What Your Pet’s Poop Can Tell You About Their Health

Your pet’s poop can reveal important clues about their digestive health and overall wellbeing. Changes in color, consistency, frequency, or contents may be the first sign of an underlying health issue. While many stool changes are temporary, others can signal a medical condition that requires veterinary care. Knowing what’s normal can help you recognize when it’s time to contact your family veterinarian or seek emergency veterinary care.

What’s Normal for Pet Poop?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to pet poop because every pet’s diet, age, activity level, and overall health are different. These differences can affect the consistency, color, and smell of their poop. However, there are some general signs of healthy pet poop.

Healthy pet poop should be well-formed, semi-firm, and free from parasites or worms. It should not be overly wet or greasy or contain blood or mucus. The consistency should be somewhere between hard and soft and can vary depending on your pet’s diet and lifestyle.

Occasional minor changes in stool consistency can happen, especially after a change in diet or treats. However, persistent diarrhea, constipation, or repeated changes in your pet’s stool should be evaluated by your veterinarian.

Healthy dog stools are usually chocolate to medium brown, while healthy cat stools are typically brown. Stool size should generally reflect how much your pet eats. Pets who eat more than usual may have larger stools, while pets who eat less may have smaller stools.

There are several factors that affect how much your pet should poop, including how often they eat, how much they eat, their diet, medications, stress, and their overall health. In general, adult dogs should poop one to three times daily, while puppies can poop up to five times a day or more. Most cats poop once a day, and kittens may poop up to three times a day.

Remember that what’s “normal” for your pet may not be the same as for another pet. The most important thing is recognizing changes from your pet’s usual bowel habits and discussing persistent changes with your veterinarian.

When Should You Be Concerned About Your Pet’s Poop?

When looking at your pet’s poop, pay attention to the color, texture, consistency, contents, and smell. While occasional changes can happen, persistent or significant changes may indicate an underlying health problem, including infections, parasites, or in some cases more serious conditions such as cancer.

Although healthy pet poop is typically brown, other colors can provide important clues about your pet’s health. An occasional color change isn’t always a cause for concern, but persistent changes—or those accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or decreased appetite—shouldn’t be ignored.

If your dog or cat’s poop is green, it may mean they’ve eaten grass or other plant material, sometimes to soothe a mildly upset stomach. While this isn’t always a cause for concern, persistent green stool can indicate digestive upset and should be evaluated by your veterinarian.

If your pet’s poop is pale, yellow, or orange, it may be associated with conditions affecting the liver, pancreas, or gallbladder. Black, tarry, or maroon-colored poop may be a sign of bleeding higher in the digestive tract, while bright red blood or streaks of blood may indicate bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract or colon.

Small white spots in your dog or cat’s poop that look like rice may be tapeworm segments or another type of intestinal parasite. Keep in mind that worms or insects can appear in stool after it has been outdoors, so it’s best to evaluate a fresh sample.

If your pet’s poop is very soft or runny, or has a sudden or significant change in smell, it may indicate digestive upset, infection, parasites, dietary indiscretion, or another underlying medical condition. It’s common for pets to have occasional diarrhea or constipation, but these changes should be short-lived. If they persist, become severe, or recur, contact your family veterinarian.

A small amount of mucus may occasionally be seen in your pet’s stool. However, excessive mucus, especially when accompanied by diarrhea or blood, can be a sign of inflammation or another gastrointestinal condition and should be evaluated.

How Can You Help Your Pet Maintain Healthy Poop?

Many factors can affect your pet’s stool, including diet, intestinal parasites, infections, stress, medications, and changes in routine. While you can’t prevent every cause, there are several ways you can support your pet’s digestive health.

Ensuring your pet is up to date on vaccines and parasite prevention can help protect them from certain parasites and infections, including distemper, kennel cough, and parvo in dogs.

Make sure your pet eats a complete and balanced diet appropriate for their age, lifestyle, and medical needs. Sudden diet changes, table scraps, or too many treats can temporarily upset your pet’s digestive system and lead to stool changes. Learn more about human foods cats and dogs can eat and foods to avoid.

Your family veterinarian can recommend the best nutrition plan for your pet based on their breed, age, lifestyle, and overall health.

Keeping your pet well hydrated is also important. Proper hydration supports healthy digestion and normal stool consistency. If your pet isn’t drinking enough water, dehydration can contribute to constipation and other health concerns. Likewise, changes in your pet’s drinking habits may be associated with an underlying medical condition and should be discussed with your veterinarian.

In addition to diet, maintaining a consistent routine whenever possible helps support normal digestive function. When traveling with pets or staying in a boarding facility, temporary stool changes can occur because of changes in diet, environment, or stress. These changes should resolve once your pet returns to their normal routine.

When Should You Contact Your Veterinarian?

If your pet’s poop changes suddenly, doesn’t return to normal, or is accompanied by other signs of illness, contact your family veterinarian. Vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, lethargy, or straining to defecate may all indicate a condition that requires medical attention.

You should also contact your family veterinarian if your pet’s poop contains foreign material, such as plastic, fabric, string, or other objects. Pets that swallow foreign objects are at risk for intestinal obstruction, which may require surgery.

If your pet is having difficulty passing stool, cannot pass stool at all, or repeatedly strains without producing stool, seek veterinary care immediately. An intestinal obstruction is a medical emergency. If your family veterinarian isn’t available, visit the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.

How Do You Collect a Stool Sample?

Your veterinarian may recommend a stool sample for testing, such as a fecal examination to check for parasites or other abnormalities. Bringing a fresh stool sample to your appointment can help your veterinarian reach a diagnosis more quickly.

To collect a stool sample:

• Collect a small, fresh sample in a clean container or zip-top bag. Wear disposable gloves to keep yourself and the sample clean.

• Label the container with your pet’s name and the date and time the sample was collected.

• If you can’t bring the sample to your veterinarian right away, refrigerate it and deliver it as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours.

Keeping Your Pet Healthy

While examining your pet’s poop may not be anyone’s favorite task, it’s one of the easiest ways to monitor your pet’s health at home. Recognizing changes in your pet’s stool can help identify digestive problems and other medical conditions before they become more serious.

If you’re ever concerned about changes in your pet’s poop or overall health, contact your family veterinarian. If emergency care is needed, MedVet’s expert caregivers are available 24/7 to provide advanced care and partner with your family veterinarian to develop the best treatment plan for your pet.

Learn more ways to keep your pets healthy and safe.

About MedVet

MedVet is a nationwide network of emergency and specialty hospitals founded, owned, and led by veterinarians. Our teams provide 24/7 emergency care alongside a wide range of specialty services, with board-certified specialists collaborating across disciplines to deliver advanced, compassionate care for pets and the people who love them.

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