cause fecal matter to be grey. A bile duct obstruction may be another cause of clay-colored stools, as may a liver problem that slows down bile production. If your dog has grey or clay-colored stools, consult the vet without delay.

A color other than brown can indicate illness and the consistent presence of blood or mucus warrants a stool analysis at the vet. Yellow stools can point to a stomach upset and black or tarry poop can mean bleeding in the intestinal tract.

The Fecal Conclusion

White in your dog’s stool should never be ignored. It is often a sign of a serious underlying condition, like an infestation of tapeworms or roundworms. These can be treated with de-worming medication from the vet, plus proactive cleaning and monitoring steps by owners. Problems with your dog’s stool could also be a sign of a lack of key nutrients. Feeding your dog a balanced diet of raw, lean meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, and avoiding starchy foods, may relieve any stool inconsistencies and peculiarities. Health issues cause a lot of bodily changes and a change in stool color can indicate a health concern that should be checked out sooner, rather than later.