Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => That CAN'T be true! => Topic started by: Quantumcat on 18/05/2003 10:50:43

Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Quantumcat on 18/05/2003 10:50:43
Does anyone know why old dog poo goes white and crumbly?
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Exodus on 18/05/2003 11:07:38
I'm sure its to do with their calcium intake. If i remember rightly some foods you feed dogs are more likely to give them white poos. It does seem however that the poos only turn white once they have been exposed for a few days. I'll tell you one thing, they are seriously hard, you should hear the noise when my mum drives over them with the lawnmower!

For comedy value, check out this GEEKS website!
www.geocities.com/poostix_uk/whitepoo.html

Resident Tour Operator - The Naked Scientists
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: cuso4 on 18/05/2003 20:12:08
Well, poo has that brown colour it's because it contains bile (that's what my biology teacher said anyway). Dog poo turns white may be because the bile decomposed?

Angel
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: NakedScientist on 19/05/2003 10:12:04
The disappearence of white dog poo is down to what dogs eat these days.

White **** is the calcium left behind as the water evaporates, and the 'organic' components of the crap are consumed (in various ways) leaving the inorganic stuff behind.

Historically, before BSE came along, butchers used to dish out bones for dogs to munch on.

But nowadays dogs don't eat as much bone as they used to, including bone meal. This all got the lid shoved on it due to the BSE crisis. Also, tighter regulation on dogs crapping on pavements means that turds don't hang around for years in public places like they used to, giving them less opportunity to dry out and turn white.

TNS
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Quantumcat on 20/05/2003 15:38:28
Well, I give my dogs a bone each once a week; sometimes when shovelling up dog poo from the lawn[xx(] there will be a few white ones scattered around in hard-to-reach places (been there for a long time)
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Donnah on 20/05/2003 20:55:00
Speaking of "Oh s@!*" I heard on the news today that we have one confirmed case of BSE (Mad Cow Disease) in Alberta (that's the province that Calgary is in).
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: NakedScientist on 20/05/2003 23:13:57
Donnah - I'm not surprised to hear that Canada has disclosed a case of BSE. Precisely the same meat recycling techniques that led to the elaboration of the novel TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) referred to as 'BSE' in the UK were used the whole world over. With the wisdom of hindsight it was an unexploded bomb waiting to go off and the UK drew the short straw. It could just as easily have been the US, Canada, Japan or any of the other European countries.

In fact, recycling animal tissue into the same animal had already led to the elaboration of another prion disease, called Kuru ("which means he who trembles a lot" in testimony to the abnormal movements made by sufferers), amongst the Fore People in Papua New Guinea. In this instance the source of the disease was ritualistic cannibalism involving, in particular, consumption of brain tissue. The good news is that with cessation of the cannabalistic practices, the disease has disappeared.

TNS
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Donnah on 21/05/2003 00:18:42
It makes sense that feeding any sort of meat or animal by-products to herbivores is inviting disaster, but I don't understand why omnivores (like people) would suffer from eating tissue of their own kind, while being able to eat the tissue of other species.  Do carnivores suffer when they cannibalize?
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Exodus on 21/05/2003 00:36:36
humans bite their nails.... although i would hate to think that someone went around eating other peoples... imagine someone munching on your big toe!!

I however have lovely feet so i'm sure my toe nails would be preyed on for munching!

Resident Tour Operator - The Naked Scientists
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Donnah on 21/05/2003 03:02:19
Thank you for sharing, Twinkletoes.
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: NakedScientist on 21/05/2003 08:47:16
It's not so much whether an animal is an omnivore, carnivore or herbivore but the source of the material that is being fed to that animal.

The most likely origin for BSE and Human Kuru was a single individual spontaneously developing a prion disease which was then spread to others via the dietary route. This is most likely to occur when you feed animals products derived from another member of the same species because the rate of transmission is likely to be more efficient if it doesn't have to 'jump the species barrier'. Scrapie, for example, can be readily transmitted amongst sheep but has never posed a threat to humans. We know this because the prevalence of sporadic CJD in the UK, and other countries with scrapie, is identical to the CJD rate in scrapie-free nations.

