If you have a dog, chances are they have had diarrhea at some point. Dog diarrhea is not only an inconvenient mess, it is an indicator that something could be seriously wrong with your pet’s health.

Remember: diarrhea that worsens, becomes more frequent, lasts more than 24 hours, or is accompanied by fever or lethargic behavior is an indicator that your dog should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Don’t wait to call the vet – it’s far better to call and find out that your dog will be fine, than to wait and find out that you let the symptoms go untreated for too long.

Here are some common types of canine diarrhea and some of the things that may be causing your puppy or dog to suffer from diarrhea symptoms.

Yellowish or greenish color – This type of canine diarrhea usually has a very bad odor and can have a runny consistency. It is often an indicator that something your dog has eaten has traveled rapidly through his system and that the body is trying to eliminate it quickly. If your dog has a habit of eating garbage or has found something disgusting to chew on, such as a dead animal, this could be what is causing him diarrhea.

Yellowish with mucous membranes and streaks of blood – Anytime you see blood in your dog’s stool, you should be alarmed. This type of diarrhea can indicate a bacterial infection such as Coccidia or Giardia. If it gets worse quickly and is accompanied by vomiting, it could be Parvo. Take your dog to the vet right away so he has the best chance of survival.

Bloody, foul-smelling diarrhea – Dog diarrhea with a lot of blood is usually an indicator of parvovirus. By the time most dogs reach this stage, they are less than twenty-four hours old, unless emergency treatment is given immediately. Dogs with Parvo are lethargic and cannot retain anything without vomiting. Wrap your dog up and take him to the vet right away.

Black tarry diarrhea – Diarrhea that appears black or tarry likely contains digested blood from the dogs’ own digestive tract. This could be an indicator of a serious illness, and your vet will likely need to run a blood test to determine what is wrong with your pet.

Foamy diarrhea – Very mild, frothy dog ​​diarrhea can be an indicator of a bacterial infection, especially if it is yellowish or greenish in color. If your dog has no appetite, is vomiting, or appears lethargic and has watery or foamy stools, he could have an internal blockage. Veterinarians remove things like chewy pieces of leather, shreds of cloth, pieces of plastic from the trash or a toy that the dog has destroyed, and even objects like coins from the dog’s intestines every day. Many dogs, especially puppies, will ingest just about anything, so don’t be surprised if your vet wants to take X-rays to check for a blockage in cases like this.

Pale gray diarrhea – If your dog regularly has very pale colored diarrhea, this could indicate that he has an internal illness. Pale dog diarrhea is often seen in dogs suffering from liver disease. The vet will likely run a blood test to see what is causing the diarrhea and then prescribe a course of treatment.

Remember, parasites and bacteria can often be transmitted to humans and other pets through contact with contaminated surfaces. Talk to your vet about how to disinfect your pet’s area and be sure to get rid of anything that has come in contact with the diarrhea.