Why Is My Dog’s Poop White and Dry?

White, chalky, crumbly stool is most often a sign of too much calcium in the diet, usually from eating bones or a raw diet with a lot of bone. That type of stool is often hard and dry and can lead to constipation. Bones can also cause blockages or injure the gut, so it's worth cutting them out.

Less often, very pale or grayish stools can mean a problem with digesting fat, or with the liver, gallbladder or pancreas. If the color keeps returning without a dietary explanation, or comes with weight loss, greasy stools, vomiting or a poor appetite, have your vet take a look. Very pale, clay-colored stool together with yellow gums or eyes needs prompt care. White, rice-like pieces in otherwise normal stool may be tapeworm segments, which your vet can treat.

See dog constipation symptoms and our main guide to dog constipation.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.