The Scoop on Poop: A Complete Guide to the 4 C's

LAST UPDATED February 2024

This article is written by Pet Circle veterinarian, Dr Katelyn Bailey BVSc (Hons)

As the old saying goes, what goes in must come out- but did you know that what comes out can tell you a lot about your pet's digestion and overall health?

While it can be easy to tell when your pet's droppings are less than perfect, it can be trickier to figure out why they've suddenly changed.

Now you can start to unravel the mystery of your pet's poop with our comprehensive guide. While it doesn't replace a check up with your veterinarian, knowing some of the possible causes of poop variations- and when to see a vet- is a handy addition to any pet parent's knowledge base.

The 4 C's- Colour, Consistency, Coating and Contents- are great to have in mind when assessing your pet's poop. We'll run through what each of these are and their common variations, so that next time you pick up a poop you'll know exactly what to check for.

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The Perfect Poo

The 'perfect poo' is the one that will give you a sigh of relief when you approach the litter box, freshly gifted 'pile' or that corner of the yard. Not too smelly, well formed and maybe most importantly, easy to pick up! But what exactly makes the perfect poo?

The perfect poo is generally mid-brown in colour, but can range from light to dark brown. Factors such as diet, hydration, and individual differences between dogs can contribute to this colour variation. It passes easily and leaves no residue.

A healthy poo is formed, segmented, roughly sausage-shaped and holds together well when picked up. It has an 'even' appearance throughout with no abnormal contents. While the smell isn't overly pleasant, it should be only mild; stinky, malodorous stool isn't considered normal.

The 4 C's- Colour

The first of the 4 C's is Colour. Stool colour is often obvious at first glance, though the change can sometimes be subtle. While a change in colour does not always indicate an emergency, it does tell us that something is not quite right and warrants further investigation.

Green

Green poo can have several causes. If your pet has eaten grass, you will often see this pass out the other end, but grass eating can also cause a green discolouration of the stool itself. Other possibilities include a gallbladder issue or certain parasite infestations, such as giardiasis.

If your pet is otherwise well but the green stool continues for more than 1-2 days, check in with your vet.
If your pet is showing any other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite, get them checked sooner.
If possible, collect a fresh stool sample before your visit to help rule out parasites.
If your pet is consistently eating grass, take a look at our article on Why Dogs Eat Grass (this also applies to cats) and check in with your vet to rule out underlying medical causes.

Yellow or Orange

Yellow or orange poo could indicate a liver, pancreatic or gallbladder issue. One or two yellowish stools may occur from dietary indiscretion or ingesting something a little 'off', but if the issue persists for longer than two days, it may indicate a more severe underlying problem. For further information, see our article on Yellow Poop.

If your pet is otherwise well but the yellow or orange stool continues for more than 1-2 days, check in with your vet.
If your pet is showing any other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite, get them checked sooner.
If possible, collect a fresh faecal sample prior to your visit.

Red or Red-tinged

Red or red-tinged poo suggests that fresh blood is present in the stool. This can occur due to repeated straining, inflammation or damage to the lower gastrointestinal tract (eg. IBD, colitis, infection), anal gland issues, an anal fissure or wound, or even a blood clotting issue.

Any amount of blood in the stool is concerning, so this isn't something we'd recommend just monitoring at home. Make sure to contact your vet right away especially if there's more than just a small amount of blood present.

White

White poo most often occurs due to too much bone or calcium in the diet, but in some cases can be caused by underlying organ disease. Often, if due to a calcium excess, the stool will also be quite firm which can lead to constipation.

If your pet is otherwise well and the white stool continues for more than 1-2 days, check in with your vet.
If your pet is showing any other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite, get them checked sooner.
If this is a recurring issue and your pet is fed bones regularly, reduce the frequency that you give these.
Do not give your pet calcium-containing supplements unless directly advised by your veterinarian. Healthy dogs and cats on a complete and balanced diet will not need calcium supplementation, even if they are pregnant or lactating.

