Why does poop smell?

[StillandSilent]

I wasn't going to share this story, but since we're already talking about poop....

I took Gambit to daycare last week, only to find out I couldn't put him in the yard right away because the bug man had just been there. So I left him in the hallway, mistakenly thinking he had pooped before we got there. He hadn't, and he ended up pooping in the hallway.

I had other tasks to do, so I returned 10 minutes later to find the entire rest of the staff all staring at his poop. They were just dazzled by the fact that there was no odor at all acompanying it.

Gambit, on the other hand, was humilated that he had not only pooped in the hall, but that everyone wouldn't quit talking about it! :lol-sign:

He's raw fed BTW

 

[misfitz]

Interesting thread LOL. I just finished reading The Omnivore's Dilemma and it talks about the human "disgust" reflex. The theory is that disgust is an adaptation so we don't eat things that might make us sick. Poop and dead things are what humans find most disgusting. Dogs like to eat/roll in poop and dead things, and they aren't (apparently) harmed by eating them, even though it grosses us out!

The existential question is, if a dog poops in the woods and no humans are around to smell it, does it stink? :rofl1:

PS. I'm totally using "cornivore" now. LOL.

PPS. Poor Gambit! That's a hilarious story, though.

 

[Dekka]

As to why poop smells. Its due to the bacteria in the poop. Your, and your dogs gut is full of all sorts of helpful bacteria. What you are trying to digest will determine what type of fauna inhabits your gut. (better foods seem to have easier digestion or less bacterial action..)

These bacteria produce compounds like thiols that are quite smelly.

The really gross part about why poop smells... small amounts (molecular sized) bits of poop disperse and float through the air to land in your nose when you inhale. This triggers the hair like sensors in your nose and tells your brain "eewww poop"

 

[HayleyMarie]

OK EWW Kerri, I did not need to know that!

 

[HayleyMarie]

Speaking of gross poo. Teagan stepped in some lastnight. The neighbours dogs like pooing in Tylers parents yard.

I knew right away that it was not Teagans own poo she stepped in because it was fresh and she never went to the bathroom at their place last night and the smell was just awefull and Teagan has no smell poo since she is on raw and to make it worse I did not noticed Teagan had poo on her foot until it was all over the inside of my car

 

[mcnutty757]

Just wanted to give everyone an update:
My girlfriend town for 10 days and Bunk's poop stopped smelling and had better consistency.
Guess she was feeding him a bunch of treats behind my back ; )