Dog Pooping Clear Liquid : 7 Clear Dietary Adjustments

One of the most disconcerting discoveries you can make, as a dog owner, is that your dog is pooping a clear liquid. The moment you make this discovery, you will want to know why the dog is pooping a clear liquid, how serious it is and what you need to do about it. This article has all the answers.

Common reasons for dog pooping clear liquid include bacterial infections and parasite infestations. Others are food intolerance, parvovirus infections and physiological ailments such as colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Treatment options range from medications to dietary changes.

Quite often, the problem of dogs pooping clear liquid resolves by itself within a day or so. But there are also situations in which the problem persists. Thus you may have a dog pooping clear water for days on end, causing a great deal of worry to the owner.

In some cases, the problem is one of a dog pooping clear gel, rather than liquid. But there are also cases where what comes out is unmistakably a liquid. So you have a dog pooping out clear liquid that looks like water.

In all cases, once you understand the reason behind the clear liquid dog poop, it becomes easier to figure out what to do about it.

Some dog clear liquid poop causes may be easy to deal with. But some clear liquid dog pooping reasons are rather complex.

Why Is My Dog Pooping Clear Liquid?

Upon making the discovery that my dog is pooping clear liquid, the main question I am likely to have is as to the reason behind this situation.

In other words, the key underlying question will be: why does my dog poop clear liquid?

Or, to put it differently, what does it mean when your dog is pooping clear liquid?

And the simple answer is that the dog may be pooping clear water due to infections, parasite infestations or physiological ailments.

The infections that can make a dog poop clear liquid may be bacterial or viral in nature. But there are also some rare cases where fungal infections are implicated.

Parasite infestations that can make a dog poop clear liquid are mainly from worms. So, for instance, a dog with tapeworms or giardia or even hookworms may poop clear liquid.

Turning to physiological conditions that can make a dog poop clear liquid, we find the likes of irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, colitis and even various cancers.

Where a dog ingests foreign objects, there can be reactions that lead to it pooping clear liquid.

Even stress has been known to cause dogs to poop clear liquid in some cases.

Therefore when trying to explore the what would cause my dog to poop clear liquid question, those are the possibilities you need to consider.

Similarly, while trying to answer the what does it mean when your dog poops clear liquid question, those are the key possibilities to consider.

We should point out that when a dog poops clear liquid, most of what manifests as ‘clear liquid’ is mucus.

Therefore any condition that can potentially cause a dog to have mucus in its feces may, in due course, cause clear liquid dog poop.

Dog Poop Encased In Membrane – Is It Normal?

In some cases where you have a dog pooping a clear liquid, the problem manifests alongside another one – where the dog’s poop is encased in membrane.

Therefore before proceeding, it is important to understand whether this situation, where you have dog stool encased in membrane is normal.

The membrane in question here is typically of mucus. So the whole thing is, in other words, a case of dog poop encased in mucus membrane.

Now my dog’s poop is encased in mucus membrane – is this normal? Or my dog’s poop has a slimy casing, is this normal?

The answer is that the mucus in dog’s poop is quite normal.

It serves a lubrication role, so that the stool passes through the colon with ease.

But if there is overproduction of the mucus, then it can be indicative of a problem.

It may mean that there is an infection, parasitic infestation or physiological problem in the dog.

The whole thing may deteriorate to a point where the mucus in dog poop is simply too much.

Then you start wondering, why is there mucus in my dog’s stool?

With time, the dog stool with mucus becomes clear. Now the question becomes, my dog pooped clear mucus, what does it mean?

Or it may manifest as a case of a puppy pooping clear jelly.

So it is this progression that ultimately leads to a case of a dog defecating clear liquid.

The bottom line is that some degree of dog poop mucus casing is normal.

But where you have a dog pooping clear mucus only, there may be a problem. You have to start investigating then, to find out, why is my dog pooping clear mucus?

And dog passing clear mucus (membrane) may be due to infections, parasite infestations or physiological illnesses.

Dog Stool Looks Like Sausage Casing – What Could Be The Reason?

In many cases where a dog poops clear liquid, the problem may be accompanied by this other one: where the dog stool at some point looks like sausage casing.

