My dog's poop is dark brown on a low-carb diet. Is it normal?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Feces should be a dark brown color, this is completely normal. It should be firm but not too dry. I would continue to monitor Luna's stools for any changes. If you see a pattern that is abnormal (red blood, dark black stool can be a sign of bleeding high in the intestinal tract, gelatinous stools mean the colon may be inflammed or whipworms are present, very light color stools, very loose stools, very dry stools) then you should contact your veterinarian and discuss what is going on. Good luck with Luna.

No, I do not think you have to take her to a vet. A dog's poop changes color depending on the type of food it eats. Brown is good! Your dog's food may have had a different color added and now it shows in the poop. However if your dog's poop turns into a clay or yellow color, with or without diarrhea, then you should take Luna to a vet for an exam as this could be a sign of a liver problem. But all different shades of brown are ok.

Hi there and thanks for posting! Sometimes stool can change due to a recent change in diet or eating something out of the ordinary or unusual. Other causes can be certain infections such as viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections. Endocrine diseases such as Addison's disease or organ disease of the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas can also cause the color of stool to change. If the color changes continue, you may consider taking Luna in to be seen be her veterinarian to just sure there are no underlying conditions causing the changes.

The signs seems settling so I would not be extremely concerned at this stage. As a first approach, I would suggest to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lola. The coloring of her feces does not appear to be blood. If she is acting normal, I would monitor her next bowel movement closely. If diarrhea develops or the stool begins to contain mucus or obvious traces of blood (blood in the stool is frequently more liquidy), then she should see her veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

As long as she is defecating regularly and not straining the firm stool may not be a concern. It is a little unusual for a/d to be recommended as a maintenance diet - you may want to check with your vet and see if there is another diet that would be recommended for Hopper given her constipation. This diet is very nutritionally dense, so it's possible that she's just not making much stool. If she has been straining, or you feel her stool looks black and tarry I would recommend making a recheck appointment with your veterinarian.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Personally the color doesn't bother me but the consistency does. That is diarrhea. It is too soft and not formed. I would go back to the Royal Canin food as it sounds like he digests that one better. Be sure though that he has had his stool tested for intestinal parasites and is up to date on his DHPP vaccines. Good luck!