Cats and dogs are really good at hiding things from us and because of this it can be a challenge to know when our pets are not feeling well. One good way to help us determine if our four legged friends are fit is by scooping the poop and looking at it while we do. It may be a nasty thing to discuss but knowing what your pet’s poop normally looks like is an important way to catch illnesses early.
Dog and cat poop should be well formed, firm but not hard and brown to dark brown in color. Dogs should poop 2-3 times per day and cats at least once per day. The poop should be easy to pick up either in a bag or with a litter scoop. The smell, although usually not pleasant, does not really tell us much. Noticing a change in the color (brown to black or red), consistency (solid to mushy) and frequency (2-3 times per day changing to 6-7 times per day) all indicate problems.
Sometimes there are ‘things’ in the poop. Moving worms, grass, fur, bird seed to name a few. Some of these things are normal (fur, grass) but others indicate disease (worms) or that your pet has been eating non-food items (bird seed, string, bones). Once again examining poop as it is being disposed of allows some idea to your pet’s’ health.
Picking up poo is not a pleasant thing at the best of times but, remembering you are monitoring your pet’s health while cleaning up may make the task a little less poopy.
