My Dog Has Black Bugs In Her Poop

The Short Answer is:

This is most likely due to your dog ingesting food or dirt containing these bugs. Some dogs ingest fleas, which can lead to intestinal parasites. Also, dogs can drink contaminated water from ponds or lakes that are brimming with these bugs/parasites. Last but not least, mosquitoes and fleas can make your dog sick with parasites.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “My Dog Has Black Bugs In Her Poop“.

If you’re a dog parent you’ll find it unsettling when you see bugs in your dogs poop. Thats probably why you’re here or you may simply wish to be well-prepared in case this scenario arises in the future.

You are naturally concerned about your dogs health and you want to make sure that they are doing well.

In this article we will examine this topic in detail including which bugs are alarming (and should be taken to the vet) and which bugs you can ignore. Lets investigate!

What are the main types of bugs that can be seen in dog poop?

In order to simplify this discussion lets divide the bugs into two categories: external and internal. External bugs are those that come from outside your dog while internal bugs are those that live inside like intestinal worms or parasites.

Fly larvae dung beetles and black ants are the most common external bugs found in your dogs stool. Your dogs poop might even contain slugs sometimes. You need not worry about any of these as a pet owner. Your pet does not harbor any of these illnesses. Although it is hard to believe these bugs enjoy the nutrients in your dogs poop.

However internal bugs are what you should be concerned about. You’ll be able to see intestinal worms in your dogs poop most often including roundworms hookworms whipworms and tapeworms.

Are there any bugs that are black?

It is most likely dung beetles or house ants that you will find wriggling in your dogs feces. You must examine the situation more closely to find out for sure. Even though nobody likes going poop-diving. it must be done for the sake of your dogs health. 

If after closely inspecting these insects you do not think they’re dung beetles or black ants you should collect a sample of the poop and take it to your veterinarian.

Your dogs poop may sometimes contain black spots which look like black bugs. In addition to being a cause for concern these black specks may also be dried blood spots. If you see these you should contact your veterinarian.

Why do dogs have bugs in their poop?

There are many ways in which dogs can get bugs in their poop. Here are a few common ones:

1. This is most likely due to your dog ingesting food or dirt containing these bugs. Some dogs ingest fleas which can lead to intestinal parasites.
2. Also dogs can drink contaminated water from ponds or lakes that are brimming with these bugs/parasites.
3. Last but not least mosquitoes and fleas can make your dog sick with parasites.

Which of these bugs need to be treated?

The presence of external bugs in your dogs poop (such as fly larvae dung beetles house ants and slugs) is not a cause for alarm. Since they do not originate inside your dog they do not need to be treated. In any case get a sample to your veterinarian if they turn out to be something other than the bugs mentioned here.

However external bugs on your dogs body are a different story. You will have to treat them. Dogs are commonly infested with fleas ticks lice and ear mites as external parasites. Fortunately external parasites are easier to treat than internal parasites and your vet will advise you on which medications to use.

Furthermore in all cases your dogs poop does need to be treated if it contains internal parasites. Taking a closer look at the poop can help you determine whether a bug/parasite is internal or external. 

Why do dogs have black poop?

When your dog has black poop you should not ignore it. A few causes of black stool in dogs include toxins a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract pancreatitis kidney failure cancer and internal bleeding. 

As you can see none of these sounds remotely appealing. In other words if your dog is pooping black you need to call your veterinarian right away. 

However there is one exception.

That applies to dogs who are on raw food diets and whose poop is black.

Black poop isnot a result of your dog having something wrong with them but rather of eating a certain type of food.

Both of my dogs are on a raw food diet and eat different kinds of meat. 

About once a week they will have a black poop.

They ate a lot of blood in the meat they consumed most recently.

Foods rich in iron tend to produce black poop and my dogs eat a blend of ox (cow) mince which makes their poop much darker. 

What are small black bugs found on dogs that aren’t fleas?

