What Is Your Dog’s Poo Telling You?

The number 2 (pun intended) question we get after people transition to raw, is if their dog’s stool looks normal. When switching from kibble to a raw diet, you can expect to see major changes in your pet’s feces which includes the size, consistency, smell and colour.

Raw fed stools are very different from kibble fed poops and they can tell you a lot about your pet’s overall health & wellness. Kibble-fed pets tend to produce voluminous and smelly stools. The larger the stool size typically means that less food is being digested and there is more waste. Only 20% - 40% of kibble is digested, which means, 60% - 80% is being discharged as waste. This includes indigestible fillers (Carbohydrates, Corn, & Grains) which offer very little to no nutritional value. 

With a raw diet, pets produce minimal waste & have bowel movements that consist of firmer, smaller and less smelly waste. It is just one of the benefits of raw! The reason for this is simply that your pet isn’t eating anything they cannot process or that the body cannot use. Feeding a biologically appropriate diet consisting of ingredients such as meat, offal and bone, offers them the nutrition and fuel they require to stay happy and healthy.  

Paying attention to your pet’s feces color, consistency and contents can help you determine if there are any abnormalities. Slight changes in your pets’ poops are not a reason for concern, however, if your dog is having chronic diarrhea or you see blood in their stool, please seek advice from your veterinarian. 

Color, Consistency & Content of Feces on a Raw Dog Food Diet 

Colour: Colour can give you great insight.  

1. Light/dark brown: This is what you're looking for. This will turn white within 24 hours. If your dog’s feces is expelled white or chalky, this means a product with a higher bone content has been fed (for example chicken or duck)
2. Yellow: Feeding a raw diet consisting of a lot of poultry (such as chicken or turkey) will cause yellow-coloured stools. 
3. Grey: This can sometimes be a sign of higher fat being present in the diet. 
4. Orange:may be caused by food with artificial colouring or simply a vegetable you’ve fed your pet such as carrots or pumpkin. 
5. Green:Can be caused by your dog eating grass or too many leafy greens added to the raw diet. 
6. White: Typically means you are feeding a higher bone content (Such as chicken or our classic case).

*Red blood that is visible in their stools can indicate a few things, all of which we suggest seeking the advice of your veterinarian*

The consistency 

The consistency of your dog’s waste should be firm and easy to pick up. If they are having diarrhea it could be a result of may different things such as they have eaten something that didn’t agree with them or a possible infection. In some cases, this can be resolved with some at-home remedies, but if lasting more than 3 to 4 days please seek veterinarian attention.

Contents

You may see some interesting contents especially in your puppy's stool such as grass, rocks, little twigs. Something to look out for is worms that can be picked up in exposed environments (eg. dog parks). If you see any type of worms, take a stool sample to your local vet and have it analyzed and remediated accordingly. 

Mucous. If there appears to be mucous coating the stool, this may mean a bacterial infection or a sign that your dog’s digestive tract is trying to to detox/ get rid of something.Dogs that are detoxing from a poor diet may pass mucous in their stool. 

Greasy. Stools that appear greasy can be a sign that there is too much fat in your dog’s diet. 

If you have any questions about your dog's stools or how to get them on the right track, don't be shy! Send us an email at hello@rawperformancedogfood.com