The Poop-o-Meter chart
It's modeled on the 1 to 7 scale most clinics use, so if your vet asks "what number was it?", you'll be speaking the same language.
- 1Hard, dry pellets. He strains to pass them.WATCH
- 2Firm, in segments, easy to pick up. Leaves little or nothing behind.FINE
- 3Soft but still holds its shape. Leaves a little behind.FINE
- 4Very soft, starting to lose its shape.WATCH
- 5Mushy piles. Can't really be picked up cleanly.WATCH
- 6Has texture but no shape. Puddles with lumps.CALL
- 7Watery. Pure liquid.CALL
The number tells you about the poop. The puppy tells you how worried to be. A 5 from a puppy who's racing around the yard is a watch. A 5 from a puppy who's lying in the corner and skipped breakfast is a call.
Colors and extras
Most healthy puppy poop is some shade of brown. Food dyes, grass and crayons can change the color, and that's usually harmless. Two aren't: black and tarry, like wet tar, can mean bleeding higher up in the gut, and lots of red means a lot of fresh blood. Both are go now.
A little mucus or a small streak of blood in a bright, playful puppy is a call today, not an emergency. So are worms you can see. Seeing worms for a day or two right after a dewormer is normal, though. It means the medicine is working.
What not to do at home
- No human stomach or anti-diarrhea medicines unless your vet tells you to.
- Never skip meals on a toy-breed or very young puppy to rest his stomach. Tiny puppies don't have the reserves.
- Don't switch foods to fix it. A new food on top of an upset gut usually means more diarrhea, not less.
- Don't treat it yourself instead of calling. Your vet may suggest something, and that's their call to make.
Going in? Bring the evidence
A fresh sample from today, a photo of the whole thing where it landed, and a quick timeline: when it started, how many times, any vomiting, and anything he might have gotten into. If he's vomiting too, a short video helps your vet tell vomiting from regurgitation.
Questions I get every day
What does normal puppy poop look like?
Firm, in segments, easy to pick up, and some shade of brown. That's a 2 on the Poop-o-Meter, and it's the goal. A 3, soft but still holding its shape, is fine too and very common after a day with lots of treats.
Why is my puppy's poop soft?
Most of the time it's a food change made too fast, too many treats and extras, the stress of a new home, or worms, which many puppies come home with. Less often it's something he ate or an infection like parvo. How he's acting matters more than the poop itself.
When is puppy diarrhea an emergency?
When it comes with a tired, flat or weak puppy, especially one who isn't done with his shots. Black, tarry poop or a lot of blood is go now too. Diarrhea for more than a day in a bright, eating puppy is a call today, and the same day if he's under 16 weeks, a toy breed or not done with his shots.
Why is my puppy's poop green?
Usually grass. Puppies eat a lot of it, and food dyes and crayons can change the color too. If it's green and he's acting normal, it's usually nothing. If he's also vomiting or not eating, call your vet.
Can I give my puppy something from the medicine cabinet for diarrhea?
Not unless your vet tells you to. Some human stomach and anti-diarrhea medicines have ingredients that aren't safe for dogs, and a grown person's dose isn't a puppy dose. Don't skip meals on a toy or very young puppy to rest his stomach, and don't switch foods to fix it. Call instead.
How do I bring a poop sample to the vet?
Pick up a fresh one from today in a clean bag or the container your vet's office gives you. You don't need much. Take a photo of the whole thing where it landed, and jot down when it started, how many times, and anything he might have gotten into.
Worried it's more than poop?
If he's tired, vomiting or just not himself, run the Three Doors check. If you're not sure which door you're at, call your vet.
General education, not veterinary advice. Your vet's plan for your puppy comes first.