Your dog's poop is an indicator of your pup's overall digestive health. Bowel movements should be relatively consistent over time. A sudden change, like blood in your dog’s stool, tells you something is wrong.
There are several ways to evaluate your dog’s digestive health:
Frequency: your dog should poop at least one time a day.
Color: should be light to dark brown
Odour: should be mild and not overpowering
Sound: there should not be excessive belly grumbling
Consistency: firm stools are ideal
If your pup's poop is different from above, pay attention and monitor - while "one off" changes may happen due to sudden shifts in diet or stress, persistent abnormal poops may indicate a deeper issue and a visit to the vet is recommended.
Your veterinarian may ask you to bring a sample of your dog’s poop. And she will ask you what you’ve noticed: diarrhea, straining, a change in frequency or mucus in the poop.
Promote Good Digestive Health
You don’t have to wait until your dog has a digestive issue. Here are some proactive steps you can take today:
Pay attention to your dog’s poop
Determine what is normal for him/her
Take note of blood or mucus in your dog’s poop
Talk to your veterinarian about changes you see
If your dog's diet is causing issues, and you need to introduce new foods, transition your pet’s food slowly over 7-10 days. Each day gradually add more of your pet’s new food as you decrease the amount of the previous food.
As always, call ScoopaPoop Nanaimo to scoop your dog's poop so you don't have to!