Why Can’t My Dog Poop?

Dog Can’t Poop? This Could Be Why

Witnessing your dog struggling to go to the toilet is a heartbreaking thing to see. Thankfully, constipation in dogs is usually a rare occurrence that happens infrequently, with owners reporting higher cases of diarrhoea in their pooches.

Is my dog constipated?

Identifying that your dog is constipated is typically easy. It may not be the nicest thing to do, but it’s recommended that you keep a close on your dog’s toilet habits to ensure that everything is as it should be. This means watching your dog when he’s in the garden or at the park and checking that he has been to the toilet. For indoor dogs, this is a somewhat easier task to identify. It’s also suggested that you regularly check the stools and urine that your dog passes to ensure it looks ‘normal’.

When monitoring your dog’s toilet habits, if you notice that your dog hasn’t gone for a poop at all, he’s straining to go or only a small, hard lump has been eliminated, then it’s a sure sign that he’s constipated.

What causes a dog to become constipated?

There are a number of reasons why a dog may be suffering from constipation. These causes include, diet, dehydration, kidney disease, ingestion of foreign objects, ingestion of hair from self-grooming, medication side-effect, lack of exercise, hernia or tumour or mass around the anus.

Treatment

There are a number of treatments you can choose from to help treat your dog’s constipation. It’s best to choose one remedy and stick with it until the constipation is resolved. The maximum number of remedies you should try is two, any more and your dog could suffer from a bout of diarrhoea, which could then lead to dehydration, a condition which is particularly dangerous for dogs.

Canned food, canned pumpkin, milk, olive oil, mineral oil, aloe vera juice, chicken broth, green beans are all remedies you can try to help ease your dog’s toilet problem. Fresh, clean drinking water is also vital as lots of fluid will help loosen up your dog’s stools and make it easier for him to pass them when the time comes.

Exercise is also a great way to get things moving. Take your dog on a long walk or encourage him to play, but be aware he may be feeling a little uncomfortable so it’s best to take things slow and at your dog’s pace.

When to see a veterinarian

If your dog hasn’t passed a stool for more than 48 hours then it’s time to make an appointment to see the vet. Professional help should also be sought if your dog is struggling to pass urine, is in pain, distress or is crying out, has blood in his stool or shows additional signs of being unwell, including vomiting and lethargy.

Constipation in dogs can usually be resolved with home remedies, however if these don’t help, your vet will examine your dog and will provide the best treatment to help him pass a stool and feel comfortable again.

Resources:

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/11/11/constipation-in-pet-dogs.aspx

https://www.petful.com/pet-health/dog-constipation-remedies-diy/

https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/routine-care/dog-constipation

https://www.thespruce.com/dog-constipation-causes-and-treatment-4129096

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