Pink or Purple

Pink or purple poo may indicate the potentially life-threatening condition of Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE). Often, but not always, HGE stool will also have a jam-like consistency.

Have your pet assessed by a veterinarian immediately even if they seem otherwise well. HGE can progress quickly and early treatment is vital. This is not something that we would recommend just monitoring at home.

Black or Dark red

Black or dark red poo, also known as melena, gets its colour from partially digested blood that usually originates higher up in the digestive tract i.e. the stomach or small intestines. This can occur due to ulceration, inflammation, a viral or bacterial infection, foreign body or cancer. A blood clotting issue is another possible cause.

Contact your vet right away even if your pet seems otherwise well. It's important to check for more serious potential causes as early as possible. This is not something that we would recommend monitoring at home.

Grey

Grey poo will often also be loose and/or greasy. The most common causes are maldigestion or a malabsorptive disease (for example, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency), a particularly fatty meal, or a liver issue.

If your pet is otherwise well and the grey stool continues for more than 1-2 days, check in with your vet.
If your pet is showing any other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite, get them checked sooner.

The 4 C's-Consistency

The Consistency of your pet's poo is another valuable indicator of their overall health. Stool that is too firm or too loose can indicate underlying digestive issues that need to be addressed.

Too Firm

Firm or hard stool increases your pet's risk of developing constipation. Constipation refers to the infrequent or difficult passage of faeces. It is common for pets suffering from constipation to strain and pass small hard and dry pellet-like faeces, which can be painful. There can be many underlying causes for this including:

Dehydration
Dietary factors such as feeding bones
Hairballs
Stress or anxiety
Megacolon
Lack of exercise
Foreign body or obstruction
Underlying medical conditions
Side effect from medication

If your pet's stool is too firm for more than 1-2 days, a vet check is recommended. Your pet should be checked sooner if they are unable to pass faeces at all, are demonstrating repeated straining or signs of pain, or are showing other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite.
If this is a recurring issue with your pet, make sure to increase their hydration by adding more wet food to their diet or using a water fountain (as many pets prefer running water). You may also want to discuss a diet change or other management methods with your vet.

For further information, see our articles on Constipation in Dogs and Constipation in Cats

Too Loose

Soft, sloppy, watery or loose poo, also known as diarrhoea, is one of the most common complaints pet owners have about their furry friends' droppings. As luck would have it, this seems to also be the type that gets freshly deposited onto new carpet! Often, increased frequency of toileting will also accompany this consistency change.

Like constipation, there can be many possible causes of diarrhoea, including:

Dietary change or indiscretion
Food intolerance or allergy
Intestinal parasites
Bacterial or viral infection
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Underlying organ disease

What to do:

For pets that are suffering from mild diarrhoea but are otherwise well, a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice, or a gastrointestinal diet recommended by your veterinarian, can help to settle things down. Dogs and cats can also respond well to probiotic supplements, which help to re-establish the good gut bacteria and aid in digestion.
If the diarrhoea is continuing for more than 1-2 days, OR if your pet is younger than 6 months old (i.e. a puppy or kitten), OR if they're showing other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or lack of appetite, see a vet as soon as you can.
If this is a recurring issue for your pet, make sure to check in with your vet about the possibility of trialling a diet change or other management methods.

For further information, see our articles on Causes of Diarrhoea in Dogs and Causes of Diarrhoea in Cats

The 4 C's-Coating

The third 'C' is Coating. This refers to what is covering, or coating, the outer surface of the poo. While this can sometimes occur as the only change, it's often accompanied by other stool variations, such as a change in colour or consistency.

Mucous

While a small amount of clear mucous coating can be normal, a thick, opaque, discoloured or excessive mucous coat is not. You may find that when picked up, these stools will leave behind slimy residue. A mucous coating may be due to anything causing large bowel inflammation, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, colitis, a dietary sensitivity or a parasitic or bacterial infection.