Your dogs body can be infested with quite a few external bugs. In order to avoid covering fleas we will not discuss them here. As well as fleas you should also watch out for these three bugs:

Lice

Humans and dogs are both prone to lice so spotting one should be relatively easy. Theres no need to describe it in detail. There is only one thing worth mentioning here: you cannot catch your dogs lice.

Ticks

Eight-legged parasites are irritating especially since they bite and transmit diseases to humans as well. You and your pets are both at risk of contracting diseases from these pesky insects. Make sure to stay vigilant. You can spot them quite easily and get rid of them rather easily and considering the severity of the diseases they can cause you should get rid of them as soon as possible.

Ear mites 

The ear mites on your dog cannot spread to you but they can spread to other cats and dogs. Because ear mites are so small its impossible to see them. The evidence they leave in your dogs ears however is quite obvious. In the event your dog gets restless due to itchy ears and a closer look reveals black earwax your dog may have ear mites.

Fortunately as previously mentioned bugs that are found on dogs are fairly easy to get rid of. Watch for them and notify your vet immediately if you see one.

What are white bugs that are found in dog poop?

You can find quite a bit of variety of white bugs in your dogs poop. To begin we’ll talk about the harmless fly larvae. Fly eggs are laid in your dogs poop after they have eaten so you do not need to worry about them. They do not come from within your dog.

Lets move on to some of the white bugs you should be concerned about:

Roundworms: These are thin noodle-like creatures that can reach a length of 6 inches. Get rid of these immediately because they can easily be transferred to you.  

Hookworms: They can be almost undetectable. Their bodies are white and very thin. From something as simple as your dogs licking you you can get hookworms and roundworms.

Tapeworms: In your dogs poop tapeworms look like small grains of rice. Your dog may also have tapeworms in the rectum. 

Whipworms: As a rule whipworms look very similar to hookworms except that their tails resemble whips and they’re much easier to find due to their size.

These are easy to treat and your veterinarian will prescribe deworming medications to get rid of them. 

Conclusion

Today was a very busy day for us. We have summarized the important bits for you.

1. Bugs found in your dogs poop can be categorized as external or internal.
2. In the external environment there are flies dung beetles black ants and slugs. They should not be a problem.
3. It is important to worry about the internal ones since as their name implies they come from within your dog. They include hookworms roundworms tapeworms and whipworms.
4. You should contact your veterinarian as soon as you notice these internal worms in your dogs feces.
5. When it comes to black bugs wriggling around in your dogs poop either house ants or dung beetles are most likely culprits. Check your dogs poop closely to be sure.
6. If after inspection the bugs turn out to be neither of these you will need to collect a fecal sample to show your vet.
7. It is possible for your dogs poop to contain black spots which look like black bugs. You should contact your vet as soon as possible if you find these spots as they are likely dried blood spots.
8. Through their mouth through eating or drinking something or through flea/mosquito bites dogs can get internal parasites.
9. It is not necessary to treat your dog for external bugs such as fly larvae dung beetles black ants and slugs. 
10. However your dog must be treated for internal worms.
11. The presence of black poop is alarming and you should visit your veterinarian immediately if you notice it.
12. Fleas lice ticks and ear mites are black bugs that can be found on the body of your dog.
13. Fly larvae hookworms tapeworms roundworms and whipworms are some of the white bugs in your dogs poop. It is necessary to treat all of these worms but not fly larvae.

Last but not least heartworms need to be mentioned. Despite the fact that these can not be found in your dogs poop they are by far the most dangerous worms. Mosquito bites are the most common way for your dog to get them. They are also extremely costly and risky to treat. Fortunately you can prevent them through a monthly pill.

If your dog does not already take heartworm prevention medication you should start her/him on it as soon as possible. Be sure to have your dog tested for heartworms before starting these medications. Taking heartworm prevention medication if your dog already has heartworms can be dangerous.

Thats all I have for today. Thanks for reading. Please let us know if you would like us to cover a particular topic. We will do so.

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.