Therefore before it gets to a point of the dog pooping clear liquid only, the whole thing may start with the dog pooping stool that looks like a sausage casing.

Then, with time, it turns to clear liquid dog poop.

Thus if it is a puppy, the problem may initially be that of passing poop that looks like sausage casing. Then it eventually gets to a point of puppy pooping clear liquid.

Now it is important to understand that the apparent ‘sausage casing’ here is actually a mucus membrane. If you search for a mucus in dog poop with image, you will often notice this apparent ‘sausage casing’.

So where dog stool looks like sausage casing, the underlying problem is that of mucus overproduction.

That is what may over time turn into the dog pooping liquid clear. Or if it is a puppy, you find that the clear poop puppy passes is mainly mucus.

There are even cases where you may find a dog shitting clear liquid at one time, then passing hard poop with ‘sausage casing’ at another time.

Thus, you find that the clear liquid diarrhea dog passes alternates with hard poop which has ‘sausage casing’.

Or you may find the dog poop small amount clear liquid, followed by hard poop with ‘sausage casing’.

The main thing to understand here is that the ‘sausage casing’ is actually mucus.

So when you see it, you know that there is mucus overproduction. And that could be due to an infection, parasite infestation or some sort of physiological ailment.

Dog Pooping Clear Liquid – What Are The Common Reasons?

Most cases of pooping clear liquid dog owners deal with are due to bacterial infections or parasite infestations.

But there are also cases in which liquid clear dog poop is due to viral infections (such as parvovirus) and even fungal infections.

There are also many cases where dog poops clear mucus due to physiological problems, such as colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

Diet changes and ingestion of foreign objects can also cause dogs to poop clear liquid.

To identify the exact reason for the dog pooping the clear liquid, you have to check for any other symptoms that the dog is manifesting. You also need to find out whether it is a sudden onset problem, one that has come about gradually or a chronic problem.

The age of the dog may also be relevant. What may be possible reasons for old dog pooping clear liquid may not be applicable in a case where one is dealing with liquid clear puppy poop.

Even the gender of the dog may be relevant. Some common reasons for a male dog pooping clear liquid then scooting may not apply easily for a female dog.

How exactly the dog goes about the pooping ordeal can be a relevant consideration. A case of a dog straining to poop clear liquid may be different from another one where a dog passes out the liquid poop with ease.

And a case of a dog pooping clear liquid only is obviously quite different from another one where, for instance, you have the dog pooping clear liquid and blood.

Ultimately though, clear liquid in dog poop is usually due to infections, physiological ailments or parasite infestations.

So those are the possibilities to think in terms of, whenever you see clear liquid poop in dogs.

Stress As A Reason For Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

We just mentioned that the key reasons for clear liquid in dogs poop are mainly infections, parasite infestations or physiological ailments. So how does stress fit into this equation?

What normally happens when a dog is under stress is that the stress triggers certain physiological processes. Those may ultimately lead to it passing clear liquid poop.

The whole thing is in the context of psychosomatic illnesses phenomenon.

Thus, in some cases, the answer to the question on what does clear liquid poop mean dog owners pose is sometimes simply stress.

Just as stress can cause a dog to be constipated, so can it cause a dog to pass liquid poop.

Consequently if, for instance, my girl dog poops clear liquid, and there have lately been stressful events in her life, this is one possibility I would consider.

Similarly, in a case of my dog pooping clear liquid after moving to a new house (or after other changes in the family), this would be a possibility worth considering.

Food Intolerance As A Reason For Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

Many cases where dogs poop clear liquid are due to food intolerance. For instance, upon ingesting a new food, a dog may have physiological reactions that lead to it passing clear liquid poop.

Thus if my dog poops clear liquid after eating something it hadn’t eaten before, this is one possibility to consider.

Ingestion Of Foreign Objects As A Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

Where a dog ingests foreign objects, that can trigger physiological processes that lead to it passing clear liquid poop.

Thus if, for instance, my dog was trying to poop and nothing but clear liquid came, this would be one possibility to consider.

There may be some sort of obstruction here, because of the foreign object. Therefore the dog tries to poop but clear liquid comes out.

In this case, the dog tries to poop but liquid comes out because the foreign object may be obstructing normal gastrointestinal movements.