In the context of BSE the recycling of infected material back into the very animal type from which it initially came led to massive amplification of the infectious agent - prion protein - which, it turned out much to John Gummer's chagrin, also had the capacity to infect humans and just about any other animal.

Many people have suggested that feeding scrapie sheep to cows was the source of BSE but this is almost certainly not correct. Careful analysis of BSE prion reveals a different disease process which produces a brain lesion-profile very different from scrapie.

TNS
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: chris on 22/05/2003 19:00:23
Saw this and thought of Donnah....

"Canadian Mad Cow Case Could Benefit U.S. Beef "

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The announcement of a case of mad cow disease in Canada could have a huge impact on the U.S. beef market, said Purdue University agricultural economist Chris Hurt. And whether that impact will be positive or negative may well rest mainly with consumers, he said.

"If beef consumption goes down as a result of consumer fears, that could affect cattle prices, and cattle represent 20 percent of all farm receipts," Hurt said. "Beef cattle are by far the largest single agricultural commodity in the U.S."

On the other hand, this could be a boon for U.S. beef.

"The consumers are going to have the biggest impact," Hurt said. "If they maintain faith in U.S. beef, this could turn out to be a good thing for our cattle producers."

Canada is the United States' largest live cattle supplier and its second largest processed beef supplier. "The United States has banned imports of Canadian live cattle and beef, and other countries are likely to follow," Hurt said.

"Nine percent of the U.S. beef supply comes from Canada. Four percent of that arrives as processed products and 5 percent as live cattle. The ban represents a 9 percent reduction in beef supply. If consumers maintain their consumption, that could sharply increase live cattle prices by as much as 10 to 12 percent."

This also could benefit U.S. beef producers if Canadian exports to the rest of the world are shut off. Hurt said that beef from the United States could experience a boost in value as foreign consumers shift to U.S.-origin beef.

Other meat products also could rise in value.

Hurt said pork and poultry will likely be at the top of consumers' minds when they're purchasing meat. In addition, soybean meal could see a bump in prices as feed suppliers search for alternative protein sources for animal feeds.

Mad cow disease, technically known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), attacks the nervous system of cattle fed protein that came from other ruminants, which are animals that chew their cud and have a multichambered stomach.

Leon Thacker, Purdue veterinary pathologist and head of the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL), said the Food and Drug Administration banned feeding ruminant-derived protein to cattle and sheep in 1997.

"The 1997 ban prevents any feed products of ruminant origin from being fed back to other ruminant animals that will be used for slaughter," Thacker said. "Historically, BSE has been transmitted by feed contaminated with protein from infected animals."

There are already control measures in place in the United States. Thacker said cattle that die with symptoms of the disease are examined at diagnostic labs throughout the nation. In Indiana, they are checked at the ADDL.

"We are constantly looking for the occurrence of this disease," Thacker said. "We target and examine animals that are down or have died with symptoms that resemble BSE."

In general, the experts aren't concerned about the spread of mad cow disease to humans. They're more concerned about the impact the case will have on consumer confidence.

"The risk to individuals from beef consumption, even in Canada, is very low based on what we know from the British experience," said Simon Kenyon, Purdue Extension veterinarian.



I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception - Groucho Marx
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Donnah on 23/05/2003 02:40:11
This BSE case is being handled extremely well.  The disease was identified BEFORE the cow got into the food chain.  The farm the cow came from is quarantined and the herd is being slaughtered and tested.  They are tracing the food she ate throughout her lifetime, and locating her offspring.  You can read more at: http://google.agric.gov.ab.ca/search?q=BSE&btnG=Search&restrict=Alberta_Agriculture&ie=&site=RTW_Search&output=xml_no_dtd&client=RTW_Search&lr=&proxystylesheet=RTW_Search&oe=

Just a short little URL.

I have total confidence that the system is working, thanks largely to work done in the UK, and will happily continue to eat beef.

Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: roberth on 29/05/2003 06:36:31
I understand that most poos generated by mammals consist of a chemical produced by the body called (excuse my spelling) billyruben. This chemical is the result of broken down red blood cells. These blood cells have an effective life of about 180 days and when they are used up (known as free radicals), they must be expelled from the body. The body has to get rid of a lot of these and we poo them away. When this chemical is exposed to light, it breaks down and loses its colour (and turns white). The amount of bones eaten by your dog will not change the nature of this chemical, but it could result in the excess calcium changing the colour of the poo when it is passed. The chemical will still break down and turn the rest of the poo white.
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Quantumcat on 29/05/2003 08:24:36
Wow, good explanation! Congrats![:D]
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Donnah on 11/07/2003 20:52:50
In spite of exhaustive efforts, no other source of mad cow disease than the one cow has been found.  It is possible that it was spontaneous and many people feel that Japan and the U.S. should open their borders to Canadian beef again.  What does everyone here think?

I'm still enjoying Canadian beef, but not seeing any drop in price since the BSE was identified.  The farmers are getting less for the animals, so I guess the slaughterhouses are making a killing in more ways than one.
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Exodus on 13/07/2003 20:48:14
I bet the Americans have had cases of BSE too, and places like france, they just don't tell people in fear of damaging the farming economy. I still eat british beef, and to be honest, its probably safer than its ever been nowadays. Its likely that if we are going to get CJD, then we already have it... so i'm off to Burger King for a Double Whopper with cheese! [;)]

AMERICA - OPEN YOUR BORDERS TO CANADA!

Resident Tour Operator - The Naked Scientists
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Ians Daddy on 14/07/2003 10:56:22
I agree, that there are probably several cases of this, but just kept quiet. I figure that British beef and Canadian beef are probably the safest of all, coming off of a scare. I'm sure Firestone will forever make a better tire and Jack in the Box will always cook the meat well having had smears of their own.

If I were president, alot would change. Including the opening of many borders.
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: bezoar on 14/07/2003 14:17:26
I remember when I worked in home health, we did have one patient with CJD.  It was funny, because we had to look it up.  We had no idea what it was, then about a year later, BSE was in the news.  Oh, and the kuru in Papua, New Guinea, it was only the females that got it, because the cannibalistic rite was limited to the females.  And I want you guys to know that yesterday, I checked the levee behind my condo where all the owners walke their dogs.  Unfortunately, here in New Orleans, the rain has been relentless and the grass was high so there wasn't much I could see, but I only found on heap of brown poo.  Still looking for the white stuff, which wasn't half bad as poop goes.  It didn't stick to your shoes and it didn't even smell bad by then either.  I'll keep checking and keep you posted.

Bezoar
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: george on 14/07/2003 21:13:06
So let me get this right..."it didn;t stick to my shoe"...you tested the crap with your shoe ? Why ? We're only talking about colour here. I've heard the line "fling enough **** and some will stick" but you're getting a bit carried away !!!

Little joke for you :

Knock Knock.
Who's there ?
Sonia..
Sonia who ?
Sonia shoe, can't you smell it ?
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Quantumcat on 14/07/2003 23:57:38
Geez, when I posted this I didn't know it would be such a popular topic :)

Am I dead? Am I alive? I'm both!
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stupid-boy.com%2Fsmilies%2Fkao%2Fotn%2Fcat.gif&hash=e4b91a72c020cc1c5d28487fff5428f1)
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: bezoar on 15/07/2003 16:00:33
Sonia informed me about the brown poo.  Not my own experiment.  I would think anyone who's accidentally stepped in the brown poo would remember.

