When it comes to dog waste, it is critical to monitor your pet’s poop.
Even if you find it slightly disgusting, observing a Chessie’s poop will provide you with a wealth of information.
As a Chesapeake Bay retriever’s parent, taking a few seconds to observe your dog’s poop will go a long way toward ensuring you provide them with the necessary care.
Your dog’s poop can reveal a lot about its health, but you should be aware of what to expect and how it has changed.
Chessies’ poop can indicate a change in their digestive system or a medical emergency medical because healthy poop indicates a healthy body.
Chessies defecate more frequently than other dogs. The only way to properly care for your dog is to understand how its system works, enabling you to detect changes as they occur.
This article will provide you with the information you need to know when cleaning up after your dog. What appears to be normal poop to other dogs will not be normal to yours.
As you read this article, you will learn how to determine what is normal for your Chessie.
What Is Normal Poop Consistency for a Chesapeake Bay Retriever?
It’s time to stop looking the other way when cleaning up after your dog because what you don’t want to look at can teach you a lot.
It’s important to pay attention to your Chessies’ poop consistency because it can indicate when there are major issues. A healthy poop will be moist, compact, and retain its shape when picked up.
Runny poop can indicate that the dog is experiencing intestinal distress. This agitation could be caused by what you feed your dog or by random items it picks up from the ground. Constipation or dehydration can cause poop to be excessively dry or hard.
Elements like a change in diet can have an impact on the consistency of a dog’s poop.
It can take around two weeks for your pet’s poop to return to normal consistency after a diet change, but anything beyond this time frame will necessitate medical attention.
Excessively feeding your Chessie will also affect the quality of its poop; figure out what amount works best for the dog and stick to it.
Observe Size And Shape
Chessies have a muscular body, so expect larger poop as they grow. Consider the size of the food they eat to get an idea of how big the poop should be. If you notice any change in the size of the poop, you should be concerned.
When poop is larger than usual, it can indicate that necessary nutrients were not absorbed from their food or that the food was not properly digested.
Smaller poop could indicate that your dog isn’t eating well, possibly due to a blockage in its digestive process or illness.
Small or large poop does not indicate bad or good; you can only confirm the situation by comparing the current size to what it normally is.
Dog poop usually comes out in the shape of a log and retains that shape even when moved or picked up.
Poops with a rounded shape could indicate stiff joints or dehydration. Pay attention to details like this to spot when your dog is in pain but isn’t communicating.
Because old age and joint injury can affect how a dog positions itself while defecating, the poop might not come out in a log shape.
This type of situation necessitates medical attention. A veterinary will know what to give your dog to help it pass softer bowls more easily.
Check How Often They Poop
The number of times your Chessie poops per day should be consistent.
There is no such thing as a perfect number, but there should be consistency. For example, if your dog poops once a day, it should do so every day, and you should be concerned only when the frequency changes.
You must be aware of how frequently your dog poos, whether at home or on a long walk. Dogs can go up to four times or more per day, which is fine if that is what the dog requires.
Take notes daily as you clear up the poops and use the information to determine how well your dog is doing.
When the frequency changes, you should be cautious because it could indicate an underlying health problem or only a diet change. This can be caused by a digestive issue, which a veterinarian can help you resolve.
Does The Poop Color Look Healthy?
The color is one property that can reveal a lot about your Chessie’s health.
A closer look is not needed to find the exact color difference, which is made easier if you have previous poop to compare it to. Solid-colored milk chocolate or dark/light brown are ideal, and anything else should be taken seriously.
The type of food you feed your dog will contribute to the color of their poop, especially if there is a coloring agent.
Examine the ingredients of any dog food you intend to purchase to ensure that no additional coloring has been added. More information on what each poop color represents is provided below.
Chalky Or White
Dogs that are on a raw diet tend to have excess minerals and calcium, which makes their poop whitish.
Whitish Spots
When you observe whitish rice-like grain shapes in your dog’s poop, it could mean they have tapeworms and should be treated by a vet.
Greasy Or Gray
Poops of this color could mean your Chessie has a biliary or pancreas issue that a vet should check out.
Tarry Or Black
This color might mean there is internal bleeding either in the small intestine or the stomach and needs urgent medical attention.
Red
Streaks of red show the dog’s poop has blood in it, and this could be a result of a cut near its anus, and you should take a closer look to confirm if that’s the case.
Yellow Or Orange
Serious vet attention will be needed because this could mean there are pancreas or liver issues. Whatever the case, see a vet for a proper checkup and treatment.
Green
When your dog eats too much grass, it can result in green poop.
Stress and intestine trouble can encourage a Chessie to eat grass in a bid to get succor. The worst-case scenario is a gallbladder problem that requires immediate medical attention.
Improve Your Dog’s Poop For A Healthier Life
Studies have established that good digestion, nutrition, and a healthy life are associated with perfect poop, so you should be concerned about improving and maintaining your dog’s poop quality.
What you feed your dog directly correlates to the type of poop it produces. As a result, choose foods that promote proper digestion and good health.
When transitioning to new foods, start with a small portion of the new food and gradually increase the ratio until you have successfully transitioned.
Poop quality will be affected during this transition period, which is normal and can last up to two weeks in adult dogs or longer in puppies. Once your dog starts enjoying the new food, the poop should return to normal.
You need to also keep in mind that water quality can play a part in this. Dirty water can have bacteria contamination and can lead to diarrhea.
Final Thoughts
Chesapeake Bay retrievers enjoy vigorous exercise because they are high-energy dogs, which is good for their digestion and overall health.
Reduce what stresses your dog and provide it with the proper diet to ensure smooth digestion. This will keep your dog from making more messes for you to clean up.
Although dog feces is unsightly, you should look on the bright side because it’s the easiest way to tell how healthy your Chessie is.
Depending on what you see in your dog’s poop, you’ll know whether to give it first aid or rush it to the hospital. A healthy diet and environment will lead to perfect poop, making life easier for you and your Chessie.