Even in a case where my dog is pooping clear liquid and throwing up, this would be a plausible possibility.

Parasites As A Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

Parasite infestations commonly cause dogs to poop clear liquid.

The parasites in question may be tapeworms, hookworms, giardia and (quite rarely) whipworms.

The clear liquid poop that is as a result of parasite infestation will typically stink badly.

Thus if you venture into your dog’s kennel, for instance, and find some clear liquid poop stinks like dog poop (and perhaps has worm eggs), it could be on this account.

Similarly, where my dog keeps pooping clear liquid with worm eggs, this would be the best possible explanation.

And going by the comments in most dog pooping clear liquid Reddit threads, parasites are a rather common cause of this problem.

Even in puppies, parasite infestation can manifest through liquid clear poop. Thus while trying to figure out why is my puppy pooping clear liquid, this is something I would consider.

Diet Changes As A Common Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

If you make sudden or drastic dog diet changes, the end result can be a situation where the dogs poop clear liquid.

That is because sudden or drastic diet changes cause stomach upsets. The stomach upsets in turn lead to the clear liquid diarrhea.

In some cases, the diet change may cause dog poop that is clear but yellow. Thus if you have a dog pooping clear yellow liquid, it may be due to a recent diet change.

Parvovirus As A Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

One of the most worrisome reasons why a dog may poop clear liquid is parvovirus infection.

If you research on what does parvo poop look like, you notice that in some cases, it is watery and clear.

Often, the clear liquid poop dog passes due to parvovirus is accompanied by vomiting.

Thus if, for instance, you have dog pooping clear liquid and vomiting, it could well be due to parvovirus.

Or you can have the dog throwing up and pooping clear liquid due to parvovirus.

Parvovirus may further cause diarrhea. So the dog passes loose stool (clear liquid), and so frequently that it qualifies to be called ‘diarrhea’.

Thus a case of a dog pooping clear liquid diarrhea, it may be due to parvovirus infection. Or it may be a case of dog pooping clear liquid after diarrhea.

Ultimately, in a situation where my dog is pooping clear liquid and throwing up, I would consider parvovirus as a possibility.

Even in a situation where you have a dog throwing up clear liquid and pooping blood, this would still be a possibility.

Colitis As A Reason For Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

Colitis is one of those conditions that can cause a dog to pass clear liquid poop on a chronic basis.

Often, the clear liquid poop that is due to colitis may also be bloody at times. So dog pooping blood is also common here.

Consequently if, for instance, my puppy is pooping clear liquid with blood at times, colitis would be a possibility.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease As A Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

This is one of the rarer reasons for dogs passing clear liquid poop.

Where it is due to inflammatory bowel disease, the situation where dog poops clear liquid may be accompanied by weight loss and vomiting.

In this case, the clear liquid may be more of mucus. Thus if, for instance, my puppy is pooping clear mucus (with weight loss and vomiting), I would consider inflammatory bowel disease as a possible cause.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome As A Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

Quite a good number of cases of dogs passing clear liquid poop are due to irritable bowel syndrome.

Thus if I keep getting clear liquid when my dog poops, I wouldn’t rule out irritable bowel syndrome being the reason.

Irritable bowel syndrome leads either to the dog pooping only clear liquid or the dog having constipation besides pooping clear liquid at other times.

Even where you have a cat pooping clear liquid, it can be due to irritable bowel syndrome.

Fungal Infections As A Reason For Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

There are cases where dogs poop clear liquid due to fungal infections.

Thus if a dog has clear liquid poop, it may actually be due to fungal infections.

Fungal infections may also more specifically lead to dog pooping clear liquid diarrhea.

At other times, fungal infections can result in dog throwing up clear liquid and pooping blood.

Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth As A Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

This is one of those conditions that cause dogs to have a chronic problem of passing clear liquid poop.

Here, the poop may sometimes look like mucus – but still loose/thin enough to be referred to as a ‘liquid’.

Thus if, for instance, you have a puppy pooping clear mucus, it can be due to small intestine bacterial overgrowth.

Generally, in a situation where a dog is pooping clear mucus chronically, small intestine bacterial overgrowth is a remote possibility.

Crohn’s Disease As A Reason For Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

Here is another common cause for chronic cases of clear liquid poop in dogs.