Bezoar
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: bezoar on 29/01/2004 08:39:21
I have to resurrect this subject with an update.  My daughter tells me that she parked her truck under an oak tree, and the next morning it was covered with black pellets, which turned out to be squirrel poo.  And in two days, they turned white!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: neilep on 01/02/2004 17:29:21
I reckon there's someone who goes round with a can of white paint and paints poo poo white !!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: bezoar on 02/02/2004 15:02:34
They did a good job too, cause they didn't get any paint on her truck!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: neilep on 02/02/2004 18:33:24
Well....that's what specialists in their fields have extensive training for !!  :)

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Donnah on 04/02/2004 18:25:44
Nope.  If you think about it it's men who are inside out.
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: tweener on 04/02/2004 20:08:29
Donnah,
I think that's what neilep said - men are inside out!  I'll buy that!


----
John
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Donnah on 05/02/2004 01:10:45
Oh ya, looks like I was practising dyslexic reading.
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: tweener on 06/02/2004 04:22:15
Inside out.  Upside down. Wrong most of the time.  Just ask my wife! [:)]


----
John
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: sprite190582 on 06/07/2004 13:15:02
going back to poop colour, The colour of some animals poop depends on what colour there food is. for example when my snake eats a white mouse it poops white, if it eats a brown mouse it poops brown. i wonder if this is the same in humans? I once worked with an autistic kid who ate so much beetroot he peed a pinkey purple colour, or so he told us!

Alex
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Exodus on 07/07/2004 01:44:59
Thats true about the beetroot! Someone was telling me that if you eat lots of pork then your excrement will be yellowy in appearance whereas beef dishes are more likely to darken your stools. I notice curries often lead to the lightening of stools...

Neil, i feel you should conduct a live experiment for us. Tomorrow you should eat nothing but pork, the next day beef and the day after that try some dog food and we'll see where that takes us... [;)]
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: neilep on 07/07/2004 09:54:17
quote:
Originally posted by Exodus

Thats true about the beetroot! Someone was telling me that if you eat lots of pork then your excrement will be yellowy in appearance whereas beef dishes are more likely to darken your stools. I notice curries often lead to the lightening of stools...

Neil, i feel you should conduct a live experiment for us. Tomorrow you should eat nothing but pork, the next day beef and the day after that try some dog food and we'll see where that takes us... [;)]



Ah Shucks....I've just had my morning breaky of scrambled eggs and dog food !!....does it matter which order I conduct the experiment in ?.....but you know you can count on me....I'm the empirical one eh ?....I just wish I had a toliet cam [:D]

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !' (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.world-of-smilies.de%2Fhtml%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2FSchilder2%2Finsanes.gif&hash=4f18432872d0188852a6f4a3170ec758)
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: thedoc on 08/07/2004 02:03:08
I think it would be more accurate, particularly in your case Richard, to say that curries cause "lightning" stools...
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Exodus on 08/07/2004 02:07:53
lightning stools? as in an almost instant effect?
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: chris on 21/12/2006 23:03:12
I thought this post deserved re-appraisal, so I'm bringing it back to the top for further discussion...

Any further insights into the origins of white dog turds, and explanations for their apparent demise in latter years, would be gratefully received.

Chris
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: neilep on 21/12/2006 23:36:30
You know...since this thread went into hibernation in July 2004 , I can safely say that I have yet to see another white dog poo  since then or even before, that i can remember !!...I may have to resort to getting the spray paint out !
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Karen W. on 22/12/2006 00:26:18
OH NO!!!!!!  NOT DESIGNER DOG POOP!! Is that from an iron deficiency?? I have heard something like that I have to go try to find out!!I know the answer somwhere in the back of me closets of books,... Not in me brain!!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: ukmicky on 22/12/2006 00:28:19
The last time i saw dog poo was when my dog eat it in the park and that was years ago.

He's  dead now , and no it wasnt the poo that killed it , it was the vet as he put him down :)
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: DrN on 22/12/2006 00:29:27
anyone up for a proper scientific experiment?

I must admit I thought the colour of poo was down to bile, and that white poo indicated a bile duct blockage. probably wrong, but just another idea to throw into the mix.

didn't Hannibal Lecter have a thing for Billy Rubin?  [;)]
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: ukmicky on 22/12/2006 00:35:22
No
anyone up for a proper scientific experiment?

