Polka Dot Stools in Dogs: Did My Dog Eat Party Confetti?
If your dog’s poop looks like somebody just had a birthday party in their belly, somebody did. Cooties… in other words, parasites!
Unfortunately, it will not look as cute as in this illustration.

How fresh is the poop?
If the pie isn’t freshly baked, the worms might not have come out of your dog’s bum. They might have just shown up after the party’s started, so to speak. I have seen freaked-out people sharing photos of worms that invaded their dog’s poop after it’s been on the ground for a while, and I have seen that happen now and then, too; guests showing up for an open buffet.
It is also possible that your dog ate something that didn’t digest well, and that’s what you’re seeing. Some foods don’t digest, particularly when eaten whole. However, you might need to freak out if you see rice-like things in your dog’s poop or around your dog’s rear end. They’re probably tapeworms.
Tapeworm segments
Once you’ve seen the tapeworm segments, you will recognize them.

If a tapeworm is a worm, why does it look like rice? Well, it doesn’t until it does. They look like worms inside your dog’s body, but they shed body segments as part of their life cycle. When the segments first appear, they are small, white, and may even wiggle. But as they dry, they shrink up into what looks like rice. I saw a couple of them crawl right out of Cookie’s bum and then experimentally watched one shrink.
Cookie most likely got them from eating a squirrel or from fleas. An ingested flea is the most common way dogs get tapeworms.
Which worms can you see in your dog’s poop?
Tapeworms and roundworms are the only ones you’ll usually be able to see with your eyes.
You have a leg up if you see worms in your dog’s poop. Because only two of the four common intestinal worms can usually be seen in the stool; tapeworms and roundworms.
Roundworms look more like what you’d think of a worm looking like. Long and, well, round. Unless your dog has lots of roundworms, you probably won’t see any in the poop. But, just because you don’t see any doesn’t mean they’re not there.
Other symptoms
You may or may not be able to tell whether your dog has worms by other symptoms, such as:
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- a pot-bellied appearance
- weight loss
- or dry hair
That said, I am not a fan of treating a problem I don’t have; I wouldn’t routinely deworm my adult dog. I do, however, have the poop checked regularly. Worms are not only gross but severe enough that infestation can be dangerous.
Related articles:
What’s in the Poop?
A Primer On Intestinal Worms: Types, Symptoms, and Diagnosis of Intestinal Worms in Dogs
Further reading:
Intestinal Worms in Dogs and Cats
I didn’t realize that tapeworms shed their bodies and look like rice in poop. That’s good info! I’m totally with you on not treating something that your dog doesn’t have. However, always checking for parasites is a great idea. Who’d want to take medication just for kicks and giggles?
Henry was just checked about a month or so ago when he was at the vet. Thank goodness he’s worm free – and all other nasty parasite free too. 🙂
Very good details on what to look for and do with worms in dog poop. I’m sharing with all my dog parents.
Great post and since reading your blog I check her poop all the time but phew we are all ok.
Oh, that is so gross! I wonder if my dog could still get these worms if she’s on a flea & tick medication? I’m assuming that the monthly meds would kill any flea or but she might ingest throughout the month – but am I correct? Excellent post, thank you!
I would not have known about tapeworms wigglng UGH!!! Yikes this all sounds pretty revolting doesn’t it? I assume a dewormed tablet would clear any problems and the dog would be OK?