Lets Talk About Poo!

Admit  it, as hound owners we talk about poo…a lot!  We bet you never expected  to discuss your dogs faeces quite much, or as often as you do, when you  adopted them, right?

While it  can be easy to overlook their deposits as a mundane byproduct of their  diet that you are obligated to pick up both as a responsible pet owner  and because it’s a legal requirement, your hounds bum nuggets are  actually a crucial indicator of their overall health and well-being.

Everyone  knows the obvious sign of tummy upset, diarrhoea!  But would you know  what the other faecal consistencies mean, and which one is perfect?   While you may consider your hounds mr whippys to be normal, because  that’s what they do on the daily, something’s not quite right!

Before  we deep dive into the intricacies of interpreting your dogs dung, let’s  start off with what a healthy dogs defecation should look like.  The  perfect bowl movement should be firm, moist and log shaped.  It should  be easy to pick up, maintaining form and without leaving any mess behind  AKA no mark on the ground.  

In a  nutshell, if you were to kick it, would it fly or stick to your shoe?   If it flies, it’s perfect, if it marks your boot in any way…not so much!

Now  when it comes to number twos, there are several influences on their  appearance and consistency including diet, health and even just their  hydration levels.  

Have you ever  heard of the Bristol Stool Chart?  It’s a medical poster used to  classify human waste into 7 categories based on its form.  While it was  designed for humans, it can be easily adapted to help describe a dog’s  droppings and is often used in veterinary practices as a way of helping  owners explain the condition of their dogs offerings.

Here's a quick rundown of the Bristol Stool Chart:

1. Separate hard lumps, like nuts (hard to pass)
2. Sausage-shaped but lumpy
3. Like a sausage but with cracks on the surface
4. Like a smooth, soft sausage or snake
5. Soft blobs with clear-cut edges (easy to pass)
6. Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool
7. Watery, no solid pieces, entirely liquid

For  dogs, the ideal poop falls between Type 3 and Type 4.  No mr whippys  and no constipated lumps.  If your hound is producing any of the other  numbers, especially on the regular, here’s a more in-depth look at what  you’re dealing with

- Type 1 and Type 2: Hard and Lumpy

Hard and lumpy stools are often a sign of constipation. This can be caused by:
- Dehydration: If your hound isn’t much of a drinker, add water to their food!

- Diet: Consider increasing your hounds fibre intake!
-  Lack of exercise: Physical activity stimulated bowl movements, so a  sedentary lifestyle can mean things might not move along as they should!

If  constipation persists, it may indicate underlying health issues such as  anal gland problems or intestinal blockage, you’ll want to consider a  visit to the vet in this case!

-  Type 3 and Type 4: Ideal Poop…This is the goal for all dog owners, if  this is what you’re getting, 2-3 time a day, well done!  

- Type 5 and 6: Soft Blobs and Mushy Stool

Soft  blobs that are easy to pass may indicate slight digestive upset,  whereas mushy stool with ragged edges suggests diarrhoea, or the start  of it!  You’ll want to keep a close eye on them!  

-  Dietary changes: If you’ve given them something new like a treat or  changed their diet suddenly, it can upset their stomach. If all you get  is soft blobs, you hopefully haven’t upset anything too much and it’ll  return to normal soon…but if it progresses to 6 or 7, you have a  problem!

- Heat: Greyhounds are  quite sensitive to the heat and when they get warm they can be prone to  softer stools, keep an eye on them if things start getting loose!

-  Minor infections or parasites: Gastrointestinal infections and  parasites can cause temporary changes in stool consistency.  Keep an eye  on your hound for other symptoms such as lethargy and vomiting, and  ensure you’re treating them regularly for parasites!

-  Food intolerance: Some dogs may have difficulty digesting certain foods  and if their passings are soft for an extended period, it may be their  food is not quite agreeing with them, but not so much that they’ve got  the full on runs!

- Eating  something they shouldn’t:  We reckon we can all put our hands up and  say, at one time or another, our hounds have eaten something they  shouldn’t have.  It may go by without issue or it can cause acute, short  lived, diarrhoea.  Once out their system they should return to normal!

- Type 7: Watery Stool

Watery stool is (often) a serious concern, especially if it’s for extended periods. Potential causes include:

-  Recovery from anaesthetic: Greyhounds are sensitive beans and quite  often have the runs following any sedation.  While this is often  expected, you don’t want it to go on for too long.  Ensure that you  provide your hound with a bland and easily digested diet following any  anaesthetic for a couple of days before reintroducing their regular  kibble/food to avoid this.

-  Heat: We did already mention this, but full watery puddles often come  about during the summer months.  Drinking a lot of water, reduced  appetite and sunbathing until they turn themselves into crispy bacon  often contributes toward this less than desired result

- Severe infections: Bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections can cause severe diarrhoea.

-  Toxins: Ingestion of toxins can lead to severe gastrointestinal  distress. If you suspect your dog has ingested something toxic, seek  emergency veterinary care.

- Chronic illnesses: Conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or pancreatitis can cause ongoing diarrhoea.

In  any case, if your hounds poo sits around Type 6, or moves into 7,  without explanation (diet etc) and persists for more than a couple of  days (especially if accompanied by other symptoms) you’ll want to talk  to your vet!

If any of the poops  are particularly slimy, AKA covered in a mucus-like substance, or they  are passing sizeable amounts of slimy-ness, there is some kind of  irritation to the bowls such as food intolerances or colitis!

Moving  on from consistency, lets start going through the colours of the  rainbow!  Yup, the colour of your hounds offerings can also provide  important clues as to their health!

What you want, is a nice healthy, normal rich brown colour.  What you don’t want is:

- Green: This could be an issue with the gallbladder, parasites, or they’ve eaten an unreasonable amount of grass!

-  Yellow: This generally indicates food intolerances, indigestion, or  potentially an issue with the liver, pancreas or gallbladder.

- Orange: This can often happen due to a high intake of certain vegetables like carrots, or a biliary issue.

-  Purple: Unless your hound has eaten something that might specifically  result in this colour like beetroot or purple cabbage…call your vet!

-  White: There is too much calcium in their diet, this is often seen in  raw fed dogs that have had too much bone and is usually accompanied by  constipation

- Red: Any fresh red  streaks indicate bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal track. It  doesn’t necessarily indicate a genuine health issue, it can sometimes be  a one off relating to constipation or diarrhoea due to straining.  If  it persists, there is likely an issue.

-  Black: This is a much bigger red flag than red in the poo.  Black or  tarry poo indicates bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal track and you  should contact your vet immediately!

What  are some of the other things you should be keeping an eye out when  picking up your dogs doo doos?  Worms, excessive amounts of fur,  undigested food and any foreign bodies, all of which might indicate a  larger problem or at least explain why their normally good quality  faeces have taken a turn!

So, how  do you improve or maintain the perfect poop?  Ensure a good quality  diet, regular exercise, hydration, regular parasite treatment and  veterinary care where needed!  A lot of the time, improving the diet or  identifying dietary sensitivities and avoiding them solves most cases of  poor poop quality!  If your hound is pooping more than a couple times a  day, they're not properly digesting their food.

Remember,  if you ever have concerns about your dog's poop, don't hesitate to  consult your vet. They are your best resource for maintaining your dog's  health and well-being.  With proper care, attention, and a little  knowledge, you can keep your hound’s digestive system in top shape.

We  hope you enjoyed this little lesson on understanding your hounds bowl  movements!  You’ll be looking a little closer at their gifts from here  on out, we’re certain of it!