I must admit I thought the colour of poo was down to bile, and that white poo indicated a bile duct blockage. probably wrong, but just another idea to throw into the mix.

didn't Hannibal Lecter have a thing for Billy Rubin?  [;)]
No i think you will find thats a fishy tale
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: neilep on 22/12/2006 00:42:30
The last time i saw dog poo was when my dog eat it in the park and that was years ago.

He's  dead now , and no it wasnt the poo that killed it , it was the vet as he put him down :)


What is it with dogs that make them eat crap ?
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Karen W. on 22/12/2006 01:38:28
I don't know but it makes me want to vomit, and they eat that too, (their own) Its just gross! LOL LOL YUCK!!!!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Carolyn on 22/12/2006 02:03:11
I have recently seen white dog poo.  Every time my dog eats dirt, which is often, he has white poop.  Now if you'll excuse me, with all this talk of poop and vomit and what dogs eat I think I'm going to be sick.
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Karen W. on 22/12/2006 02:29:04
LOL... here here!!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: neilep on 22/12/2006 02:53:34
I have recently seen white dog poo.  Every time my dog eats dirt, which is often, he has white poop.  Now if you'll excuse me, with all this talk of poop and vomit and what dogs eat I think I'm going to be sick.

Post a piccy !!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Karen W. on 22/12/2006 03:06:41
YES!!  YAYYYY WE GET TO SEE PICCY'S OF POO POO!! LOL LOL IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE OF COURSE!!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Carolyn on 22/12/2006 04:32:12
YUCK YUCK YUCK
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Karen W. on 22/12/2006 04:49:27
DID YOU THINK YOU WERE EVER GOING TO BE RECRUITED TO TAKE PICTURES OF WHITE DOGGIE POOP? QUADTRIPLE YUCK!!!!
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Carolyn on 22/12/2006 04:50:38
NEVA GONNA HAPPEN!  I just don't have the stomach for it. [xx(]
Title: Re: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Karen W. on 22/12/2006 05:07:15
NO MAM ME NEITHER!!
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: serenajamie on 22/11/2008 21:04:20
Funny that some of you should mention calcium intake. In fact the correct chemical element is iodine. Because dogs no longer eat vegetables, but rather meat, they ingest high levels of iodine ipso facto suffer a deficiency in the important enzyme iodaze (radioactive.) If you do wish to return your dogs faeces to a more pleasant white colour, we suggest a daily pot of activia. This contains bifidium activaraze.
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Bored chemist on 23/11/2008 10:30:34
Nonsense.
I would think it was spam, but the makers of activia would get the made up name of the bacteria right.
Dogs evolved to eat meat, if anything the proably eat more veg these days than they ever did before.
The quantity of iodine in their diet probably hasn't chaged much. In any case, excess iodine is easy to excrete in the urine.
"Iodaze" doesn't exist.
There's nothing particularly radioactive in a dog's diet.
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: kilala_94 on 18/02/2009 01:19:26
Well my dogs got into the drywall compund once and well, you know the rest
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: RMorewood on 22/02/2009 17:40:47
Just contributing some observational evidence in favour of the hypothesis that the modern dog diet, specifically the lack of bones, a major contributing factor.  Our dog normally produces a crumbly white turd the day after eating a large bone.
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Andrew K Fletcher on 22/02/2009 18:12:24
http://www.yardwear.net/blog/CategoryView,category,WhiteDogPoo.aspx

Thinking of you guys and thought you might like this site
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Ethos on 06/12/2009 20:36:17
Does anyone know why old dog poo goes white and crumbly?
That's a job left thankfully to the local dog poo inspector. Maybe the city should hire more of them?
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: 911savebeans on 15/02/2011 19:47:03
911SaveBeans is a resource that contains many helpful products like dog poop bags, biodegradable dog poop bags, dog waste bags and doggie poop bags. These poop bags are cost effective and 100% biodegradable in enviroment.

They are also spam free!
Title: What causes white dog poo and why is white dog poo seldom seen these days?
Post by: Geezer on 15/02/2011 21:01:06
No sh1t?!