We are always attentive to the health of our dog and that is why when we notice changes in the consistency of its feces we ask ourselves if it is possible that it is sick, has parasites or if it is something temporary.
Surely on more than one occasion you have wondered if it is normal for a dog to poop softly, so let’s see what the main causes are and whether or not we should worry.
Index of contents
- 1 Is it wrong for a dog to poop softly?
- 2 Reasons why a dog makes soft poops
- 2.1 A change in diet
- 2.2 Intestinal parasites
- 2.3 Stress
- 2.4 Eat crap
- 2.5 Acquired diseases
- 3 Should I be concerned if my dog has soft poop?
- 4 My dog just poops soft in the end
- 5 My dog only does soft poop sometimes
- 6 How should a dog poop be?
Is it wrong for a dog to poop softly?
Not at all, a dog’s feces should actually have a softer than tough texture. However, most dog food manufacturers add astringent ingredients to their products. Which make the dog’s feces hard.
Why do they do this? Why There is a false urban legend that makes us think that if our dog makes his bowel movements hard, it is because the feeding feels good to him.. But if you make them soft, the diet does not suit you. This is totally untrue.
If our dog has diarrhea, obviously something is wrong. But doing soft poop is not at all a warning sign that indicates problems in your diet. On the contrary, too hard stools can pose problems for your health.
Reasons why a dog makes soft poops
Remember that it is normal for your dog’s poops to be soft, but if they have always been hard due to a diet with astringent ingredients, these are the reasons that can cause a change in the consistency of their feces.
A change in diet
Changing a dog’s diet is something normal and even healthy, since this gives us the option to try new flavors and avoid getting bored of always eating the same thing. But a sudden change in diet can make your stool softer than usual.
We must change the feeding progressively, adding little by little the new feed, mixing it with the previous one. Every day we will add a little more of the new, so that it is part of their diet progressively. In this way, we will avoid gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea or loose stools.
Not all dog food should sit well with your dog. If, despite having made a progressive change, your dog is sick to the guts, you should return to its previous diet or find a new alternative.
Intestinal parasites
Did you know that a dog needs to be internally dewormed at least once every three months? Many people forget that dogs are animals that spend the day sniffing things off the ground and even eating them.
Dogs are animals very prone to suffer different types of intestinal parasites and that is why we must keep them properly dewormed. The presence of parasites in your intestine can make your stool softer than usual.
Stress
Stress is a key factor in the health of our dog and as a symptom, soft feces can be seen. Have you never traveled by car with a dog that doesn’t like the car? the stress he suffers is such that when he stops and is let out the first thing he does is defecate.
Stress can cause intestinal problems that lead to the appearance of soft poop. Therefore, if we suspect that our dog may be suffering from stress, we must act to solve it.
- Symptoms of being in dogs and how to fix it
Eat crap
Dogs are dogs, and by this we mean that if they find a piece of sandwich on the street, they will eat it. Their animal instincts make them not rational when it comes to eating. They do not stop to think if it will feel bad or not, they just eat.
Eating grass that has been treated with pesticides may be causing your stools to be softer, eat expired or spoiled products too. Even eating non-digestible things can cause irritation to your intestine.
Acquired diseases
There are certain diseases that directly affect the digestive system of dogs, these diseases are often confused with simple digestive problems or poor nutrition … when in reality it is something completely different.
Some of the common diseases in dogs that can cause loose stools or even diarrhea are:
- Pancreatitis
- Addison’s syndrome
- Malabsorption syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Parvovirus
- Gallstones
- Distemper
- Renal insufficiency
In reality there are many more, but these are the most frequent. Before you freak out and think that your dog may have one of them, look at the other symptoms they have since loose stools is only one of them.
Should I be concerned if my dog has soft poop?
If the stool is soft but shaped, you shouldn’t worry because that is actually the normal consistency. If your stools are soft and have no shape, that is, they are rather liquid, you should go to the vet to be examined and rule out possible serious pathologies.
My dog just poops soft in the end
It is entirely normal for the last part of a dog’s feces to be softer and even inconsistent. This is because it is the last thing that has entered your intestine and not all of its moisture has been absorbed. It is not a cause for concern.
My dog only does soft poop sometimes
At general levels, this is because they eat things outside their normal diet that can be more or less good for them. It is not a reason to worry but to be attentive and see that they do not get worse.
How should a dog poop be?
The poop of a healthy dog should be soft and shaped. Hard stool means that you are abusing astringent ingredients and very soft, shapeless stool, indicate that there are digestive problems.
You can lear
n more about all the information we can get from a dog’s feces from:
- Types of dog feces, normal color and texture
And now that you know that soft stools do not always pose a digestive or health problem, better monitor your pet’s diet. Especially if your stool is very hard, since that is not healthy either.