What this means
Intestinal parasites look different in the stool: some resemble thin white or yellowish threads, others flat, rice-like segments that may also be seen around the anus or on your dog's bedding. Often the parasites cannot be seen with the naked eye at all, yet they may still be there.
Signs of parasites do not always appear in the stool. A dog may lose weight despite eating, look pot-bellied, vomit, have diarrhoea, have a dull coat or drag its bottom along the ground. Puppies are usually especially vulnerable.
If you can, photograph what you see and bring a fresh stool sample, which helps the vet identify the parasite. Some parasites can also infect people, so wash your hands carefully after any contact with stool and ask about family members, especially children.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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Roundworms
They look like thin, pale, spaghetti-like strands. They may show up in stool or vomit. Puppies catch them particularly easily, and the belly can swell.
About the condition: Intestinal worms -
Tapeworms
Tiny, rice-like segments are seen in the stool or around the anus. Your dog may drag its bottom along the ground.
About the condition: Intestinal worms -
Hookworms and whipworms
These are barely visible to the naked eye but can cause diarrhoea, blood in the stool, weakness and weight loss.
About the condition: Intestinal worms -
Other intestinal parasites
Some single-celled parasites cause diarrhoea even though no worms are seen in the stool. They are found only by a laboratory stool test.
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Food remains rather than a parasite
Undigested plant fibre or other food remnants sometimes look like worms. A vet confirms or rules it out by examining the stool.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- What it looks like: threads or rice grains, moving or still
- Whether worms are also seen around the anus or on the bedding
- Whether your dog drags its bottom along the ground
- Whether the belly is swollen, or your dog loses weight despite eating
- Whether there is diarrhoea, blood in the stool or vomiting
- Whether the coat is dull and your dog seems tired
- When your dog was last checked for parasites
When to book a routine visit
If you see worms or pieces of them in the stool, book a vet visit and bring a fresh stool sample. Say when your dog was last protected against parasites and with what.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Digestion and liver This is a long-term disorder of the digestive tract in which inflammatory cells build up in the wall of the stomach or intestine, so it becomes less able to digest food and absorb nutrients. The exact cause is not fully understood; an interplay between the immune system, gut bacteria and food is thought to play a part. Because many other digestive problems look much the same, a vet works out what is really going on with tests.
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) Digestion and liver This is a condition in which too many bacteria, or the wrong kinds, take hold in the small intestine. They compete with the dog for nutrients and irritate the gut wall, so food is digested and absorbed less well. It can be the result of another intestinal or pancreatic problem, so a vet also looks for the underlying cause.
- Fleas Parasites Fleas are small, jumping parasites that feed on a dog's blood and cause itching. Some of them live on the dog, while the eggs, larvae and pupae live in the home: in the dog's bed, carpets and soft furnishings. That is why fleas can keep coming back even when none are left to see on the dog; your vet can advise on protecting your dog and your home.
- Intestinal worms Parasites Intestinal worms are parasites that live in a dog's gut: roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms. Any dog can become infected, and puppies even before birth or through their mother's milk. Some dog worms are dangerous to people too, especially children; which worms a dog has is for a vet to establish from a stool sample.
Body systems: Digestion and liver Parasites