What Color Should Dog Poop Be?
There’s a reason that little poop emoji looks like it does. Good-looking poop is typically a nice chocolate brown, and comes out in a swirl. The brown comes from bile and food being broken down in your dog’s intestines. The bile is usually absorbed back as food continues to be digested, but some is leftover and in healthy poop, will change to that brown color. If your dog’s poop is not brown, there could be many reasons behind that, but generally speaking, healthy poop is a rich brown color.
So Why Is My Dog’s Poop White?
If you’ve found your dog’s poop to be white, there are a handful of reasons for that as well. They can range from them eating something they shouldn’t or that’s dyed, or medication or even medical conditions. Some reasons may be more common than others, though.
My Dog’s Poop May Be White Because of Its Diet.
Diets high in calcium will sometimes result in dogs having white poop. You might see this often in dogs who eat raw diets, or consume lots of bones or even if they take supplements with lots of calcium. If there’s more calcium than your dog’s body can absorb, it may make their fecal matter chalky and seemingly white. If that’s the case, you can adjust their diet to reduce calcium, but it’s also wise to check with your veterinarian to look into doing so safely.
Medicine (and Medical Conditions) May Make My Dog’s Poop White.
Some medicines may make the color of your dog’s poop appear white. Anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and even some herbal supplements may change the color of your dog’s poop. If you notice that your dog has white poop, note whether or not a new medicine or supplement has been added. You can talk to the vet to see if that’s what is causing the poop to be white, and together come up with a plan to ensure the best nutrition and absorption.
Additionally, certain medical conditions can bring about white poop in dogs. When a dog has exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), for example, they may not be able to absorb nutrients properly. This malabsorption also can mean they’re unable to process fats appropriately, which may make their poop look very pale or even like modeling clay. Kidney or liver conditions can cause white poop in dogs and certain types of cancer (and their treatments) may also do so.
Did Your Dog Get Into Something They Shouldn’t Have?
In other situations, a dog may have white poop because of something it ate. If your dog gets into the baby powder, you’ve got a good chance of seeing baby powder-colored poop. Some dogs do eat chalk, and that can make their poop look chalky white.
If your dog is eating things they shouldn’t, they may be dealing with pica, and you may also see other malabsorption issues.
If your dog has white poop that’s accompanied by other symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, lethargy or appetite loss, you’ll want to talk with your vet to ensure nothing more serious happens.
Environmental Factors Can Also Make Dog Poop Look White
Sometimes poop turns white for reasons that have nothing to do with digestion. When dog poop sits outside for a while, especially in direct sunlight, it naturally dries out. As it dehydrates, the surface can fade and look pale or chalky. Humidity, heat, and time all speed up this process. If you only notice white poop when you’ve missed a pick-up for a day or two, it may simply be the environment changing the appearance rather than anything going on inside your dog.
White Specks or Flecks Could Point to Parasites
Another thing to pay attention to is whether the poop is fully white or if it has little white specks. Small, rice-like pieces can be a sign of tapeworm segments. Other internal parasites can show up as tiny white dots or strings. These usually won’t make the entire stool white, but they’re easy to miss if you’re not looking closely. If you see flecks, crawling pieces, or anything unusual mixed in, call your veterinarian. Parasite treatment is straightforward, but catching it early helps protect your dog’s digestion, nutrition, and comfort.
More About Raw Diets and How They Affect Stool
Raw diets can change a lot more than just stool color. Because raw-fed dogs often eat more bone content, their poop can become smaller, firmer, and sometimes crumbly. Many pet parents also notice that raw-fed poop has less odor. On the other hand, if the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is off or your dog is getting too much bone, the stool may become too hard or too pale. Balance is important. If you’re feeding a raw diet and notice chalky or consistently white poop, it may be worth adjusting the bone content or working with a nutritionist to ensure everything is properly balanced.
How Does Good Dog Gut Health Help White Dog Poop?
To be honest, there’s not much that good dog gut health doesn’t help. But in the case of a dog having white poop, good gut health can sustain healthy digestion in dogs and promote optimal nutrient absorption. This may prevent the conditions that can be the cause of white dog poop.
The easiest way to help your dog’s gut be as healthy as it can be is to supplement with Bernie’s Perfect Poop. Perfect Poop is rich in premium fiber, promoting healthy gut bacteria growth. It’s also a great way to ensure your dog isn’t constipated. This is important to prevent white dog poop because dogs who go to the bathroom regularly expel toxins that may build up and cause issues with color and consistency of poop.
Perfect Poop also has pre- and probiotics designed to withstand your dog’s harsh stomach acids and ensure a healthy, flourishing microbiome. When your dog’s microbiome is strong, they’ll absorb more nutrients from the food you feed and that can prevent malabsorption that may make poop colorless or white. Digestive enzymes also help maximize nutrient absorption by breaking the food you feed down into small particles. When food is broken down, it’s easier for your dog’s body to absorb it and use it for fuel and nutrition and there’s less likely a chance of them having white dog poop.
Because Perfect Poop is committed to good dog gut health, we want to make sure your dog enjoys it. We formulated two delicious recipes and made it easy as can be to add the flakes to every meal. Dogs gobble it up, and then it begins to work its magic inside their gut.
And the proof is in the perfectly colored, perfect consistency poop that is even easier to scoop!
