Dogs, if their owner sticks to a “no table food” policy, eat the same meal day after day, which should result in a very easily established baseline for their waste product. If dog food manufacturers had a simple colored square on every package innocuously named Waste Color Indicator (WCI), owners would be able to better gauge offal color changes when changing foods or adjusting diets. This could also serve as a warning system for when Steve gets in the garbage.

Veterinarians could have a color chart as well for the chromatically challenged, much the same way many E.R.’s have the 1-9 pain chart prominently posted. Instead of trying to figure out if the dog’s waste has sporadically been grey-green or green-grey, simply say “this one” and point.

(I know it is common for vets to require a stool sample for a number of other tests as well, but it is often frustrating when the appointment runs around and your pet does a normal doggy dirt.)

It wouldn’t be perfect, but it would help. If the dog’s waste is blue with silver streaks, for instance, odds are it ate a marker and some tinsel.
-- JeremiahBritt, Dec 07 2004

Whatever did happen to white dog poop, I wonder?
-- skinflaps, Dec 07 2004


Don't own a dog, but suspect this of being a good idea. Bun. Would a consistency chart also be useful? Reminds me of those ridiculous 'pasta pictures' we had to do at primary school...
-- moomintroll, Dec 07 2004


Very good one. Bun. If it were implemented they'd have to color calibrate the prints for where they're being viewed though. Such minute discrepancies in color being so important I fear it would be very difficult to use accurately.
-- Ponies for Parties, Dec 20 2005


I also wonder where the white dog poop went. Used to see it when I was a child.
-- phundug, Dec 20 2005



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