Besides clear liquid poop, this condition also manifests through vomiting and heavy diarrhea bouts.

Cancers As A Reason For Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

In one of the worst case scenarios, dogs may pass clear liquid poop due to cancer.

Thus in a case where I have clear liquid coming from my dogs but when she poops it is in a strained manner, then some sort of cancer/growth may be the reason.

But then again, where you get clear liquid after dog poops, it can be due to a non-cancerous tumor too.

In the final analysis, in any situation where I keep seeing a clear liquid after my dog poops, cancer would be a (remote) possibility.

But if the clear liquid dog poop is manifesting alongside other common cancer signs, then it becomes a more likely possibility.

Clostridial Enterotoxicosis As A Reason For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

The liquid dog poop that is a result of this condition is usually shiny in color.

Thus, if my dog has clear liquid poop, and it is shiny, this would be the first possibility to consider.

It is essentially a bacterial condition, whose treatment with antibiotics is quite straightforward.

How To Clean Liquid Dog Poop?

This is how to clean up liquid dog poop. Firstly, you need to put some absorbent material where the liquid dog poop is. Allow some time for the material to absorb the poop. Then pick up the material (with the liquid dog poop absorbed).

Thereafter, you may vacuum the spot where the dog poop was. Then disinfect the area, ideally with an enzymatic cleaner.

That in essence is the best way to clean up liquid dog poop.

What if one wants to learn how to clean up liquid dog poop on carpet? How to clean liquid dog poop from carpet is similar to how you’d go about cleaning it off any other surface really.

You first get an absorbent material to absorb it. Then you vacuum the area, and finally do disinfection. So that is how to clean liquid dog poop out of carpet.

Dog Pooping Clear Liquid And Vomiting – Is It Normal?

Any situation where you have a dog pooping clear liquid and vomiting is not normal.

It could be a sign of a serious infection, parasite infestation or physiological ailment.

Dog Pooping Clear Liquid – When Should I Be Worried?

If the dog poops clear liquid only once, there is no reason for undue worry.

But if the situation where the dog poops clear liquid persists, or increases in intensity, there is reason to worry.

It may lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and so on. Therefore it warrants consulting a vet.

Dog Pooping Clear Liquid And Blood – How Dangerous Is It?

A situation where dog poops clear liquid and blood is very dangerous. It is a life-threatening situation. In this case, the dog is losing blood and possibly getting dehydrated at the same time.

Few other situations can be as dangerous to the dog’s life. This is the sort of case where you should organize an emergency visit to a vet. Even if the dog seems alright for now, its condition may deteriorate very fast.

To gain further insight on the condition, you may check the color of the blood in the dog poop: whether it is bright red or dark.

Dog Poop With Bright Red Blood

This means that the source of blood is somewhere in the lower digestive tract.

If it is manifesting alongside liquid dog poop, it should still be cause for worry.

Dog Poop With Dark Blood

This means that the source of blood is somewhere higher up the digestive tract.

It may be due to parasites, infections or trauma.

Where it manifests alongside liquid dog poop, it should be cause for great concern.

Dog Tries To Poop But Clear Liquid Comes Out – What To Do?

Where a dog tries to poop but clear liquid comes out time and again, the best thing to do may be to consult a vet.

The situation may be due to an infection, physiological ailment or parasites.

Once the vet understands the reason behind it, a treatment plan can be initiated.

Making Dietary Adjustments As A Solution For Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

Sometimes, all you may need to do to resolve a situation where your dog poops clear liquid is change its diet.

Some of the things you can use include fish like salmon and tuna, white rice, chicken or turkey, canned pumpkin, bone broth and probiotic supplements. Let’s look at some of these in turn.

Using Fish Like Salmon And Tuna

These can be helpful to a dog that is passing clear liquid poop – because they don’t strain the stomach too much.

The most important thing is to serve them plain: without salt, spices or other additives.

Using Chicken Or Turkey

The best options here are specifically chicken and turkey breasts.

This sort of meat often has a good effect on dogs with digestive problems – including those passing clear liquid poop.

The chicken and turkey has to be plain, with no salt, spices or other additives.

Using White Rice

Most cases of dogs pooping clear liquid are indications of diarrhea.