If your pet is otherwise well and the mucous continues for more than 1-2 days, check in with your vet.
If your pet is showing any other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite, get them checked sooner.
If possible, collect a fresh faecal sample prior to your visit so your vet can check for parasites or other faecal abnormalities.

Blood

Blood coating your pet's poo could be a result of something causing inflammation or trauma to the lower digestive tract, a clotting issue, bleeding from the anal glands or a rectal wound.

Any amount of blood in the stool is concerning, so this isn't something we'd recommend just keeping an eye on. Make sure to contact your vet right away especially if there's more than just a small amount of blood present.

Greasy

A greasy coating will often make stool difficult to pick up as well as leave behind residue. A fatty meal, malabsorptive or digestive condition, or a problem with the pancreas or gallbladder can all cause this type of coating.

If your pet is otherwise well and the greasy coating is present for more than 1-2 days, check in with your vet.
If your pet is showing any other signs such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite, get them checked sooner.

The 4 C's-Contents

The final 'C' refers to the Contents of the poo. Basically, 'contents' refers to anything that is unable to be broken down on its way through your pet's digestive tract. Abnormal contents are often quite easy to spot and tend to be dispersed unevenly throughout the stool.

Worms

Always an unpleasant finding in your pet's poo, worms can appear as long and thin strands or small rice-like pieces. Often, but not always, they will be accompanied by diarrhoea.

If there are a large number of worms in the stool, your pet is a puppy or kitten or if they are otherwise unwell, see your vet.
Provide your veterinarian with a fresh stool sample so the type of worms that are present can be identified.
Get your pet up to date immediately with a reputable intestinal wormer, making sure that the most common parasites- roundworm, hookworm, whipworm (dogs only) and tapeworm- are covered. We recommend Drontal or Paragard.
Ensure that all other pets in the household are also up to date with worming prevention.

Fur clumps

The occasional bit of fur in your pet's poo isn't concerning, however if you are noticing clumps or an overall increase in fur, this could indicate a problem. Overgrooming due to stress, allergies or itchy parasites may be the culprit. Alternatively, if your pet has ingested a rodent or other furred animal, you will likely see evidence of this passing through.

If the amount of fur in your pet's stool doesn't improve within a few days, see your vet.
A vet check is especially warranted if your pet is also itching, licking or nibbling at themselves more than usual, or you notice any skin lesions, thinning of the coat or hairless patches.
Ensure your pet is up to date with a reputable flea and mite prevention such as Bravecto or Advocate.
Consider whether stress could be a cause.
For chronic cases, a hairball control diet may be a good option to consider.

Foreign materials

While many pet parents will see the occasional piece of grass in their pet's poop, some pets develop a habit of ingesting potentially harmful materials such as plastic, cloth or rocks. If only a small piece is eaten, your pet may get lucky and have only a mild tummy upset, however larger pieces of indigestible materials pose a risk of gastrointestinal obstruction, also known as foreign body obstruction.

Indiscriminate eating, also known as Pica, can occur for a number of reasons including boredom, anxiety, compulsive disorders, nutritional deficiencies or anaemia.

If your pet is also vomiting, has lost their appetite, is lethargic or seems tense or uncomfortable, see a veterinarian ASAP. A foreign body obstruction is a serious health concern that can lead to death without appropriate treatment.
Keep inedible items out of your pet's reach. This may involve fencing off gravel sections of the yard or only letting them outside while supervised (eg. on a leash).
If your pet habitually eats things they shouldn't, a vet check is recommended to rule out any medical issues. Depending on your vet's findings, appropriate behavioural or medical management can then be discussed.

The Final Scoop

The kaleidoscope of poo variations can be confusing, but keeping the 4 C's in mind and monitoring for any changes can go a long way in ensuring any potential problems are picked up quickly- pun intended!

If you have more questions about your pet's poop, our Pet Circle Vets are available to connect with 7 days a week.

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The Scoop on Poop: A Complete Guide to the 4 C's

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The Perfect Poo