Yellow Dog Poop: What Does It Mean?

What causes yellow dog poop?

From food intolerance to dietary allergies, yellow dog poop can be caused by various factors. If your dog’s yellow poop is non-recurring, it’s highly possible that they’ve simply eaten something out of the ordinary. “Yellow dog poop is often due to a disruption in digestion, something that speeds up the digestive process,” explains veterinarian Dr. Chyrle Bonk.  “This can be due to irritation from infection, foreign body, change in food, parasites, or eating something they shouldn’t have. It can also be due to issues with the liver or gallbladder or something like inflammatory bowel disease.”

Key Points

• Yellow dog poop is caused by a variety of factors that range in severity.
• Most often, it indicates a food intolerance, but it can sometimes indicate more serious health issues.
• See your vet if yellow dog poop persists for more than one or two days!

Potential causes of yellow stool in dogs:

• Food intolerance or food allergies 
• Change in diet
• Digestion issues 
• Bacterial or parasitic infection 
• Pancreatitis
• Gallbladder issues
• Liver issues 
• Inflammatory bowel disease 
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Intestinal worms like tapeworms

Other symptoms to watch out for:

• Lethargy 
• Lack of appetite 
• Weight loss 
• Constipation 
• Diarrhea 
• Upset stomach  
• Fever
• Yellow color to the skin or eyes

Yellow poop accompanied by lethargy, fever, or abdominal pain could be a sign of a greater health issue, so be sure to keep a close eye on your dog’s behavior. Always seek veterinary help if the yellow pigment of your dog’s stool persists for more than a day or two.

Tip: If your dog is used to a certain brand or type of dog food, a sudden change in diet could lead to yellow mucus or bile in your dog’s stool. To prevent this from happening, it’s better to slowly incorporate new food into your dog’s diet rather than abruptly changing what they eat.

What to do if your dog’s poop is yellow

If your dog’s poop is yellow, the first step is to observe your pup’s diet. If you’ve recently made a change to their food, it’s likely the cause of their yellow poo. Try returning to their original diet and see if the color of their poop returns to normal.

If you think your dog’s yellow poop is linked to food intolerance, Dr. Bonk recommends a bland diet. “If your dog doesn’t have any other signs, such as vomiting, a fever, stomach pain, or lack of appetite, you can try withholding food for 12-24 hours and pushing hydration,” she explains. “After the initial fast, start your dog back on a bland diet like chicken and rice. Feed small amounts of this bland food frequently throughout the day. Adding probiotics can also help.”

If the color of your pup’s poop remains yellow, be sure to seek veterinary advice. A stool sample will likely be required for your vet to further determine the cause of your dog’s yellow poop. Your vet may also perform blood tests to determine whether your pup has an infection or an underlying health problem. Depending on the cause, your dog may need deworming, nutritional supplements, or a different treatment to help balance  their gut bacteria and get their digestion back on track. 

If your dog has yellow poop, be sure to: 

• Offer them plenty of fresh water
• Feed them a bland diet 
• Try probiotics
• Keep a close eye on their bowel movements 

Seek veterinary help if:

• The yellow color is recurring or continues for more than a day or two
• Your dog shows behavioral changes such as lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Your dog has a fever 

Yellow dog poop: The bottom line

Generally, yellow dog poop indicates a food intolerance or change in diet. Recurring yellow poop in your dog could be linked to more serious gastrointestinal (GI) tract issues or even liver disease. 

It’s always a good idea to check in with your vet if your dog has recurring yellow poo, or if the stool is accompanied by major behavioral changes such as lethargy, lack of appetite, or fever.

Yellow dog poop FAQs

Why is my dog’s poop yellow?

Yellow dog poop may be linked to a change in diet or food intolerance, though in some cases it could indicate a greater health issue like a gallbladder problem or parasites.

How do you treat yellow poop in dogs?

If you think your dog’s yellow poop is related to a food intolerance, offer them plenty of water and a bland diet. If your dog’s yellow poop is recurring or accompanied by behavioral changes and/or fever, be sure to seek veterinary attention.

What dog poop colors are abnormal?

While dog poop can range in color, it’s important to watch out for abnormal shades as they can point to certain health problems. Black dog poop or blood in dog stool for instance, can mean internal bleeding in the upper or lower GI tract. Orange dog poop could be a sign of liver issues and grey dog poop can signal problems with your dog’s pancreas. White specks that look like grains of rice in your dog’s poo could be tapeworms. Any and all dog poop abnormalities should be checked out by a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment. 

What should healthy dog poop look like?

Healthy dog poop should be brown in color and solid (yet not too hard) in consistency. It should easily retain its shape and not have too strong or foul an odor. Monitoring your dog’s poop is an important aspect of pet parenting as it helps keep track of your dog’s intestinal health. 

Through good digestion and bad, you want to be able to give your pup the best care possible. Pumpkin Dog Insurance plans can help you get 90% cash back on vet bills for covered accidents and illnesses.

Zoe Tanner

Zoe is a passionate writer and long-time animal lover. She's a devoted cat mother to four furry felines.