Plain white rice can help in improving the poop consistency.

Indeed, when you ask most people, what can I give a dog with liquid diarrhea, white rice usually comes up often.

Using Boiled Potatoes

These are rich in fiber, which dogs passing clear liquid poop often need a great deal of.

Using Cooked Eggs

These are quite easy on the dog’s stomach (unless it has too many of them) and can therefore be helpful to dogs passing clear liquid poop.

Using Canned Pumpkin

Pumpkin tends to be helpful for dogs with diarrhea, and therefore dogs passing clear liquid poop may benefit from it a great deal.

Using Bone Broth

Dogs passing clear liquid poop often have other conditions that hinder their appetite. Bone broth can be helpful at revving up the dog’s appetite again. And it is also quite nutritious.

Using Probiotic Supplements On Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

The dogs that pass clear liquid poop often have problems with low levels of healthy bacteria in their guts. Probiotic supplements can be helpful at righting this situation. They are very ideal if you take a holistic approach to your dog’s health.

Dog Pooping Clear Liquid – What Are The Treatment Options?

In most cases, when you take a dog passing clear liquid poop to a vet, the treatment session will start with a physical examination. The vet may then prescribe medication or initiate other treatment plans.

Physical Examinations For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

These are aimed at establishing whether the dogs are dehydrated (and if so, to what extent). They may also be helpful in telling whether the dog potentially has various parasitic infestations, infections or physiological ailments.

Beyond clinical observations, the vet may order for lab stool tests, as well as urine and blood tests in some cases. There are even cases where x-rays and ultrasound examinations may be necessary.

Medications For Dogs Pooping Clear Liquid

Where the problem is due to bacterial infections, the vet will normally prescribe antibiotics.

In cases where the problem is due to viral infections, the vet may prescribe antiviral medications, as well as other medications to ease the symptoms.

Some vaccinations may also be recommended.

For fungal infections causing dogs to pass clear liquid poop, there are antifungal medications.

And for physiological ailments, there may be medications like immunosuppressant drugs (to treat inflammatory bowel disease). Antidiarrheal medications may also be used.

Other Treatments For Dogs Passing Clear Liquid Poop

There are instances where dietary changes are enough to get the dogs to stop passing clear liquid poop.

Then there are other instances where the use of supplements is what is necessary, to get the dogs to stop passing clear liquid poop.

And there are scenarios where surgical interventions may be necessary. Like if, for instance, major foreign object ingestion is the reason for the dog passing clear liquid poop, there may be no alternative but to remove it surgically.

How To Prevent Dog Pooping Clear Liquid Poop?

As we saw earlier, dogs usually end up passing clear liquid poop due to infections, parasite infestations and physiological ailments.

If you keep a dog in hygienic conditions, and only serve it clean food, you reduce the incidence of infections.

A dog getting a proper balanced diet, and living in stress-free conditions also has strong immunity, and hence not prone to these infections.

Vaccination may also help to prevent certain infections.

For parasite infestations, regular deworming may be a helpful thing.

And to prevent many of the physiological ailments that cause dogs to pass liquid clear poop, it may be ideal to keep the dog in stress-free conditions.

Also provide the dog with a proper balanced diet that includes adequate fiber and moisture.

And ensure that the dog gets adequate exercise consistently.

Final Verdict – Dog Pooping Clear Liquid

A dog may poop clear liquid due to infections, parasite infestations or physiological ailments.

Bacterial and viral infections often cause dogs to pass clear liquid poop. But we also have rare cases where it is due to fungal infections.

Parasites that may make dogs to pass clear liquid poop include tapeworms, hookworms, giardia and in rarer cases, whipworms.

Physiological ailments that may cause dogs to pass liquid clear poop include irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease and colitis.

Diet changes, food intolerance and even stress can cause dogs to pass clear liquid poop as well.

Use of medications, supplements and diet changes are often helpful in resolving the problem where dogs pass clear liquid poop. But in a few cases, the problem may require surgical interventions.

To prevent the problem where dogs pass clear liquid poop, keep your dog under hygienic conditions. Provide it with a proper balanced diet, which includes adequate fiber. And try to eliminate or minimize stressors in the dog’s life.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet dog a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️