Cleaning up after your dog has gone to the toilet is not a highlight in the lives of dog owners.
But, sometimes, you might be scooping up your dog’s poop and notice some tiny white specks.
You might be wondering what exactly these white specks are and why they are in your dog’s poop.
Well, all the pet parents out there should keep reading to find out!
Related: Why is My Dog’s Poop Orange? Are They Sick?
How to Identify the Tiny White Specks?
Inspect the Stool
If you notice that your dog’s poop has tiny white specks, this is not something that should cause you to panic.
However, if you do see white spots, you need to take a closer look at your dog’s poop to figure out what is going on. Not the most pleasant task, but very necessary.
The first thing you should look for is if the tiny white dots move. Look closely, just for a few seconds, and you should be able to tell if there is any movement.
If the tiny white speck is staying still, this should mean there is no need to worry.
However, if they are moving, then this might indicate that your dog has some type of infection.
Related: Best Low Fiber Dog Food for Less Poop
White Specks Not Moving
If the white dots are not moving, then it is likely that they are just bits of undigested food. For example, it could just be some undigested rice.
Furthermore, if dogs are put on raw diets, it can also lead to white poop.
This is because these diets often contain a lot of calcium, and too much calcium can lead to white poop and other issues such as constipation.
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So, stationery white specks in dog poop are usually due to a dog’s diet and are most likely to be food remnants.
This is easy to treat. All you need to do is check the dog food you buy carefully. Dog food should contain more meat than bone, as bones can irritate a dog’s digestive tract and lead to bacterial infections.
Related: How to Wash Your Dog’s Mouth After They Eat Poop
White Specks Moving
If you inspect your dog’s poop and notice the white dots are moving, this doesn’t immediately mean your dog has an infection.
If you’ve left poop lying around your yard, then the white specks might just be maggot eggs, fly eggs, or fly larvae.
However, there is the chance that moving white specks in dog poop are intestinal worms or a sign of other infections.
This scenario is more of a concern, and your furry friend is likely to need treatment, as intestinal parasites can cause severe issues to your dog’s health.
Types of Worms Found in Dog’s Stool
There are 5 different types of worms that your dog might be infected with, and which could be the reason for the white specks in dog poop.
Each of these types of worms takes residence in the intestines of dogs and can sometimes even lay eggs.
Related: What To Do When Your Dog Eats Another Dog’s Poop and How to Stop It
Tapeworm
One type of worm that dogs can be infected with is a tapeworm.
Tapeworms eat the dog’s intestines, and after some time, their eggs may line your dog’s intestinal wall.
Signs of tapeworm infestation include spots that look like white seeds on your dog’s behind, and you may notice your dog starting to lick its private area more often than usual.
They may also frequently scoot their butt along the floor.
Tapeworm infection usually happens when dogs eat fleas[1].
Roundworm
Roundworms look a little like string, and when they infect the dogs, you may notice them vomiting or having irregular bowel movements.
Roundworm infection usually occurs when your dog eats the poop of other animals[2]. However, it can also happen when it eats infected soil.
Hookworm
Dogs can get infected with hookworms in a similar way roundworms infect them.
However, hookworms can get in through your dog’s skin, too, so you need to prevent your dog from rolling around or lying in the poop of other dogs.
Hookworms can be more harmful to your dog because they feed off its blood. Not a very nice thing to think about.
Other Types of Worms
Not all worms are visible to the naked human eye, and there are two more types of parasite infections that you should look out for as they may not show up in your dog’s poop.
These are identified by doing a blood test.
Whipworm
Signs of whipworm infection include vomiting and abnormal weight loss. Excessive gas could be another symptom of infection.
Heartworm
This is perhaps the most concerning infection-causing worm, as it can cause issues in a dog’s lungs and heart.
Sometimes, although not always, a cough may be a symptom of heartworm infection.
Treatment
If left untreated, the worms can start laying eggs in the dog’s intestines.
There is also a risk, although low, that parasites in dogs might negatively affect humans.
So, dog lovers out there might be wondering exactly what they need to do to help their canine pals if they appear to have a parasitic infection.
Firstly, if you notice your dog’s poop is white, and you think it may have a worm infection, you should take a stool sample to the vet so they can identify what type of worm it is.
This will help the vet to determine the correct treatment needed for your dog.
Some treatments will be more expensive than others, and they all don’t guarantee to cure your dog completely.
If your dog gets an infection in its intestines, it will most likely require a deworming treatment, which is either administered orally or through injection.
Puppies have worming treatment at two-week intervals up until they are three months old. Therefore, they are more likely to get a worm infection than older dogs, as they are not fully protected for those first few months.
Therefore if you have a puppy and notice any white specks in your dog’s poop, the safest option is to go straight to the vet.
Prevention
The good idea is to practice prevention so your dog doesn’t have to experience any type of parasite infection.
Ensuring your dog is up-to-date with its worming treatments, and watching it when it is roaming outside, so they don’t roll in animal poop or eat any animals or insects such as an infected flea, is an excellent way to help prevent infection.
Overall, it’s a good idea to check your dog’s feces regularly, so you will quickly notice if there are any white spots or other abnormalities so you can get it checked and dealt with as soon as possible.
