White dog poop – is it harmless or should it cause alarm? Regularly keeping tabs on your dog’s feces – as weird as that sounds, is a great way to get a read on your dog’s health. Different colors, textures, and smells can all mean different things. So keep paying attention.

If you randomly see white dog poop once, and then never again, you may not have much to worry about. But you’ll still want to keep an eye out while you’re poop scooping, because sometimes it can be a sign of a larger health issue. So in any case, it’s best to call your veterinarian.

Why Is My Dog Passing White Stool?

If you’ve recently spotted white dog poop, chances are that it came out of a dog’s body at least a few hours earlier. Sometimes poop will lighten and turn to white when it dries out in the sun. If you spot a new white poop, calcium is a likely culprit.¹

1. Calcium in the Diet

The most common cause of white dog poop is a high level of calcium in the diet. If you’re feeding your dog a raw food diet that contains calcium-rich bones, this may be the cause of the chalky white stool color. Minerals from undigested food can also cause the white color.²

Raw food diets are great for bone, joint, and coat health. As long as your dog is on a balanced raw food diet, changes in color are nothing to worry about.³If your dog is getting too much calcium, however, this may be an issue.⁴

How Much Calcium Is Too Much Calcium?

Too much calcium in a dog’s diet may lead to constipation. Beyond white dog poop, here are some symptoms to watch out for:

• Infrequent defecation
• Straining while pooping
• Hard, dry stools that feel like pebbles when you pick them up⁵

If you believe that your dog is suffering from constipation, call your vet. If left untreated, fecal matter can back up in the intestines or GI tract and cause problems.⁶

What Should You Do About This?

If you believe your pup may be suffering from constipation, take a look at your dog’s diet. If your dog is on a raw food diet that you are preparing yourself, you may be including too many calcium-rich bones.

Consider switching to high quality, freeze-dried raw diet that has a balance of vitamins and minerals.

Always make sure your dog is getting plenty of water and exercise.⁷ If this is an ongoing issue, call your veterinarian.

2. They Ate Something They Shouldn’t Have

Another potential explanation for a white dog stool is that Fido simply ate something he shouldn’t have. If your pup has a penchant for garbage, their white poop may be caused by paper towels, toilet paper, or tissues.

What Should You Do About This?

If you suspect this could be the cause, do your best to keep your dog away from the trash. If this is an ongoing problem, you may want to consult a positive reinforcement trainer. Garbage eating can be a dangerous hobby. If you’re not sure WHAT trash your pup ate, it might be worth calling the vet.

3. There May Be Worms in The Stool

If the stool you’ve spotted looks like it has white specks, you may be looking at worms or intestinal parasites. This can be caused by a dog eating other dogs’ poop or coming into contact with infected food or water. Worms, such as tapeworms, will look like short white segments in the stool. When dry, they will look like small white specks.⁸

What Should You Do About This?

If you think you see worms or parasites in dog waste, call your veterinarian immediately. They will examine your pet, potentially request a stool sample, and suggest treatment options.

What Are The Indicators of Healthy Dog Poop?

Now that you’re committed to regularly checking out your pup’s stool and bowel movements, it’s helpful to review what healthy poop looks like. Here’s what to look for in normal dog poop:

Color:

While the exact shade of dog poop color will vary according to your dog’s diet, in general, healthy dog poop should be medium brown. Bile in the gastrointestinal tract is what gives your dog’s stool this brown color.⁹

Image courtesy of the American Kennel Club

Anything that varies drastically from this, such as black dog poop, grey dog poop, yellow dog poop, or white dog poo may be a sign of a bile-related or another health issue. Call your veterinarian. They may examine your pup for intestinal tract issues, bile issues, or other health issues.¹⁰

Coating:

If your dog’s poop has a coating of any sort, such as mucus, fatty substances, or blood, call your vet. This could be a sign of a health issue, like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.¹¹

Consistency:

The feel of fresh dog poop should be soft and slightly pliable. Watery stool, loose stool, or poop that is hard-as-a-rock may be a sign of a health issue in the small intestine or digestive tract. Call your veterinarian.¹²

Content:

Healthy dog poop should be free of foreign objects, roundworms, or parasites. If you notice anything unusual, call your vet.

How Can Dog Food Help in Maintaining Regular Bowel Movements?

Your dog’s diet plays a huge role in their digestive health. If you’ve noticed something like white dog poop, yellow poop, or black poop – or you just want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to promote good health, take a close look at the diet you’re feeding Fido.

Poor quality dog foods can contain contaminants and fillers that can cause:

• Obesity
• Diarrhea
• Digestive issues¹³

By contrast, high-quality dog food can give benefits to the digestive system and beyond.

The Benefits of a High Quality, Raw Dog Food

Many experts extoll the benefits of feeding your pup a raw, all-natural diet.¹⁴ Freeze-dried raw foods combine the convenience of kibble with the benefits you get from a raw food diet.

High-quality, balanced dog food may help:

• Make poops smaller and more regular
• Strengthen your dog’s immunity
• Promote skin and coat health
• Ensure your dog builds and maintains strong muscles and bones¹⁵

What Should You Look For In A Dog Food?

Quality, whole ingredients. When you pick your dog’s food, look for one that contains whole foods like salmon, spinach, and pumpkin.

A whole protein as the first ingredient. Your dog should get most of their calories from a real, whole protein. This will not be hard if you opt to feed your dog a healthy raw food diet. Don’t forget to look at the other ingredients too.¹⁶

Better Food For Better Poops

How concerned should you be about white dog poop? It depends. If you’re feeding your dog a raw food diet that you’re creating yourself, you may be going too heavy on the bones. This is mostly an issue if your pup is also showing signs of constipation. Opt for a more balanced diet. Freeze-dried raw diets may be a good option for you.

If you suspect your pup has a worm or parasite, call your vet right away. If your pup is likely going through the trash, well, you know what to do about that.

Learn More:
How Long Does It Take To Potty Train A Puppy?


Sources
1. https://dogs.lovetoknow.com/dog-health/what-causes-white-dog-poo
2. http://blog.21stessentialpet.com/2018/06/what-does-white-dog-poop-mean/
3. https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/raw-dog-food-dietary-concerns-benefits-and-risks#2
4. https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/blog/white-bits-in-dog-poop/
5. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-constipation/
6. https://wagwalking.com/condition/obstipation-and-megacolon
7. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/constipation-in-dogs
8. https://www.banfield.com/pet-healthcare/additional-resources/article-library/parasites/internal-parasites/dog-puppy-worms
9. https://www.caninejournal.com/dog-poop-color/
10. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/doggie-diarrhea/
11. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/exocrine-pancreatic-insufficiency-in-dogs
12. https://www.foundanimals.org/what-should-dog-poop-look-like/
13. https://www.petmd.com/dog/centers/nutrition/dog-diarrhea-and-other-diseases-impacted-by-nutrition
14. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180823171030.htm
15. https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_dg_the_benefits_of_proper_nutrition
16. https://www.petnet.io/blogs/food/using-the-1st-ingredient-as-the-only-judge-of-a-pet-food