My German Shepherd has soft, light-colored poop. What's wrong?

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!

Chronic diarrhea can be a frustrating issue! In a young German Shepherd, my main concerns for Charlie are that he may have intestinal parasites, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or inflammatory bowel disease. If he has not recently had a stool sample checked for parasites, this is a good starting point. If no parasites are seen, consider discussing blood work (CBC, chemistry, B12, TLI, folate) and an abdominal ultrasound to try to get to the bottom of this situation. Probiotics (Fortiflora and Proviable are two brands) may be beneficial. I hope that all goes well!

This sounds more like a gastrointestinal problem to me. I recommend switching to a bland diet like Hills prescription i/d or sensitive stomach. Check a fecal also for parasites. GSD also get pancreatic insufficiency that can have similar symptoms and that is treated with an enzyme supplement. I recommend a second opinion with another veterinarian before consulting a neurosurgeon. In the meantime if you apply a thin film of Vaseline to the fur around the rectum and down the legs the diarrhea won’t stick to the fur and she will stay cleaner. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kelly.

Hello. I am sorry Zack is having trouble with his feces. Yellow poop is usually a sign of either diarrhea (gastric upset), mal-absorptive disease (German Shephards are prone to getting Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficency "EPI"), or worms. Also, poop colour changes with various diets. If your puppy is not dewormed and is still bright and happy and active, and eating/drinking well, I would start by deworming him. At one month of age he should be transitioning from milk from his mother to solid foods, and this may make the feces a less yellow colour as well. If the feces is very greasy and bad smelling, and if Zack is very thin, then I would be worried about EPI. If your puppy is bright and happy, and eating well, and the diarrhea is solid or soft/solid, then just deworm and start weaning Zack onto a good quality puppy food. If there is diarrhea present or Zack is lethargic I would have him seen by a veterinarian.

She may have eaten something she shouldn't have, it could be infection or possibly intestinal parasites. You can submit a stool sample to your vet to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. In the meantime, withhold food for 12 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until the stool is normal before transitioning slowly to Jedda's regular diet. See your vet if Jedda becomes lethargic, begins vomiting, loses her appetite or exhibits signs of abdominal pain. A bland diet can be plain white rice mixed with one of the following: cottage cheese, boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked/drained ground turkey or cooked/drained ground beef.

Many times dogs with epi will have grayish stools that appear to have a sheen. That being said, the stool color cannot be used to diagnose disease conditions. If you are worried about epi in Kia, a blood test can give the accurate results. Thank you for using Pet Coach!

If your vet prescribed a gut probiotic and liver supplement then I would talk to them to see if it needs to be changed if it is affecting Rio's stool. If Rio is healthy and doesn't need the supplements, feeding him just his regular balanced diet may help improve stool quality, along with making sure he has enough water daily. If the strange stool continues, a fecal exam along with a vet visit to rule out any other health issues is a good idea.