Dog poop is typically brown. However, due to some conditions, their poop might look different. It could have spots, moving things, or a complete color change.
So, what should one do when they find strange white specks in their doggo’s poop? Don’t worry because I’ll be guiding you on why it happens and how to cure it.
Before we discuss the white specks let me assure you in most scenarios white specks aren’t a big deal. It’s because there are various reasons due to which white specks could appear in your dog’s poop.
In short, it’s crucial to identify whether it’s something to be alarmed about or not. It may not sound pleasing but checking your dog’s poop is quite important.
Observe Your Dog’s Poop First!
A quick look at your dog’s poop can tell you a lot about their health. Besides checking for signs of worms or other parasites, you should always be on the lookout for flecks of white in the stool.
Furthermore, white specks in dog poop can be caused by many different factors. If these specks are coming from the dog’s food, then this is likely not causing concern (unless it is accompanied by other symptoms).
However, if they are coming from the dog’s body – like their skin or stomach – then this may be more serious and signify some sort of infection.
Although many people might believe that the white specks in the dog poop are moving, they are just an illusion.
- It is important to remember that if the stool is hard or dry, you will not be able to tell what color, shape, or size it is. This means that you cannot see anything without first wetting it down with water.
- If you do not want to use your fingers to wet the stool down, then another option would be using a wet Q-tip or paper towel. Once it’s wet, then you can tell what color it is and look for any wiggly white specks that might be there. It sounds disgusting but it’s essential to get a proper look at the dots.
- Sometimes when people see these wiggly white specks in their dog’s stool they think they are worms but it also could be larvae eggs that aren’t harmful.
Overall, it’s not always easy to figure out what they are. Regardless if it grosses you too much, just try to look longer to check if the specks are moving or not.
What are white specks in my dog’s poop?
White specks are small white dots in dog feces. These can be moving or stationary. You’ll easily be able to identify with a closer look.
White specks are a normal occurrence. If your dog’s stool is otherwise normal, the white specks could mean that there is a harmless object in the digestive tract or they may be an accumulation of calcium from bones, hair, or other materials.
As long as your dog isn’t showing any signs of discomfort, there’s no need to worry about white specks. If you’re still worried, contact your veterinarian for more information.
However, white specks may be a signal as to what’s happening inside your pet dog’s body hence neglecting is something you should avoid.
1. Undigested food/bones traces
One of the most common reasons why white dots could be present in your dog’s poop is undigested food. It may be traces of bones or even rice. It’s not a worrisome matter to panic but you should check their diet again.
Regardless, tiny bones are often found in most dog food brands, even high-quality ones! It’s certainly surprising although it’s not harmful.
Nevertheless, if you want to avoid those specks appearing again then it’s best to switch their diet. You could consult a veterinarian with your concerns and prepare a nutritional diet plan for your pooch.
2. Rice
White specks in dog poop are not always caused by medications or other health problems.
Dogs’ digestive systems are different from humans and thus when they eat rice or grains, it gets removed by their bodies and shows up as specks in their stool. So, just try to keep these away from your pooch’s diet.
Moreover, if your pup is having difficulty with digestion, then the white specks in his poop can be caused by dietary changes or your pooch could also have an internal parasite that is causing the problem.
3. Worms
Another major reason why white dots are seen in your dog’s stool is worms. Tapeworms, Hookworms, and Roundworms are parasites that infect the digestive system.
If you observe white moving dots, they are their eggs. Similarly, if your dog is suffering from a parasitic infection other symptoms are as follows;
a. Roundworms: It can cause many health problems in animals that include the following:
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Anemia
Diarrhea or irregular bowel movements
Vomiting
Weight loss and poor condition
Roundworms are intestinal parasites that attach themselves to the lining of your dog’s intestinal tract.
b. Tapeworms: Tapeworms lay eggs inside the innards of the intestine like roundworms. Its key signs are:
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Presence of specks shaped as seeds near their private region
Weight loss
Little white or yellow specks in their poop
Your dog feels itchy and rubs its butt on the ground
Dogs may have feel irritation while pooping
Discomfort in private regions
Generally, tapeworms are quite common infections for dogs and cats. Even so, it might be difficult to spot their microscopic eggs in your doggo’s stool early. It may also look like strings in the feces. Tapeworms are typically transmitted by fleas and thus keeping them away can be a good prevention technique.
c. Hookworms: These parasites are also tough to identify due to their size but white specks can be an indication. Hookworms tend to feed upon the dog’s blood and are transmitted orally. Likewise, other signals of hookworm infection are:
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Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Anemia
Pale gums
Dry or dull coat color
Diarrhea with blood
Stunt in growth
In short, Hookworms can become severe since it causes heavy blood loss and can easily get contracted from exposed areas like skin. Therefore, you also can come in contact with this parasite as it can spread from dogs to humans.
Although humans usually do not exceed beyond the normal stage of a Hookworm infection. So, make sure to properly groom your pooch after they come home from outdoors to keep infections at bay.
4. Fly larvae
Apart from this, if the dog poop has been there for some time, probably some fly larvae may have settled on it. Their occurrence does not link to your doggo’s health but it’s not cool. This is because feces is a common way that infections are spread.
So, to avoid it, scoop your pooch’s stool immediately. Simply put, it’s not a concerning issue when you notice just larvae on the stool. Thankfully you can gladly pass this one without a blink!
5. Undigested medications
We often feed our dogs with capsules or medicines due to various reasons. Even so, sometimes its high calcium quantity or other chemicals may cause an imbalance in your dog’s digestive system.
Another quick way to confirm it is that you never saw these specks in their stool before they had the medicines. It’s not problematic if your pooch is passing pills in their stools.
6. Swallowed object
As a pet dog owner, it’s very common that you see many breeds have a chewing habit. Dogs can chew up furniture, objects and may also accidentally swallow them.
Thus, if your pooch unintentionally ingested a white object or cloth it’s going to appear as tiny stains.
To prevent this from happening, you can shift your dog’s attention to chewing toys that they can happily nibble on.
When should I consult a veterinarian?
Now coming to the real question, when should you report this incident to the vet. In the case of a parasitic infection, it’s best to send your doggo for examination. You must take it seriously but there’s no need to be anxious about it.
Simply put, make sure your pooch is being treated and the hygiene is well maintained around the house. In contrast, if your dog doesn’t have worms then I have mentioned some remedies to solve white specks.
Conclusion
To wrap up, it’s essential that you briefly observe your dog’s poop to know what it is. As gross as it may sound, it will be pretty helpful for you to check your dog’s health.
Regardless, anything suspicious in a dog’s poop can be an early sign of an illness, disorder, or imbalance of the digestive system.
Hence, ignoring those spots or stains can become troublesome in the future. Although most problems can be solved so you necessarily don’t need to panic but rather look for a proper reason or get it examined by a veterinarian.
Do consider sharing your experience of white specks in dog poop with our readers.
Dr. Aram Baker has been with Santa Clarita Animal Hospital since 1995 and his special interests include behaviour medicine and dermatology. He graduated from the Cleveland Humanities Magnet Program in Reseda, CA and attended California State University at Northridge where he received a Bachelor’s degree in biology. He went on to pursue his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis. He also spent time in the zoological medicine department at U.C. Davis during his Junior and Senior years. He is dedicated to caring for all pets big or small, young or old with compassion, patience, kindness, and love.